Deadline: July 2, 2026
Applications are open for the UNDP Creatives4Peace Youth Online Innovation Challenge 2026. The challenge aims to support young Africans who are using culture and creativity as tools to promote social cohesion, dialogue, and peacebuilding. Creatives4Peace welcomes submissions from young creatives across Africa whose artistic work demonstrates how culture and creative expression can bridge divides, foster tolerance, and contribute to more inclusive and peaceful societies.
Submissions may take any artistic form, as long as it can be shared digitally/online. Selected participants will receive visibility and support, as well as the opportunity to showcase their work at the Culture and Creative Industries Festival in Cameroon.
Benefits
Three selected candidates will receive a notification to present their work at the Culture and Creative Industries Forum in Cameroon (flights + DSA covered by UNDP) in September, along with:
- The opportunity to pitch their work to private sector partners for potential collaboration or investment.
- The chance to network with fellow young creatives from across the continent and diaspora, gain visibility and opportunities for further support their work.
Eligibility
- Open to young African creatives.
- Performing Arts: Projects centered on live or recorded artistic expression, including music, short films, dance, theater, spoken word, poetry, storytelling, and performance-based productions.
- Gaming: Projects involving digital or physical games, board games, mobile games, video games, simulations, puzzles, interactive learning tools, and gamified experiences.
- Digital Art: Projects using digital technologies to create visual, audiovisual, or interactive content, including graphic design, illustration, animation, photography, videography, digital storytelling, and multimedia production.
- Fashion: Projects involving clothing, textiles, accessories, wearable design, costume design, sustainable fashion, upcycling, or fashion-related creative enterprises.
- Craft and Artisan: Projects focused on handmade products, traditional/indigenous craftsmanship, artisan production, painting, design, woodworking, ceramics, jewelry, weaving, textiles, and other forms of creative making.
Application
For more information, visit Creatives4Peace Youth Online Innovation Challenge.
