about
Club Motte was founded in Berlin, Germany in 2013 by a few Americans who missed the storytelling nights they used to attend back home. But what started as an homage quickly took on a life of its own.
Unlike other events, we decided not to score the storytellers, pick a winner, include a headliner, or ask anyone to prepare anything at all. Instead, Club Motte is a space where everyone can tell a story without the anxiety of trying to tell it well. And while we still love a crafted, well-rehearsed story, we’re more interested in providing an atmosphere where anyone can wander in, share a piece of themselves, and feel a part of a community, if only for the evening.
We’re currently hosting events every other month in New York City and Berlin, but over the years have had regular series in London, San Francisco, and Providence, Rhode Island.
the hosts
Josh Krigman (he/him) is a writer, teacher, and facilitator in New York City. He has taught creative writing at Hunter College, the United Nations International School, 826NYC, The Writer’s Rock, and for National Geographic’s Student Expeditions. He has been awarded residencies from Vermont Studio Center, and his work has appeared in The Summerset Review, Akashic Books, Necessary Fiction, and elsewhere. He received his MFA in fiction from Hunter College.
He is also the founder of Little Nights, a pop-up series that collaborates with organizations around New York City to build events that make art-making more accessible to new audiences.
Maree Hamilton (she/her/cupcake) is an award-winning writer whose work has been published by Autostraddle.com, The Rumpus, GASHER, Teen Vogue, and Marie Claire, among others. She lives in Berlin, where she appears in various comedy and storytelling events, and also works for the internet. Her hair changes color frequently, see what color it is now.
For a closer look at Club Motte’s past, present, and future, check out our interview with Voices Of The Word. Stories from our sixth anniversary in Berlin begin at 37:57.