THE ART4CHANGE STORYTELLING FELLOWSHIP 2026

 If You Can Tell Stories, This Fellowship Will Pay You to Tell Them

There are young people across Africa doing remarkable things — building solutions, running grassroots innovations, creating from scratch. But most of their stories never get told. Not because the stories aren't powerful, but because there aren't enough skilled storytellers positioned to capture and share them.

That is exactly what the Art4Change Storytelling Fellowship 2026 is designed to fix.

What Is the Art4Change Storytelling Fellowship?

The Art4Change Storytelling Fellowship is a six-month programme running from June to December 2026, organised by the Africa-Europe Innovation Platform (AEIP) and implemented by The African Youth Café (TYC).  

Young people are at the centre of innovation across Africa, Europe, and the diaspora — from digital platforms and creative industries to grassroots community solutions. Yet many of these stories remain underreported or are shared only within limited spaces. The Art4Change Storytelling Fellowship seeks to address this gap. 

Through writing, photography, video, audio, and digital storytelling, fellows will capture real stories of how young people are creating, testing, and applying innovative ideas in their communities. All selected fellows will publish their work on a dedicated blog and digital platform hosted by the project, ensuring that their stories are accessible to wider audiences.  

Who Is This For?

This fellowship is for you if you are:

Aged 18–35, based in Africa, Europe, or the diaspora, interested in storytelling, media, or digital content creation, passionate about documenting youth innovation and community solutions, and able to commit to a six-month programme of training and content production.  

You do not have to be a professional journalist or filmmaker. If you have something to say and a willingness to learn, this programme was built for you.

What Will You Get?

This is not just an opportunity to create content. It is a structured learning programme.

Selected fellows will participate in structured online training sessions on digital storytelling, including writing, photography, video production, and content planning. They will also receive mentorship and editorial support from experienced practitioners throughout the programme, and work with peers from different regions to exchange ideas and approaches to storytelling. 

On top of that, fellows will receive a stipend to support content production costs such as transport, data, and basic fieldwork needs, as well as access to a platform for publishing and showcasing their work. 

By the time the six months are over, participants will have produced a series of published digital stories — articles, videos, photo essays, or multimedia content — documented case studies of youth innovation, and contributions to a shared online archive of youth-led innovation stories. 

Why Should You Apply?

For any young creative in Northern Nigeria or across the Arewa region, this is a rare combination: skills training, mentorship, a stipend, and a global platform — all in one programme.

Young people here are innovating every day. Tailors who have pivoted to ecommerce. Farmers using data to make decisions. Youth-led cooperatives solving food security problems. These stories deserve to be told — and this fellowship will equip you with the tools and support to tell them.

Your story matters. Your community's story matters. And now, there is a platform willing to back you in telling it.

Deadline and How to Apply

Application Deadline: 29 May 2026

Apply using the link below 👇🏼 

https://forms.office.com/r/rQak9wB3AD

Do not wait until the last week. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and the earlier you apply, the stronger your chances.

If you know a young creative who needs to see this — a writer, photographer, videographer, or blogger — share this post with them today.