Welcome to Open Words Expo! 

Stop erasure: Tell stories
Demand joy: Tell stories
Carry on: Tell stories

Stories, like music, are the essence of folk arts and they are returning to the FAR-West Main Stage with Sunday’s Open Word Expo on October 12th. This is the culminating event of the 2025 Conference and for good reason.

Stories give us courage. Stories tell how bridges are built. Stories fill our kit bags with history, tradition, hope. All roads lead to story and open hearts so everyone gets across. In our stories are lessons and gifts to future generations.

Bob Dylan said folk music is the original alternative music. It’s the voice of the people telling their stories. We want you to leave Vancouver telling stories.

Are you a storyteller? Performance artist? Are you a musician with a story to tell? We want to hear from you. 

We need stories from the heart, from your life. They need to be well told, populated with transformative characters who brave their challenges. What we can’t accept are routines, gags, stand-up comedy, rants, or political orations. 

We’re open to a wide variety of personal, original stories and spoken words.  Maybe you have an entirely new form of word art. Let us know, we are interested.

Guidelines for Open Words

1. Your Open Words story should be true and mean something to you. We’re looking for stories that tell us something about yourself even if you occupy a small corner at the end of the tale.  Not every story has a moral but the audience wants to know why the story is important to you:  how it changed you or where you stand in the story.
2. We want you to tell the story, not recite it. Hopefully, you will not need any notes.
3. Time yourself.  Think in terms of 10 minutes. Depending on how many tellers we present at our Expo, the time may become altered.  We will let you know how much time you have to tell, and we ask that you respect the slot timing.
4. You need to keep your story clean.  We're in a hotel where children may be present. The Open Words Expo takes place on Sunday afternoon- matinee time - and the audience may include families of all ages. Please: no stories about sex or genitals, and no cursing or sexual innuendo. Think of us as FCC approved because you never know, your story may wind up on radio.
5. Please note that the entire Open Words Expo will be videoed and uploaded to the FAR-West YouTube account, and shared on our social media and website.
6. No speeches, opinions, or social commentary.   Those are all great things, but this isn't a town hall meeting. Your characters may have an opinion, your story may even take place on the southern border, but that's where the story takes place.  Open Words isn't intended to get people to change their beliefs;  it's instead intended for the audience to just enjoy and think about the story.
7. Please provide us with information that might be useful when introducing you.  We may not get it all, but we will try to make the stage warm and inviting for your performance.  Please don't plug your own show, website, or blog while you are on stage.  If people like your story, they will talk to you afterward, and that's when you can give them that information. 
8. Arrive early to the Open Words Expo stage the day of your show.  Take time to walk the room, get an idea of the lighting, and do a soundcheck before the doors open.   

If you’re a storyteller and think FAR-West is just for musicians, think again. The workshops, panels, and networking is for everyone. Musicians and Tellers who register for the conference will also have a shot at performing in the late-night Tales and Tunes room, where story rules.  If you are interested or want to know more about it please
email Jeanette Lundgren at jeanette.board@far-west.org 

Here’s our past events