For socially engaged storytelling to be effective, it should be accompanied by strategies that ensure the message reaches the right people and sparks meaningful engagement. In this respect, storytelling festivals play an important role through audience development: the process of attracting, engaging, and retaining audiences. Storytelling festivals can foster community connections and create spaces where stories serve as catalysts for dialogue and empathy. Festivals can curate storytelling performances that highlight values and social issues, they can amplify diverse voices and create immersive cultural experiences.