Storytellers School Of Toronto, The
Storytelling Toronto is a Toronto-based non-profit arts organization (founded 1979) that runs weekly open-mic events, storytelling courses, and an annual festival to develop and convene the oral storytelling community, funded by membership fees, event tickets, donations, and government arts councils.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1979
- HeadquartersToronto, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Storytellers School Of Toronto, The does
Storytelling Toronto (formerly the Storytellers' School of Toronto, founded 1979) is a private, non-profit arts organization headquartered at Artscape Wychwood Barns, Studio 173, 601 Christie Street, Toronto. It convenes and develops the oral storytelling community through a portfolio of recurring events (1001 Friday Nights of Storytelling weekly since 1978, StorySwap Canada ONLINE weekly since 2020, Storytent at Wychwood Barns), structured educational courses (Storytelling I, Storytelling II: Next Steps with Ruth Danziger, Storytelling with Young Children), the annual Toronto International Storytelling Festival, the Storypillar concert series, and the Storytent Apprentice Program for emerging tellers. The organization also operates the Storytellers' Directory, an online listing of professional storytellers, and publishes the bi-weekly Pip! newsletter. It serves three primary customer segments: general storytelling enthusiasts (listeners and tellers across skill levels), educators and parents seeking storytelling techniques for young children, and professional/emerging storytellers seeking performance and professional development opportunities.
The organization runs on a thin operational footprint — 3 named staff (Artistic Director Justin Shaw, Financial Administrator Mora Olubobokun, Arts Administrator Bonnie Hay) supported by an 8-person Board of Directors — and is powered by Wild Apricot membership and event management software. Its go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, reaching audiences directly through in-person programming at 8+ Toronto venues, online Zoom sessions, and word-of-mouth within the Toronto arts community.
Revenue is generated through four streams: recurring membership fees (members receive discounted course and event pricing), course and workshop registration fees ($65–$160 per course), event ticket sales ($5–$30, with tiered and First Nations discounted pricing), and donations. The organization is also supported by core funding from the Canada Council for the Arts, Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, Ontario Power Generation, and the Ontario Media Development Corporation / Telefilm Canada. Most events use a pay-what-you-can pricing model, making programming broadly accessible.
Storytellers School Of Toronto, The firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Storytellers School Of Toronto, The
- Legal name
- Storytelling Toronto
- Website
- https://storytellingtoronto.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1979
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Storytelling Toronto is a Toronto-based non-profit arts organization (founded 1979) that runs weekly open-mic events, storytelling courses, and an annual festival to develop and convene the oral storytelling community, funded by membership fees, event tickets, donations, and government arts councils.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Storytellers School Of Toronto, The industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Arts Education & Cultural Programming
- NAICS
- Fine Arts Schools (61161), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Theatre & Storytelling Festivals (MPAGAEAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Workshops & Masterclasses (Live, Audience-Facing) (MPAGACAM), Educational & Youth Community Events (School/Youth Festivals) (MPAGAEAM)
Keywords
Where Storytellers School Of Toronto, The is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toronto
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Storytellers School Of Toronto, The business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Annual membership program offering benefits to supporters and participants of Storytelling Toronto. Members receive discounted pricing on courses, workshops, and select events.
- Course and Workshop Registration: Fees charged for structured storytelling courses and workshops. Example: Storytelling with Young Children course at $78 member / $80 regular. Storytelling II course at $144 member / $160 regular. Performance workshops at $65-$75.
- Event Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticketed performances and events including festival programming, live streams, and special concerts. Tickets range from $10-$30 depending on event type and attendee category.
- Donations: Donations accepted via website. 'Donate' CTA prominently featured on homepage. Supported by government arts funders.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | 1001 Friday Nights of Storytelling |
| Subscription | Monthly | Storypillar Series events |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Festival performances |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Courses for adult tellers |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Festival workshops |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Professional services |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Toronto Storytelling Showcase |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Storytellers School Of Toronto, The product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Storytelling Toronto delivers oral storytelling education and live storytelling events through structured courses (e.g., Storytelling I, Storytelling II, Storytelling with Young Children), weekly recurring open-mic events (1001 Friday Nights since 1978, StorySwap Canada Online, Storytent), themed concert series (Storypillar Series), and an annual multi-day Toronto International Storytelling Festival. Programs are supported by an annual membership program and targeted at adult tellers, educators, parents, and the broader storytelling community.
Product overview
Storytelling Toronto is a non-profit arts organization offering a diverse portfolio of oral storytelling programs and services. The core offerings include weekly recurring events (1001 Friday Nights of Storytelling since 1978, StorySwap Canada Online Open-Mic, and Storytent sessions at Wychwood Barns), annual programming (Toronto International Storytelling Festival, Storypillar Series), and structured educational courses (Storytelling I, Storytelling II, and specialized courses like Storytelling with Young Children). Additional services include the Storytellers' Directory for connecting professional tellers with audiences, the Pip! newsletter, and the Storytent Apprentice Program for emerging storytellers. The organization serves as Toronto's home for oral storytelling, convening communities and championing storytelling artists across all skill levels.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Storytelling Courses
Quantifiable outcome
- 1001 Friday Nights of Storytelling running every Friday since 1978
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Storytellers School Of Toronto, The
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Storytellers School Of Toronto, The technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Storytellers School Of Toronto, The partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Storytellers of Canada - Conteurs du CanadacoreNational storytelling organization that supports StorySwap Canada online open-mic. Volunteers from almost every Canadian region participate. Provides network support and community connections for Toronto programming.
- Artscape Wychwood BarnscoreArtscape is a not-for-profit urban development organization that provides affordable studio and presentation spaces for artists. Storytelling Toronto's headquarters and primary programming venue at Studio 173, 601 Christie St. Provides physical home for courses, workshops, and events.
- The ArquivesminorToronto-based LGBTQ+ community archive. Hosted Queers in Your Ears event during the Toronto International Storytelling Festival.
- A Different BooklistminorToronto cultural bookstore and community space. Hosted Festival Kick-Off event for the 2026 Toronto International Storytelling Festival.
- Wild ApricotcoreMembership management and event software platform. Powers Storytelling Toronto's website, event calendar, membership database, newsletter subscription, and online registration.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Storytellers School Of Toronto, The competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Moth: The Moth is the leading global storytelling performance organization, running curated live storytelling shows and an open-mic community series with international reach. It is the closest direct analog to Storytelling Toronto's model of weekly open-mic storytelling combined with featured showcases and ticketed performances.
- StoryCorps: StoryCorps is a US-based nonprofit that records, preserves, and shares oral stories from everyday people, with national reach and major institutional funding. It shares Storytelling Toronto's non-profit storytelling mission and community-driven participation model, though its emphasis is on recorded oral history rather than live performance.
- MassMouth: MassMouth is a Boston-area nonprofit that runs storytelling slams, workshops, and community events to promote the art of storytelling. It mirrors Storytelling Toronto's combination of community open-mic, structured courses, and festival-style showcases, serving as a similar city-scale storytelling hub.
- National Storytelling Network: The National Storytelling Network is the largest US membership organization supporting the art of storytelling, hosting an annual festival and providing resources to storytellers. It is comparable in mission to Storytelling Toronto as a convening body for the storytelling community, though at a national US scale rather than a city-level focus.
- Capital Storytelling: Capital Storytelling is a Washington, DC-area storytelling nonprofit that runs community storytelling events and showcases. It is comparable to Storytelling Toronto as a city-level organization promoting oral storytelling through regular events and community building.
- Storytellers of Canada - Conteurs du Canada: Storytellers of Canada is the national Canadian federation of storytelling societies and a strategic partner of Storytelling Toronto through the StorySwap Canada Online Open-Mic. It operates a parallel mission of supporting oral storytelling practitioners across regions and shares the same community-led, grant-supported model.
Regional players
- Bocas Lit Fest: Bocas Lit Fest is a leading Caribbean literary festival featuring storytelling, oral performance, and author events. It is comparable in operating model as a multi-venue storytelling festival, but operates in a different geography (Trinidad and the Caribbean) from Storytelling Toronto's Toronto/Canadian base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks3 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Storytellers School Of Toronto, The social profiles
Digital presenceStorytellers School Of Toronto, The financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Storytellers School Of Toronto, The leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Storytellers School Of Toronto, The funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Storytellers School Of Toronto, The M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Storytellers School Of Toronto, The
What does Storytellers School Of Toronto, The do?
Storytelling Toronto delivers oral storytelling education and live storytelling events through structured courses (e.g., Storytelling I, Storytelling II, Storytelling with Young Children), weekly recurring open-mic events (1001 Friday Nights since 1978, StorySwap Canada Online, Storytent), themed concert series (Storypillar Series), and an annual multi-day Toronto International Storytelling Festival. Programs are supported by an annual membership program and targeted at adult tellers, educators, parents, and the broader storytelling community.
Is Storytellers School Of Toronto, The a public or private company?
Storytellers School Of Toronto, The is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Storytellers School Of Toronto, The founded?
Storytellers School Of Toronto, The was founded in 1979. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Storytellers School Of Toronto, The based?
Storytellers School Of Toronto, The is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Storytellers School Of Toronto, The make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are course and Workshop Registration, event Ticket Sales and donations.
Who are Storytellers School Of Toronto, The's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Moth, StoryCorps, MassMouth, National Storytelling Network, Capital Storytelling and Storytellers of Canada - Conteurs du Canada. Bocas Lit Fest is listed as a regional player.
Does Storytellers School Of Toronto, The have an API?
No public API is recorded for Storytellers School Of Toronto, The.
What industry is Storytellers School Of Toronto, The in?
Storytellers School Of Toronto, The's product category is Arts Education & Cultural Programming. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAEAI, Community Theatre & Storytelling Festivals, with a secondary code of MPAGACAM, Workshops & Masterclasses (Live, Audience-Facing). Its NAICS code is 61161 and its SIC code is 7900.