“It is in the shelter of each other that the people live.” ~ Irish Proverb

Tenx9 is a local community gathering in Chicago, where 9 people have up to 10 minutes each to tell a real story from their own lives. Each night has a theme exploring the beauty of the human condition. 

Founded by Paul Doran and Pádraig Ó Tuama in Belfast, this ever-growing and popular project  has now made its way across land and sea, to Chicago, home to whispering skyscrapers and football-loving Bears.

Storytelling allows each one of us to find comfort, insight and shelter in the lives of others.  That is Tenx9’s gift to the curious and the quiet.  So, whether you’re a seasoned bear or brand new to story telling, Tenx9 (ten by nine) events are for everyone; speakers and spectators of all ranges and ages are welcome.

The Tenx9 project is about real people, sharing real stories with each other. Each event only hosts nine speakers, which means that most participants are spectators. You never need worry about being asked to speak impromptu at a Tenx9 gathering – we simply won’t do that. And to cap it all off, Tenx9 events are free. Yup, you don’t have to pay a dime to come along.

Personal narratives have held a magical place in our hearts since the beginning of time. Vehicles for love, longing and hope, stories have bewitched minds and melted hearts across generations. Today, the power of storytelling still holds a quiet truth: we are all connected by life’s experience.

We can’t wait to see, and hear some of you, at our next Tenx9 event. If you’d like to spy on us for a little while before coming on down to a gathering, grab your binoculars and head on over to our Twitter feed, or our Facebook page.

If you have a story you’d like to share, let us know by getting in touch either through our website, or our Twitter and Facebook pages.

With warmth,

Thomas Valenti