Two content creators taking pictures using a phone and a DSLR camera

Giving back

$800,000 of funding available through TELUS STORYHIVE to create local documentaries

May 13, 2022

$800,000 of funding available through TELUS STORYHIVE to create local documentaries

(Above) Photo credit from the STORYHIVE documentary ‘Just Another Beautiful Family’, produced by Nick McArthur.


In 2019, Grande Prairie resident Darryl Haugen had an idea for a documentary about gritty, small town Mixed Martial Arts fighters making a big impact on the international stage. Thanks to funding and mentorship from TELUS STORYHIVE, her film Small Town Strength came to life less than a year later.

“Because of funding, I had access to mentors and resources that helped take my project to the next level,” said Haugen. “The mentors give amazing advice and know where to go when you are looking for an answer. My story would not have been the same without them.”

Two women holding a sign that says small town strength

Photo credit from Timothy Baskill. Darryl Haugen received funding, mentorship, training and distribution from TELUS STORYHIVE to help produce her 2019 documentary Small Town Strength about Grande Prairie, Alberta.


Applications are now open for the STORYHIVE All Access Documentary Edition! Apply by May 30 for a chance to be one of 40 creators to earn a $20,000 production grant, mentorship, training and distribution on TELUS Optik TV.

TELUS STORYHIVE is celebrating the power of film and is looking for compelling local stories from your community. This includes stories about community builders, health and wellness, innovative local technology, environment, agriculture and beyond. Pitch any documentary idea from your community that you are passionate about.


“For creators interested in applying for the STORYHIVE All Access Documentary Edition, my advice would be to believe in your project no matter the topic and write from the heart,” Haugen says. “It might have been done before, maybe it is strange and unusual or might be difficult to film. If you believe in your story, your passion and excitement for the story will come across. If you are passionate about the story you are telling, others will become passionate about it as well.”

TELUS STORYHIVE has supported a community of more than 18,000 local content creators across British Columbia and Alberta since 2013, providing over $15 million in funding and creating a safe space for storytellers to hone their skills and bring their projects to life.



Woman holding up a steel bar

Photo credit from the STORYHIVE documentary “Earth Squad”, produced by Julia Llanos.


Read submission guidelines, frequently asked questions and watch documentaries from past creators at storyhive.com. When you’re ready to share your story, submit your application for the STORYHIVE All Access Documentary Edition at storyhive.com/apply. Intake closes on Monday, May 30, 2022 at 11:59pm PST.