Welcome to Third Place, presented by Third Coast International Audio Festival.

Third Place was a two-week virtual destination created to celebrate and support audio storytelling for makers and appreciators alike.

In 2020, we lost many things: crowded cafes, theaters, conference rooms and dance floors, the very places we usually gather around a shared love of narrative audio. Missing those spaces inspired us to build this — a new, audio-dedicated third place.

We invite you to join us in this Third Place: whether you are an audio producer, a journalist, a storyteller, artist, writer, poet, performer, listener, or appreciator.

From October 19 through November 1 (right now!) you’ll enter a world of experimental programming with some of the most exciting makers across the audio landscape. It's not too late to join us, now — we are making all event recordings available to all registered attendees, and you'll join an active, 24-hour community of makers buzzing with inspiration.

Check out more information on pricing! And, for the most recent news from our world, subscribe to receive our Third Place Dispatches.

Third Coast is an arts organization based in Chicago and rooted in narrative audio communities around the world. We’re fiercely independent, community-driven, intersectional, and strive to make our programming as accessible as possible, while pushing the boundaries of audio storytelling. Read our core values here.

When we are not in a global pandemic, Third Coast hosts an annual audio industry Conference in Chicago as well as a slate of programs that advocate for audio storytelling as an ever-evolving medium, and for the diverse communities of people making this work. Read more about our year-round programming here.

Thanks to our generous sponsors:

& so much to our Third Place Media Partners.

Adonde Media, Anchor, Audiocraft, City Bureau, Constellations, Falling Tree Productions, The Heart, KCRW’s Independent Producer Project, KUOW’s RadioActive, Pineapple Street Media, Podcasteros, UnionDocs, Scene on Radio, Transmitter Media, & YR Media.