Years ago the Third Coast International Audio Festival hosted ShortDocs, a competition for three-minute audio documentaries that invited creators to make theme-inspired, short-form stories. Listening back to those documentaries reveals the possibilities of concise audio and the benefit of a space for diverse storytelling forms. The rise of long-form, conversation-style podcasts made it harder for experimental short audio to find a home. Julie Shapiro and John DeLore created Audio Flux as a modern revival of the ShortDocs idea. Audio Flux runs twice-yearly themed challenges that solicit bold, three-minute pieces. The program has produced many praised works and earned recognition from The New Yorker.
"Years ago, the Third Coast International Audio Festival hosted a competition for short-form audio documentaries called ShortDocs. The idea for the challenge was simple: invite people to make three-minute stories inspired by a theme or prompt. Listening back to these documentaries is a reminder of what's possible with audio. It also shows how the whole medium benefits when there's a place for all kinds of storytelling. However, in recent years, long-form, conversation-type podcasts dominate."
"Which is why Julie Shapiro and her creative partner, John DeLore, created . Audio Flux is a modern take on ShortDocs. A new home for short-form, bold, innovative storytelling. Twice a year, the Audio Flux team invites people to create a story inspired by a specific challenge. And the results are often stunning and praiseworthy. The show was recently recognized by The New Yorker as one of the best podcasts of 2025."
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