Story Slam 2026: Where Stories Build Connection
Digital storytelling sits at the crossroads of care, community, and change. In this conversation, we explore how short, voice-led films made with a facilitator help people name hard truths, honour family, and translate experience into practical wisdom. Mike Lang shares recent workshops with young caregivers of parents who had ALS, head and neck cancer patients in Alberta, and young adults living with brain tumours. Each project centres lived experience, turning private struggles into public resources that reduce isolation and spark action. Listeners hear why facilitators value both the stories and the culture that forms when organizations return year after year to create and share them.
Check out the Sizzle Reel from the 2025 Story Slam!
One standout thread is the shift from information to understanding in healthcare. Pamphlets and portals list procedures, risks, and timelines, but they rarely teach what it feels like to face surgery, manage side effects, or navigate survivorship. By embedding digital stories directly into patient education—linking a surgery section to a three-minute film about the day-of experience—patients gain context, language, and confidence. This reframing treats stories as evidence of lived expertise, not add-ons. It also invites families and caregivers to participate, helping them prepare for roles they often assume without training. The result is informed consent with emotional clarity, grounded in voices that reflect real paths through treatment.
We also hear about Like a Mountain, a short documentary on mindfulness for young caregivers filmed in the Tombstone Mountains. The film pairs landscape and practice, showing simple, repeatable techniques young people can carry into chaotic days. It channels lessons from the rise of young adult oncology programs: coordinated advocacy, shared stories, and persistent outreach can transform services in under a generation. The goal is the same here—put young caregiving on the map, equip schools and clinics with tools, and make mental health supports visible and actionable. When caregivers recognize themselves in a story, they are more likely to seek community and try practical skills.
Episode 45 Key Messages
0:19 What Digital Storytelling Is
1:07 Mike’s Recent Workshops
2:46 Embedding Stories in Patient Education
3:45 Documentary: Like a Mountain
5:13 Culture From Repeat Workshops
7:15 Young Caregiving Momentum
9:08 Common Language Story Slam Format and Access
11:13 Why Conversations Elevate the Stories
12:40 Facilitator Retreat and Planning
14:07 Kitchen Table Nights and Resources
15:12 Newsletters and How to Sign Up
16:20 Submitting Stories for the Story Slam
Sustained impact depends on infrastructure, so the conversation turns to repeat partnerships and a growing culture of storytelling. The Brain Tumour Foundation workshop now runs smoothly with minimal setup, draws a wait list, and features live screenings and public releases on social media. That consistency breeds trust, increases reach, and makes it easier to recruit participants who understand the process. It also creates institutional memory: staff anticipate new stories, reuse them in education, and celebrate creators. When stories become part of an organization’s rhythm, they move from projects to practice.
Looking ahead, the Common Language Story Slam evolves into a submission-based showcase, selecting twelve digital stories for two screenings and elevating all submissions through promotion before and after the event. The format keeps the energy of live conversation while widening access via livestream. Between screenings, on-stage dialogues surface “the story of the story,” illuminating creative choices, ethics, and healing. That same spirit continues at the facilitator retreat, where the collective reviews the Slam, shares methods, and sets priorities for the year. Kitchen Table Nights and newsletters keep momentum between big events, offering entry points for newcomers and touchpoints for alumni. Together, these efforts form an ecosystem: training, creation, curation, conversation, and community care—each part strengthening the others.
Story Slam 2026 Details
Date: Thursday, April 30th 2026
Location:
In person at cSPACE Marda Loop 1721 29 Avenue Southwest Calgary, Alberta
Virtual option available
Join us for an inspiring day of digital storytelling that builds bridges through shared human experiences. The Common Language Story Slam 2026 showcases 12 powerful stories selected for their compelling narratives and meaningful impact. Light refreshments provided!
Event Schedule
Afternoon Screening: 2:00pm - 4:00pm, doors open at 1:30pm
Evening Screening: 6:30pm - 8:300pm, doors open at 6:00pm
Each screening features six carefully curated digital stories, followed by audience interaction and storyteller interviews that deepen the conversation and connection.
Our Mission
We believe stories have the power to inspire connection, compassion, and care. This festival elevates diverse voices, empowers storytellers, and fosters deeper understanding of the societal challenges and triumphs that shape our communities.
What to Expect
Compelling digital stories that challenge perspectives and spark dialogue
Interactive discussions with storytellers and fellow audience members
Community connection through the universal language of storytelling
Inspiration and insight that extends far beyond the screening room
Whether you attend one screening or both, you'll leave with new perspectives and a renewed appreciation for the power of authentic storytelling to create positive change.
About Co-Created
Co-Created is a podcast that takes you behind the scenes of digital storytelling. On each episode, host Kristy Wolfe dives into conversations with the storytellers and facilitators who bring digital stories to life.
If this particular conversation resonated with you, tell a friend or a colleague about Co-Created or share one of the digital stories we were talking about. You can find the stories here.
Co-Created is presented by Common Language DST, digital storytelling facilitation training for health and wellness changemakers and is supported by the team at Snack Labs.
