Opportunities for creators: Your guide to growing your craft as an audio storyteller

Great stories start with great storytellers. That's why Audible is committed to investing in emerging creators around the world—through workshops, mentorship, grants, hands-on production support, and more designed to amplify and uplift storytellers.

Consider this your running list of current opportunities with Audible and our collaborators to develop your craft, fund your projects, and find your community.

Bookmark this blog post to stay up to date as new programs open and follow @AudibleACX on X and Facebook for the latest.

Audible Creator Development Program

For emerging audio storytellers in Newark and North Jersey: Now accepting applications until May 10, 2026

If you're a writer, filmmaker, performer, podcaster, oral historian, poet, or thought leader based in Newark or the surrounding North Jersey region, this one's for you. The Audible Creator Development Program is a free, three-day in-person intensive designed to help you shape your project for the audio medium. Facilitated by ABF Creative, the program brings together a cohort of around 15 creators for masterclasses, hands-on workshops, and industry exposure at Audible's headquarters and affiliates’ facilities in Newark.

What's included:

• 3 full days of workshops and panels at Audible and affiliated Newark facilities

• Guided visits to Newark-based production studios

• A $450 stipend ($150/day) for your time

• A curriculum covering the audio landscape, ideation, production, and the business of audio

Who should apply:

Creators who are based in Newark or the surrounding North Jersey region with a narrative-driven project—an essay, manuscript, short story, oral history, poem, or other scripted work—they're ready to bring to life in the audio format. Please note that conversational or chat-based formats like talk shows or traditional podcasts are outside the scope of this program.

Key dates:

• Applications open until: May 10, 2026 at 11:59pm EST

• Participant notification: May 22

• Program runs: June 22 – June 24

Learn more and apply here.

Questions? Email audiblecreators@abfc.co

Audio in Color Romance Author Grant

For emerging romance writers from underrepresented backgrounds: Now accepting applications until June 15, 2026

Audible is proud to collaborate with nonprofit Audio in Color to support 8 romance authors in producing their first self-published audiobook. The grant program is designed to open doors for underrepresented voices in a field they might not otherwise have access to—giving authors the tools, support, and industry relationships to launch successful audiobook careers. Applications are open until June 15, 2026.

What's included:

• End-to-end production support, including editing and mixing

• Voice actors, with duet and full-cast options available

• The freedom to independently publish the finished audiobook on any audio service the author chooses

This is Audio in Color's fourth grant cycle, and past recipients have gone on to do extraordinary things. Jen Trinh's Crushing on You became a 2023 Audie Award finalist. Katrina Jackson's Office Hours earned enough to fund a follow-up audiobook, Sabbatical, which was nominated for an Audie in 2024. Amy Oliveira credits her audiobook Keepsake with leading to publishing contracts. And Bella Jay says the grant for her novel 12:01 has "truly impacted my growth as an indie author."

Key Dates:

• Applications open until: June 15, 2026 at 11:59pm EST

• Participant notification: Early Fall 2026

• Program runs Fall 2026 to Fall 2027

Learn more here.

More Audible Emerging Creator programs

Here is a lookback on past emerging creator programs and events from around the world.

• Collaboration with Sundance Collab—A masterclass during the 2025 festival, and a three-day intensive training that supported emerging creators to consider audio as a media for their vision. More to come in 2026.

• Collaboration with Entertainment Community Fund—A series of webinars that started in March 2026 (Intro to Financial Wellness for Audio Storytellers) to help creators build sustainable, resilient careers. 3 more to come throughout 2026.

• Indigenous Writers' Circle, 6th edition (Canada)—A six-month mentorship and workshop program which connects emerging First Nations, Inuit, and Métis writers with established Indigenous authors. Up to 21 creators will be selected and supported during 2026.

• Audible LAB (Spain)—In March 2026, we launched Audible LAB across four partner universities—Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Universidad Loyola Sevilla, Universidad Castilla-La Mancha, and Universitat Politècnica de València—with masterclasses and workshops for students of communication, journalism, and audiovisual production. Participating teams will develop original audio series concepts.

• Off-Mic (UK)—Developed with Multitrack, Off-Mic helps aspiring creators become working professionals in audio storytelling. 12 participants spent months producing full audio episodes—documentaries, audiobooks, and audio series—culminating in a showcase at Audible's UK office.

• Collaboration with Barbican Young Poets workshop (UK)—As part of our year-long sponsorship of the Young Poets Program, we hosted a workshop in March on producing audio-visual formats with strong audio components, expanding participants' skills into multimedia storytelling.

• Emerging Playwrights Fund (Global)—has commissioned 50 projects to date, with more than 30 released on Audible and several performed live at Audible's Minetta Lane Theatre.

Want to be the first to know when applications open for the next round of Audible’s emerging creator programs? Bookmark this post and follow @AudibleACX on X and Facebook for updates.