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Mainly Magazine is searching for well-thought-out pieces for their upcoming issue, examining how society at large interacts with people on the bottom rung of the proverbial “totem pole”. Theme: Warning! Do Not Cross: You Will Cease to be Human: The Politics of Being (Un)Seen
With this theme, they are interested in work that interrogates the politics of invisibility; writing that breaks down how & why certain people are unseen, unheard, and why some humans are deemed more or less human than others. While writing, contributors can use these questions to ponder the subject matter:
When a person’s fundamental rights are continually stripped from them, who do they become? What happens to an underclass that is routinely ignored or exploited for the gain of the highest in society?
Deadline: 8th May 2026 | Pay: $50
Things to note:
Send:
Personal essays
Reportage/features
Cultural criticism
Opinion pieces
Experimental or hybrid writing
Possible Directions:
The lived realities of those rendered invisible by systems of power
Exploitation and survival across class, gender, and sexuality
Community, harm, and the politics of accountability
The ethics of forgiveness and ostracisation
Digital desensitisation and the performance of empathy
AI, technology, and the shifting boundaries of what it means to be human
The normalisation of authoritarianism and modern-day fascism in everyday life
Send pitches (not full drafts) to: editorial@mainlymagazine.com
Include:
A working title
A summary (150–300 words)
Your angle or approach
Links to previous work (if available)
For more info, click here.
Poetry Sango-Ota is an online poetry zine interested in poems reinvent the meaning of place, nature, and outworldly geographies. Poems whose sense of place resonate with this zine include: Derek Walcott’s The Prodigal, Romeo Oriogun’s Late December in Abidjan, J.P. Clark’s Ibadan among others. They intend to publish one African Poet monthly,
Deadline: 10th May 2026 | Pay: N10,000
Things to note:
They are only able to accept works written in English or translated into English.
Submit two previously unpublished poems of any length in a word document (.doc, .docx) to poetrysangoota@gmail.com with bio not more than 100 words.
Simultaneous submissions are permitted, however, do inform them if the poem gets picked up elsewhere.
RESONATE Story Lab is a six-month, intensive audio documentary residency for storytellers ready to deepen their craft and to rethink how stories about the continent are told. Across Africa, oral traditions run deep, yet too much storytelling is confined to news cycles and talk-based formats that flatten lived realities into headlines and soundbites.
The residency supports journalists, filmmakers, podcasters, and other creatives to tell character-driven, sonically rich audio stories. Participants will engage in a process that is both creative and collective: developing and pitching stories to international platforms, producing work for global broadcast and exchanging with peers committed to reshaping how stories are told.
Deadline: 11th May 2026, 6 pm SAST | Pay: Story Funding + Funded Travel + Audio Kit
Things to note:
Important dates:
August 8-15, 2026: in-person in Johannesburg
September 2026 – January 2027: online
February 19-20, 2027: in-person in Cape Town
The programme is open to Africa-based applicants aged 18–35.
The programme begins with a seven-day in-person workshop led by the Transom Travelling Workshop, starting on the 8th of August in Johannesburg.
Following the workshop, the six participants enter a five-month remote production cycle, working closely with audio industry experts as mentors to develop, report, and edit a 3–5-minute audio story on youth issues in Africa around the shared theme: Africa Otherwise.
Required materials
Letter of motivation (max 500 words)
A CV
A story pitch (max 500 words)
2–3 links to your work (a link to a previous podcast, a film, a written article, or other creative piece).
Applicants must:
Have a valid passport at the time of announcement of selected participants.
Have access to a laptop with a web camera, a microphone, and a good internet connection.
Be able to attend two 1.5-hour classes and two 1-hour mentoring sessions per month, and dedicate approximately 5 hours to story production per week.
Be familiar with Radio Workshop’s podcast, since the produced audio stories will be shared on Radio Workshop’s feed.
Click here to apply
The CCA Archives Project invites applications for Archives in Practice, a two-day artist workshop taking place on Friday 22 and Saturday 23 May 2026 at CCA, Lagos.
This workshop will bring together eight Lagos-based artists for a focused, hands-on engagement with the CCA, Lagos archive. Participants will be introduced to the collection, work through a series of critical thinking exercises drawn from the archive, and develop a response piece exploring the curatorial and archival process. The workshop is intimate by design (eight places only) to allow for depth of engagement with both the materials and each other.
Deadline: 11th May 2026 | Pay: Free Workshop
Things to note
Artists across any discipline or medium (including writing) based in Lagos.
Location: Yaba, Lagos
11AM – 4PM daily
To apply, fill this form.
Tableware Magazine is calling for submissions of ‘anything you can print on paper’. They are seeking original, unpublished art, poetry, fiction, essays, photography, reviews.
Deadline: 15th May 2026 | Prize: $50
Things to note
Please send up to 15 pages of writing
Poetry single-spaced
Fiction, etc double-spaced
Send your packet to tablewaremag@gmail.com
The International Human Rights Art Movement African Secretariat (IHRAM), Zimbabwe is bringing to the fore, a literary Arts project to speak and give a voice on the effects and impact of climate change through storytelling, short stories, essays and poetry.
Deadline: 15th May 2026 | Prize: Total of $250
Things to note:
Scope: During the 2025-2026 farming or rainy season, at least three countries in the SADC region (Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa) have suffered immensely due to climate change effects that include floods, droughts, hunger, social and economic plundering. Many people lost their homes, their lives, their infrastructure and their freedoms and rights. A number of displacements took place, children lost their right to school, to shelter and more.
Writers must send their submissions on adaptation, resilience, effects and impact, solutions to effects and the impact of climate change our Southern African communities.
Poetry: maximum 40 lines
Short stories: 3000 words or less
Narratives and essays: 3000 words or less
Subject line: Include Writing Climate Resilience and your full name on it
Every Submission must be in 12 point and New Roman font
Every Submission must be submitted in Word doc
Every Submission must include your 15 line bio summary, your email address, your full name and your country
This call is only open to SDAC countries: Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Please send all submissions to Mbizo Chirasha IHRAM Zimbabwean Director (IHRAM African Secretariat): chimurengaratsauka@gmail.com
HerLore Magazine’s Mini Mag is open for submissions for their next issue on the theme Humanize the Goddesses. They want speculative fiction, fantasy, poetry, essays, and non-fiction that reaches into myth across Global South cultures, across centuries and brings her down to earth. Not to diminish her. To know her.
“We want the goddess who is late to something that matters. The one who is tender with a stranger and terrifying to someone who deserves it. The one whose power is not in question but whose life is still being lived, moment by ordinary moment.
No suffering. No martyrdom. No cautionary tales. Just a goddess, whole and unapologetically alive.”—Herlore
Deadline: 21st May 2026 or until cap is reached | Pay: up to $350
Things to note:
Send only Text files: .docx only (no PDFs for text).
Fiction: 2,000–4,000 words (flash 300–1,000)
Nonfiction: 1,200–3,500 words
Poetry: up to 2 poems, max 4 pages total, all poems in one file (new page per poem).
Formatting: Arial, 12-pt, double-spaced (poetry may keep intentional spacing), standard margins.
Filename: Genre_LastName_Title_WordCount.docx (e.g., Fiction_Okafor_RiverMouth_3200.docx).
Bio: 50–80 words, third person, include pronouns and location.
Use the Regular Submissions Form at the bottom of this page (no email submissions).
Content Note: if your piece includes sexual violence, suicide, child harm, or graphic scenes, add a brief note at the top of the file and in the form.
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). It will bring together young creatives from Africa, Europe, and the diaspora to explore and document youth innovation.
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.
Deadline: 29th May 2026 | Pay: Unstated stipend amount
Things to note:
Over the six months, selected fellows will:
Participate in structured online training sessions on digital storytelling, including writing, photography, video production, and content planning
Receive mentorship and editorial support from experienced practitioners throughout the programme
Develop and publish stories on youth innovation based on real-life experiences and field engagement
Work with peers from different regions to exchange ideas and approaches to storytelling
Contribute regularly to a shared digital platform featuring their published work
They are looking for young creatives who 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
Able to commit to a six-month programme of training and content production
Selected fellows will receive:
Structured training in digital storytelling and content creation
Continuous mentorship and editorial guidance
A stipend to support content production costs such as transport, data, and basic fieldwork needs
Access to a platform for publishing and showcasing their work
For more information, click here.
To apply, click here.
Adi is thinking about alternative political visions for a world in desperate need of them. ““We are living through a moment of acute political, social, economic, and environmental retrenchment across the globe, and it’s hard not to succumb to a feeling of powerlessness. But we know that, as Saidiya Hartman has shared, “So much of the work of oppression is policing the imagination.”
So at Adi we are giving our imaginations free rein to combat political ennui and nihilism. We know that narratives themselves have power: the ability to build alliances and strategies, the capacity to foster hope for change, and the power to remake the ways we understand our world in the past, present, and future.
We are looking for pieces about practices, ideas, and movements that were/are suppressed by economic, socio-cultural, religious, or (neo)colonial powers.”
Deadline: 31st May 2026 | Pay: $150
Things to note:
Approaches they’re interested in:
They privilege perspectives from the global majority—people of color, queer people, all marginalized peoples—as they reflect on how politics and policies influence their daily lives.
Interested in exploring how we might reorient our political universe toward those organic alliances, intertwined liberation theologies, grassroots movements, and revolutionary philosophies.
Want writing that explores alternative economies, subversive strategies, and surprising solidarities.
Pieces could be based on historical events; grounded in contemporary, lived realities; or focused on imagined futures that subvert the current status quo.
UP TO 5 POEMS IN ONE SUBMISSION PACKET, NO MORE THAN 5 PAGES.
Previously unpublished poems only.
Please send one submission at a time. They will automatically reject additional submissions.
No simultaneous submissions; please withdraw individual pieces if they are accepted elsewhere.
Adi does not accept submissions generated with AI.
Adi does not tolerate hate speech or discriminatory language of any kind.
To read the full call and to submit, click here.
Send this to a writer who needs it ❤️
In collaboration with ANA-OAU and Poetry Column-NND, Kòkòrò is announcing her inaugural Kòkòrò Short Story Prize, awarding two Nigerian University Students ₦150,000 for prose writing.
Deadline: 31st May 2026 | Prize: Total of N150,000
Things to note:
Open to all Nigerian university students.
One submission per person.
Entries should be original works of entrants and must not have been published before.
Stories should be a maximum of 1500 words.
All entries should be submitted in Garamond 12-point font.
All entries should be written in English and submitted in doc or docx format with the inclusion of the entrant’s name and work title to kokorowtf@gmail.com.
The prize is unthemed.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited as guests to the ANA-OAU Books and Art festival, Slated for June 6th, Ace hall, OAU campus, where the winner will be announced
The inaugural Kòkòrò Short Story Prize will be judged by Chinaza James-Ibe and Jesutomisin Ipinmoye
BLACKSTAR Haus is looking for writers, interviewers, and reporters who are already embedded in the scenes they cover. That means people who know the culture from the inside, move fast when a story breaks, and can write with the authority that comes from actually being there. This isn’t just a desk job. You’re our eyes and ears to find the stories everyone else is missing and giving them the high-end, cinematic treatment they deserve.
You will work with a global team to find Ghanaian stories that move beyond standard reporting and give them editorial treatment. This is a chance to help set a new standard for Ghanaian media from the ground up.
Deadline: Unstated | Pay: $50 per story | Type: Remote
Things to note:
Responsiblities:
Pitch and produce features, interviews, cultural commentary, and news pieces across our editorial pillars.
Scout artists, designers, and musicians that are coming up before they hit the mainstream.
Go deep on the subjects worth a deep dive: studio visits, gallery openings, industry events.
Deliver social-ready story assets alongside your draft: carousel copy, pull quotes, visuals, and caption text aligned with BLACKSTAR Haus format.
Represent the publication at studio visits, gallery openings, and industry events.
Contribute to special projects and help decide what we cover next.
Requirements:
2+ years of experience in editorial, digital storytelling, or cultural curation.
A strong portfolio or digital archive that demonstrates your specific “eye” and writing style.
You are an active participant in your city’s creative scene and know who is up and coming
You can move between long-form cultural analysis and fast news when the moment calls for it
You can handle a fast-paced editorial calendar and hit deadlines independently.
A genuine understanding of the Ghanaian diaspora and its influence on global trends.
To apply, click here.
Film Daze is an independent publication and media outlet that provides a platform for the unheard, and underrepresented voices of the film community. They are currently inviting pitches for their first issue to be released on June 21st.
Deadline: 1st June 2026 | Pay: $120
Things to note:
A good example of recent essays that they have published can also be found here.
Please try and limit it to 1-3 detailed and well-thought-out ideas.
Note: They are not currently looking for any new staff/regular contributors, so unless it concerns festival coverage, please only pitch us one-off pieces.
They are not interested in reviews for films/series that have already been released.
For tips on how to they prefer pitches structured, see here.
Send pitches to editorial@filmdaze.net
Pepper Coast Mag is a nonprofit hub committed to amplifying bold, innovative voices from Liberia, Africa, and the global African diaspora. They are now inviting prose and poetry submissions for their eight issue. “We impose no thematic, stylistic, or formal restrictions. We seek work that is original, compelling, and of high literary quality. Contributors retain full copyright and publication rights at all times.”—PCM
Deadline: 16th June 2026 | Pay: None
Things to note:
Poems: Single-spaced in 12-point Times New Roman or Garamond.
Submit not more than three poems.
Prose: Maximum of 2,500
Previously published work will not be considered.
Submit as a .doc or .docx file only.
Do not include your name or identifying information in the manuscript.
File name should reflect the title of the submission.
In the body of your email, please include: Full name, Email address, Nationality, and a brief bio (maximum 50 words)
Simultaneous submissions are permitted. Please notify them promptly if your work is accepted elsewhere.
All submissions should be sent to peppercoastlitsubmissions@gmail.com
The Barbellion Prize is awarded annually to writers who, in the opinion of the judges, have produced works of fiction or non-fiction that best reflect the ideals of the Prize and which make a significant contribution to the discourse surrounding disability.
Any full-length work of fiction or non-fiction, excluding poetry, originally written in English or translated into English and available in published form by a writer who is chronically ill or disabled or who has dealt personally and directly with illness or disability, is eligible for submission and the judge’s consideration.
Deadline: 1st September 2026, 5pm | Prize: Total of £2500
Things to note:
Books published between 1 October 2025 and 30 September 2026 will be eligible for entry.
Ebooks and graphic novels are eligible (submitted in a shareable format for the judges to access).
Self-published books are also eligible for the Prize.
Only one entry per author is permitted.
A publisher who submits a book on behalf of an author shall be deemed to have obtained the author’s consent and approval of all terms and conditions contained herein.
There is no limit to the number of titles that may be entered by a publisher or bona fide imprint, provided the works entered meet all other entry requirements.
Judges shall decide on:
a longlist of eight titles;
a shortlist of four;
A single final winner.
Each of the shortlisted authors will receive a £500 prize, and the overall winner will receive an additional £500 and a unique trophy.
To submit, sign up for an account (at the bottom of this page) and follow the prompts.
Click here to submit an opportunity.
My Father Bought a Generator in 1997 and It Is Still Running | Oluwanifemi Bakare (Nigeria)
The generator’s name is Mike. I named it this when I was six because it was loud and it came on at night and it smelled like something working hard, which seemed like a Mike kind of thing. My father thought the name was funny and then forgot he thought it was funny and started calling it Mike too, and then my mother started calling it Mike, and now when NEPA takes the light — which is always, which is every day, which is the basic grammar of existence in this country — someone shouts Mike! from wherever they are in the house and my uncle who is actually named Mike no longer flinches because he has learned that the house has two of him and one of him requires petrol.
Mike the generator is twenty-seven years old. I have friends who are younger than Mike the generator. Mike has survived three house moves, two floods, a thunderstorm that bent the zinc roof of the outdoor shed at a forty-five degree angle, and my father’s periodic conviction that he could fix Mike himself…
If you’d like your already PUBLISHED prose featured in ‘Prose of The Week’ please fill this form.
Knitting Grief | Pleasant Nneoma Stephen (Nigeria)
I ask the words of my grief to loosen and become.
I tell them to dance their letters onto my blank page
like a puzzled wool untangling.
But there are too many jumbled letters I am trying to pick,
and my fingers start to sweat and hurt.
I use my teeth to separate a word embracing another:
“You two do not belong,” I say…
If you’d like your already PUBLISHED poetry featured in ‘Poetry of The Week’ please fill this form.
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Yi o da fun e o (May it be well with you —Yoruba, Nigeria)
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