The Tiny Desk Contest's Enduring Cultural Significance The Tiny Desk Concert series has been a staple of the NPR music podcast since 2008.
However, it was in 2012 that the Tiny Desk Contest was born, allowing unsigned artists to submit their own performances recorded at NPR's iconic "Tiny Desk.
" Dave Isay, founder of StoryCorps and longtime friend of the desk, conceived the contest as a way to give back to the community and foster new talent. In its first year, around 2,000 entries were submitted.