[1] Founded in 1997, the organization presents a wide range of theme-based storytelling events across the United States and abroad, often featuring prominent literary and cultural personalities[1] alongside everyday people like veterans, astronauts, school teachers, and parents.

[1][7] Every show has stories based on open-ended themes (Such as "Love Hurts," Holding on and Letting go," "Hot Mess," or "Conviction").

[7][8][9] Storytellers at the Mainstages include renowned personalities, past StorySLAM or GrandSLAM winners, and anyone who may have submitted their stories through The Moth Pitchline.

For the StorySLAM, ten participants are chosen at random from a pool of volunteer storytellers to tell a true story (without notes) in the five minute range.

They teach and inspire budding raconteurs to effectively tell their stories to those who are both willing and unwilling to listen, and they often feature workshop members on The Moth website and podcast.

By honoring a broad range of individual experiences, we believe we can challenge dominant narratives, deepen connection, and create a more productive dialogue around the world.

Private workshops teach employees to use the power of storytelling to promote their business goals and ideas, while custom events to highlight the voices and mission of an organization in a unique setting.

[7] In February of 2023, The Moth expanded its offering to include Grown, a podcast focusing on stories that cover storytellers' experiences from the teenage years to young adulthood.

[16] A third book, Occasional Magic: True Stories about Defying the Impossible, was released by Crown in March 2019, and was praised by Kirkus Reviews for its "captivating, artfully wrought tales.

Past awards have gone to Hasan Minhaj, David Byrne, Regina King, Kemp Powers, Padma Lakshmi, Roxane Gay, Roz Chast, Zadie Smith, Carrie Brownstein, Garrison Keillor,[20] Salman Rushdie,[21] Anna Deavere Smith,[22] Calvin Trillin,[23] Spalding Gray (posthumously),[24] Martin Scorsese,[25] Albert Maysles[26] and more.