Start a StoryLab in your community

The StoryLab model is designed to be replicated. Here's what it takes to bring one to your area.

What's needed

A physical space

A small studio footprint — a quiet room with basic power and internet. Could be a community center, library, co-working space, or donated office.

Local nonprofit partners

A pilot cohort of 3–5 nonprofits willing to be early adopters and provide feedback as the lab gets started.

Local sponsor or funder support

Equipment, rent, or operating costs funded by a local sponsor, foundation, or community fund.

An operating lead

One person (staff or volunteer) who manages scheduling, session prep, and day-to-day lab operations.

What Central Coast StoryLab provides

  1. Studio blueprint

    Complete gear list, room layout, acoustic treatment guide, and setup instructions.

  2. Session formats and templates

    Proven session structures, run-of-show templates, and intake forms ready to use.

  3. Booking and intake workflow

    A scheduling and intake system so nonprofits can request sessions easily.

  4. Training playbook

    Step-by-step training for volunteer producers, camera operators, and session facilitators.

  5. Brand system

    Your lab gets a branded identity within the StoryLab network: '[City] StoryLab' with shared visual identity and web presence.

Ready to explore?

We'd love to hear about your community and discuss what a local StoryLab could look like.

Talk about launching a StoryLab