Between the Lines is a seasonal evening of live storytelling at The Chestnut Tree Bookshop in West Footscray. It isn’t a slam or an audition. It’s an invitation to share something true in a room full of strangers who are there to listen.
Each voice brings a different shape to the room. Some stories are funny, some are messy, and some are quiet and cracking open. You don’t need to be a writer, poet or performer. You only need a true story of your own and the desire to share it.
Want to tell a story? Join the storyteller pool in advance. There is no audition, and signing up does not guarantee a speaking spot: names and speaking order are drawn randomly on the night. Everyone buys a ticket, whether listening or hoping to take the mic—that’s how we keep the evening sustainable and fair. Storytellers whose names are drawn receive a glass of wine on the house and a roomful of people leaning in to listen.
THEMES
2026
February 28: too big
May 23: return
August 29: SHEDDING
November 28: the long day
TICKETS
STORYTELLERS
WHY DO THE STORYTELLERS PAY?
The Chestnut Tree is a tiny, fiercely independent bookshop. It’s a gathering place, yes—but it’s also a business. Running events like this comes with real costs: admin + strategising, staff, setup, space, and time. We’re not backed by a big institution, just held up by the hands of those who believe in what we’re creating together.Charging a small ticket fee to all attendees—storytellers and audience members alike—helps us pay the people who make the night possible and ensures we can keep the lights on and offer this stage to voices that deserve to be heard.
BTL Vision
This isn’t about hierarchy. Between the Lines is built on the idea that we’re all audience and we’re all potential storytellers. You might not know it yet, but your story might be the one someone else in the room needed to hear. This is a space where stories meet each other across the page breaks and the pauses-- where you might walk away a little more seen, or a little more softened.
BTL IS HELD ON THE LAND OF THE WURUNDJERI WOI WURRUNG PEOPLE OF THE KULIN NATIONS.
WE PAY OUR RESPECTS TO THE ELDERS PAST AND PRESENT.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE SOVEREIGNTY WAS NEVER CEDED AND THAT THIS LAND ALWAYS WAS AND ALWAYS WILL BE ABORIGINAL LAND.