THE MOTH CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF STORYSLAMS, THE OPEN-MIC STORYTELLING FORMAT THAT TURNED PERSONAL STORIES INTO A MOVEMENT

UNFILTERED: 25 Years of New York Stories, a special evening of favorite 
NYC SLAM stories, comes to Music Hall of Williamsburg on November 12

NEW YORK, NY — September 22, 2026 — Twenty-five years ago in New York City, The Moth took a simple idea –give ordinary people a stage, a theme, and a few minutes to tell a true story – and turned it into one of the most enduring formats in live storytelling. This fall, The Moth celebrates a quarter century of StorySLAMs, its signature open-mic storytelling competitions, where anyone can put their name in a hat for the chance to take the stage and share a five-minute true, personal story, with a special one-night-only anniversary celebration in the city where it all began.

On Thursday, November 12, 2026, The Moth will present UNFILTERED: 25 Years of New York Stories at Music Hall of Williamsburg, bringing together a curated lineup of favorite storytellers from the StorySLAM archives, unexpected guests, and a few surprises. The evening will feature eight hand-picked storytellers—six audience favorites, along with two first-time StorySLAM tellers — sharing true, personal stories live and without notes, in the quintessential Moth tradition.

The celebration will also feature a live mural by award-winning NYC-based artist, graphic designer, and author Timothy Goodman, who designed the event’s show art. A limited-edition StorySLAM 25th anniversary t‑shirt featuring Goodman’s artwork will be available for purchase at the event, alongside select Moth merchandise.

THE HISTORY AND IMPACT OF MOTH STORYSLAMS

Since launching in 2001, StorySLAMs have invited people from all walks of life to take a chance to be chosen at random to step onto a stage, and tell a true story to a room full of strangers. No professional credentials are required, and no two nights are ever alike. The result is an experience fueled by spontaneity, vulnerability, humor, surprise, and the unexpected connections that emerge when people simply listen to one another.

StorySLAMs have also served as a front door to The Moth, introducing generations of storytellers and audiences to the organization’s broader storytelling community. What began as an experiment in New York has grown into a global phenomenon, with StorySLAM communities now spanning 29 cities around the world. 

The format’s influence extends far beyond the stage, helping bring personal storytelling into the cultural mainstream and contributing to the broader landscape of live performance, podcasts, journalism, memoir, and digital media.

The Moth’s 25th anniversary StorySLAM celebration comes as the beloved storytelling nonprofit approaches its own 30th anniversary in 2027 – an opportunity to celebrate the format that has been at the heart of The Moth’s live programming for a quarter century and to spotlight the impact it has had and the community that has grown around it. 

“The magic of StorySLAMs is that you never know who is going to walk through the door, step up to the mic, and change the room with a story,” says Gina Duncan, CEO of The Moth. ​“For 25 years, StorySLAMs have shown us that everyone has a story worth hearing — and that telling those stories can bring people together in remarkable ways. This anniversary is a celebration of the storytellers and audiences who have made StorySLAMs what they are, and of the community that continues to grow around it.”

 

Since its launch in 2001, StorySLAMs have:

• Given hundreds of thousands of people the opportunity to hear and tell true, personal stories, adding up to more than 660 hours of storytelling over 25 years;
• Built vibrant local storytelling communities in cities across the U.S. and around the world;
• Served as an entry point into The Moth community for countless first-time storytellers and audience members;
• Sparked connections and creative projects that have led to marriages, babies, best friends, book deals, one-person shows — and even an opera;
• Helped bring personal storytelling into the cultural mainstream, with StorySLAMs and their impact featured in shows including Girls (HBO), And Just Like That… (HBO), Abbott Elementary (ABC), and more;
• Brought stories to Moth stages on five continents, featuring storytellers ranging from poet Amanda Gorman and comedian/​actress Ali Wong to neuroscientist Moran Cerf, with hosts including Jeff Hiller (Somebody Somewhere, American Horror Story: Delicate), Lindy West (Shrill), and Baron Vaughn (Grace and Frankie, Mystery Science Theater 3000); and guest judges including Angela Bassett (Black Panther, Mission: Impossible, What’s Love Got to Do With It), Moon Unit Zappa (musician), Rob Corddry (Hot Tub Time Machine), and more.

This fall, StorySLAM communities across the country and around the world will join the celebration, while The Moth’s Fall Mainstage season brings its flagship performances to cities with thriving year-round StorySLAM communities, including Atlanta, Boston, Austin, Chicago, Houston, New York, London, Los Angeles, and Portland.

A special Moth Radio Hour episode featuring live StorySLAM stories will also be part of the anniversary celebration. The episode will begin airing on public radio stations nationwide on November 3, with the podcast available November 10.
 

SHOW DETAILS

UNFILTERED: 25 Years of New York Stories 

Thursday, November 12, 2026
Doors: 6:30 PM | Stories: 7:30 PM
Music Hall of Williamsburg
66 North 6th Street, Brooklyn, NY
Featuring: Eight StorySLAM storytellers, including six favorites from The Moth’s NYC archives and two first-time StorySLAM tellers — line up to be announced
Special feature: Live mural by award-winning artist and graphic designer Timothy Goodman
Tickets: Seated $55; Standing $25 / available here

For more information, visit The​Moth​.org.

ABOUT THE MOTH

The Moth is a global storytelling nonprofit dedicated to connecting humanity through the power of personal storytelling. Since launching in 1997, The Moth has presented more than 70,000 true stories — told live and without notes — to standing-room-only audiences around the world. Today, The Moth produces more than 600 live events annually and maintains an ongoing presence in 29 cities worldwide. Its work spans live storytelling, workshops and education, and media and publishing, including the internationally touring Mainstage series, open-mic StorySLAMs, and global storytelling initiatives. Each year, The Moth leads thousands of new storytellers through workshops for students, educators, adults, advocates, and professionals. Its Peabody Award-winning The Moth Radio Hour airs weekly on more than 540 public radio stations, while The Moth Podcast is downloaded tens of millions of times annually. The Moth has published five New York Times bestselling books and released My Life in Stories: A Guided Journal from The Moth(Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, $22.99) in February. More at The​Moth​.org | @MothStories

Media inquiries:
Meryl Cooper, The COOPERation, 917 – 974-0022, meryl@​thecooperationinc.​com