Salisbury Launches Audio Storytelling Project with QR Code Markers

Salisbury, Maryland has introduced a new public audio storytelling initiative called Our Shore, Our Stories, featuring blue QR code markers throughout the city. Residents can scan the codes to hear personal stories about life on Maryland's Eastern Shore and are invited to contribute their own three-minute recordings.

SALISBURY, Md. — Small blue QR code markers are beginning to appear throughout Salisbury this month as part of a new community storytelling initiative. The markers are connected to Our Shore, Our Stories, an innovative audio project that allows people to listen to intimate, personal narratives about life in Salisbury and across Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

The City of Salisbury’s Arts, Business, and Culture Department developed this oral history program to capture community voices, family traditions, and individual experiences. The initiative begins with six recorded stories, with plans to regularly rotate new content while maintaining an online archive of previous submissions for future access.

The concept emerged from community discussions during Salisbury’s 2022 Public Art Master Plan meetings, where residents repeatedly emphasized how art can capture the essence of a community. This audio project transforms that vision into reality by establishing a dynamic collection of local narratives that people can discover while exploring downtown areas, parks, and other public locations throughout the city.

“Our Shore, Our Stories is about preserving the voices, memories, and everyday moments that make this place home,” said Caroline O’Hare, Events and Culture Manager for the City of Salisbury. “Not every story has to be dramatic to matter. Sometimes the smallest memories — a person, a place, a moment you never forgot — are the ones that tell us the most about who we are. I hope this project helps people feel more connected to Salisbury, to the Eastern Shore, and to one another.”

Local residents can participate by recording their own narratives for the project. Contributions don’t require professional polish — they can be simple recollections, thoughts about local life, or messages for future community members. Each recording should start with “My name is ____, I live in ____, and this is my story,” and must be under three minutes in length. People can contribute by calling 410-575-3137 or uploading audio files through the project website.

Project guidelines emphasize honesty, kindness, proper consent, and privacy respect while forbidding discriminatory, harassing, or explicit material. The program aims to foster community bonds and highlight the diverse perspectives that define Eastern Shore living.

Funding comes partially from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority through state resources, though the project doesn’t necessarily represent their official positions. The Maryland Heritage Areas Program operates under MHAA oversight and Maryland Historical Trust administration. The Beach to Bay Heritage Area and PAC14 provide additional backing for heritage tourism, cultural narratives, and public media access throughout the Lower Eastern Shore and Salisbury area.

People can access current recordings, submit their own stories, or learn about participation by visiting downtownsby.com/osos.

The Arts, Business, and Culture Department works to strengthen Salisbury’s economic environment by supporting local businesses, expanding opportunities, encouraging artistic creativity, organizing special events, and maintaining regional landmarks like Poplar Hill Mansion. Through signature programming, business incentives, and stakeholder partnerships, the department seeks to create a community where arts, commerce, and culture thrive together.

Established in 1732, Salisbury serves as Wicomico County’s seat and sits at the historic location where John Smith landed in 1608 during his Chesapeake Bay expedition, encountering the Wighcocomoco, Nause, Kusk’arawack, and Nanticoke tribes who had inhabited the region for thousands of years. Located on Maryland’s Eastern Shore at the Delmarva Peninsula’s center, Salisbury now ranks among the region’s major cities and functions as the Eastern Shore’s capital.