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11th International Digital Storytelling Conference

11th International Digital Storytelling Conference


Radical Listening: Story Work for a Just Future

June 20, 21, 22 and 23, 2023
University of Maryland, Baltimore County | Montgomery College | Smithsonian Institution | StoryCenter

Early Bird registration Opens Soon

Early Bird registration Opens Soon

In 2023, the 11th International Digital Storytelling Conference will be held in the Washington, D.C. region of the United States. Local Hosts include the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC); Montgomery College (MC); Smithsonian Institution (SI); Smithsonian Institution (SI); and StoryCenter (virtual only). The four day-long conference features four uniquely different experiences of engaging talks, inspiring presenters, receptions, and storytelling tours in the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area, USA. 

Network with an amazing gathering of digital storytelling professionals, academics, museum educators, practitioners, students, community partners, and activists. This conference will have three days of in-person sessions on June 20-22, and a final day of virtual presentations on Friday, June 23rd.

Sign Up for Updates

 

Day 1

Tuesday, June 20th at UMBC/Baltimore

DAY 1 UMBC/Baltimore

Day one opens on the University of Maryland, Baltimore County's campus with a morning keynote and conference sessions followed by an afternoon in Baltimore City with site visits, storytelling tours, and community project exploration.

Day 2

Wednesday, June 21st at Montgomery College/Takoma Park Silver Spring Campusnew window

DAY 2 Montgomery College

Day two at Montgomery College honors the traditional conference framework, providing opportunities for participants to present their scholarship and story work, enjoy local story art, and reflect on the day's learning. The programming culminates with a celebration of digital storytelling.

Day 3

Thursday, June 22nd at Smithsonian Institution sites and President Lincoln’s Cottage/DC

DAY 3 the Smithsonian Institution

Day three will be in Washington, D.C., and offers special gallery tours and workshops within several of the Smithsonian Institution's spectacular museums.

The day ends with a reception at President Lincoln’s Cottage in D.C.

Day 4

Friday, June 23rd, hosted by StoryCenter (Virtual Only)

DAY 4 Laptop on a desk

We will host this virtual conference at our TPSS campus: Day four, our finale, will be hosted by StoryCenter on zoom as an online conference in the same format as days one and two, a mix of research papers, panels, pecha kucha presentations, and workshops in 1 hour 15 minute long sessions. [All virtual sessions occur on this date.]

First held in 2003, the International Digital Storytelling Conferences are an opportunity for our global community of practice to gather, exchange ideas and share stories. This year’s conference will be the third in a series of multi-institutional, multinational collaborations organized by Loughborough University (UK), Montgomery College (US), Patient Voices (UK), Smithsonian Office of Educational Technology (US), StoryCenter (US), and UMBC – University of Maryland Baltimore County (US).  The first event, a 24-hour online marathon was held in 2021 during COVID lockdown (DST2021new window).  In June, 2022 an in-person conference took place in Loughborough (DST 2022new window).  DST 2023 will include a series of follow-on activities building on the themes of these previous events and take place in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. area where the conference theme will be Radical Listening: Story Work for a Just Future.

The conference will host events (both in person and online) in its structure for inclusion of diverse perspectives and voices. In addition to academic papers, Pecha Kucha presentations, workshops, and panel discussions, we encourage practitioners from community settings, artists, museums, and students to contribute and express their creativity through various formats (short performances, artworks, video/audio submissions, etc.).

Conference Formats 
  • Academic paper (15 minutes)
  • Pecha Kucha Presentation (7 minutes)
  • Workshop (90 minutes)
  • Panel (45 minutes)
  • Other
Important Dates
  • Deadline for abstract submission: 1/29
  • Early Bird registration opens soon
  • General Registration opens: 4/12
  • Accessibility Training for Presenters offered live (also recorded): 4/18, 2pm EST
  • Pecha Kucha Training for Presenters offered live (also recorded): to be announced
  • Single Day Registration opens: 5/1
  • Presenters’ materials to be sent in advance: 5/22
  • Registration closes: 5/31
Early Bird registration opens soon

  • 4-DAY In-Person and Virtual
  • Single In-Person Day
  • 1-Day Virtual

4-DAY In-Person and Virtual

  • 4-Day Full Conference Participation:  Tuesday, June 20 – Thursday, June 22 (in-person) plus our Virtual Conference Day on Friday, June 23, 2023
    • $380 General Registration Educators and Professionals (Early Bird: $305)
    • $280 Student or Non-Profit Practitioners Registration (Early Bird: $230)

Single In-Person Day

  • Single-Day Participation: Tuesday, June 20 [UMBC/ Baltimore]
    • $180 General Registration Educators and Professionals (Early Bird: $130)
    • $130 Student or Non-Profit Practitioners Registration (Early Bird: $105)

  • Single-Day Participation: Wednesday, June 21 [MC/ Takoma Park Silver Spring]
    • $180 General Registration Educators and Professionals (Early Bird: $130)
    • $130 Student or Non-Profit Practitioners Registration (Early Bird: $105)

  • Single-Day Participation: Thursday, June 22 [Smithsonian Institution sites and Lincoln Cottage Museum]
    • $180 General Registration Educators and Professionals (Early Bird: 130)
    • $130 Student or Non-Profit Practitioners Registration (Early Bird: $105)

1-Day Virtual

  • 1-day Virtual Conference Participation: Friday, June 23, 2023 (via Zoom)  
    Note: All virtual sessions occur on this date. 
    • $60 General registration Educators and Professionals
    • $30 Student or Non-Profit Practitioners Registration

 

Day 1: University of Maryland Baltimore County
DAY 1

Buses will pick up conference attendees at the conference hotel and shuttle them to the UMBC campus just outside of Baltimore. The day will start with a convening keynote, a panel of community-based leaders who use storytelling in social change settings. From there, attendees will have the opportunity to choose to go on one of three site visits or to stay on the UMBC campus for a series of conference sessions. The three bus tours will set off into Baltimore to see first-hand the storytelling projects referenced in the morning keynote, to participate in a neighborhood tour, and to experience the magic of Charm City! The day will end with a gallery reception at UMBC celebrating the life and music of Ola Belle Reed. Buses will start departing UMBC at 5:30 and continue for the next hour to return to the conference hotel.  

Day 2: Montgomery College/ Takoma Park Silver Spring Campus
DAY 2

The second day of conference proceedings is hosted by Montgomery College and will honor the traditional framework of an academic conference, inviting presenters to share their projects, papers, and inspirations.  Montgomery College is a community college with a large, diverse population serving Montgomery County, Maryland, situated on the border with Washington, D.C.  The day's events will take place on Montgomery College's Takoma Park/Silver Spring campus, utilizing the beautiful Cultural Arts Center. 

This special day will celebrate and amplify the voices and initiatives of an active international digital storytelling community of practice, beginning with a keynote address, expanding into diverse presentation spaces, breaking for lunch and conversation, and closing with a plenary "Celebrating 30 years of Digital Storyteling" with Joe Lambert of StoryCenter. In addition to a many unique presentations, Wednesday’s events will likely include a theater space for digital stories to be played on a loop, quiet spaces for reflection between presentations, a gallery walk-through, and story-driven entertainment. Learn more about MC and check out our digital storytelling community of practice.

Day 3: Smithsonian Institution Sites, Washington, DC
DAY 3

On our third day together, we'll explore the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum, education and research complex, which includes twenty-one museums and study centers and the National Zoo.  The Institution was founded in 1846 with funds from the Englishman James Smithson (1765-1829), a chemist and mineralogist who left his estate to establish in the United States an institution dedicated to "the increase and diffusion of knowledge."  Today the Institution is committed to telling a full and inclusive history of America, and to catalyzing important conversations on issues affecting our nation and the world. Conference participants will be able to sign up for special gallery tours at several museums on or near the National Mall, including the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Museum of American History, the new National Museum of the American Latino, the National Portrait Gallery, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the new Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum, the Smithsonian Cultural Heritage Initiative, SideDoor Podcast, and more, to learn how the Smithsonian uses stories to increase and diffuse knowledge, amplify voices, and build community.

Day 3 at President Lincoln’s Cottage
DAY 3


Reception to be held at President Lincoln's Cottage. President Lincoln's Cottage websitenew window 

Day 4: Virtual Conference Day hosted by StoryCenter
DAY 4

Day four, our finale, will be hosted by StoryCenter on zoom as an online conference in the same format as days one and two, a mix of research papers, panels, pecha kucha presentations, and workshops in 1 hour 15 minute sessions.

Your Hosts

University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
Montgomery College
Smithsonian Institution
StoryCenter
Conference Committee Members

Lyndsey Bakewell (DeMontfort University, UK)
Jennifer Baugh (Montgomery College, US)
Jessica Berman (UMBC, US)
Bev Bickel (UMBC, US)
Matthew Decker (Montgomery College, US)
Patrick Desloge (Hong Kong University)
Lindsay DiCuirci (UMBC, US)
Sara Bachman Ducey (Montgomery College, US)
Mark Dunford (University of Westminster/DigiTales, UK)
Daniela Gachago (Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa)
Jamie Gillan (Montgomery College, US)
Pip Hardy (Patient Voices, UK)
Brooke Hessler (StoryCenter, US)
Courtney Hobson (UMBC, US)
Tricia Jenkins (DigiTales, UK)

Sarah Jewett (UMBC, US)
Charlotte Keniston (UMBC, US)
Joe Lambert (StoryCenter, US)
Antonia Liguori (Loughborough University, UK)
Michalis Meimaris (University of Athens, Greece)
Daniel Onyango (HopeRaisers, Kenya)
Ngozi Oparah (Loughborough University, UK / StoryCenter, US)
Philippa Rappoport (Smithsonian Office of Educational Technology, US)
Bill Shewbridge (UMBC, US)
Burcu Simsek (Hacettepe University, Turkey)
Tony Sumner (Patient Voices, UK)
Pam Sykes (University of the Western Cape, South Africa)
Mike Wilson (Loughborough University, UK)