This newsletter is published every Wednesday at 5pm WAT.
1. Call for applications: Art4Change Storytelling Fellowship 2026
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.
2. Submit to Iskanchi Magazine
Iskanchi Mag publishes short, irreverent, disobedient, and experimental work too brief to stand alone as a book. They are committed to showcasing writing that explores what experimental form can mean in an African literary context. They are inviting submissions of unsolicited prose submissions for their Summer Issue. All submissions must be previously unpublished.
Deadline: 30th May 2026 | Pay: $50
Things to note:
Please include a short cover letter, a brief bio, and your social media links.
Simultaneous submissions are welcome, but please notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere.
Send magazine submissions to submissions@iskanchi.com.
Writers will be contacted if their work is accepted for publication.
3. Call for Pitches: The Social Life of Money
The Republic Journal is calling for pitches for it’s next issue under the theme: The Social Life of Money. They are seeking deeply reported, character-driven and intellectually ambitious stories about how Nigerians and Africans earn, imagine, perform, circulate, hide, lose and survive money.
“We are interested not simply in economics, but in the cultures, fantasies, infrastructures and moral worlds that money creates. We want stories about labour and desire; debt and aspiration; fraud and survival; speculation and spirituality; capitalism and improvization.”—TR
Deadline: 30th May 2026 | Pay: up to $350
Things to note:
They are especially interested in stories that ask:
What does financial survival look like in Nigeria and contemporary Africa more broadly?
How do Nigerians learn to trust or distrust financial systems?
What do startups, betting companies, fintech platforms and digital marketplaces reveal about African desires and anxieties?
What happens to communities built around industries after decline, collapse or technological change?
What does wealth mean in societies shaped by inequality and uncertainty?
What does money mean beyond economics?
To explore the themes they’re seeking, click here.
Stories may include, but are not limited to:
Longform reported features
Narrative essays grounded in original reporting
Investigations
Historical essays
Profiles approached through people and systems rather than corporate branding
Photo essays and visual storytelling
Reported criticism and cultural analysis
Stories that could translate into audio or documentary formats
Please submit your pitch via our submissions page:https://rpublc.com/submissions
Select PITCH for both the ‘Type’ and ‘Category’ of submission.
Upload a Word document that includes:
Proposed title
A short summary of the story
Why the story matters now
Reporting approach and access
Key people, places or communities you intend to engage
Three core questions the piece aims to answer
3. Quramo Writers’ Prize Manuscript Submissions 2026
Created in 2017 as an avenue for fresh writers to showcase their manuscripts to the global literary community and contribute their works to the canonisation of African literature, the Quramo Writers’ Prize celebrates unpublished writers who work every day to hone their craft and record our continent’s original stories. They are now open for submissions for the 10th installment of the prize.
Deadline: 31st May 2026 | Prize: N1,000,000 + Book Deal
Things to note:
The Quramo Writers’ Prize is only open to unpublished Nigerian and African writers living within and outside the continent.
The fiction prose manuscript must be the original, unpublished work of the entrant. Published work is not eligible for the prize.
Short story collections, plays, and poetry are not eligible.
Manuscripts must contain a minimum of 50,000 words.
All entrants must be 18 years of age and above.
All entries must be submitted through this form in the following format:
Times New Roman font type
MS Word format
Font Size 12. Left justified. Double line spacing
Page numbers on each page
All submissions must be sent in with the following information:
A one-page synopsis
A short personal biography of 100 words max. (in third person POV)
Social media profiles (Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn)
Full (legal) name
Physical address
Email address
Phone number
Manuscripts submitted for the QWP must not have been entered into any other competitions running concurrently. Prior entries for the QWP are also ineligible.
Identifying information (name, address, etc.) should not be included on the pages of the manuscript.
To submit your manuscript, fill here.
4. Adi Magazine: Open Call for Poetry
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.
5. Shallow Tales Review is Open for Submissions
The Shallow Tales Review accepts fiction, creative non-fiction, book reviews, poems, one-act plays, cultural and social essays, art photographs, and translations tackling issues more generally viewed as specifically African, or Black. Literary criticisms should concern texts that are of modern and African temperament. For critical essays, they expect themes to be tackled logically and as clearly as possible. They fact-check. By “modern,” they refer to books published at most 5 years before.
Deadline: 31st May 2026. | Compensation: Nomination for prizes
Things to note:
Entries should be sent in by mail to:
poetry.tstr@gmail.com (poetry)
essays.tstr@gmail.com (Essays & Creative Nonfiction)
theshallowtalesreview@gmail.com (Fiction/Plays/Art & Photography)
Use “TSTR Submissions” in the subject line.
In the body of the mail, include a short cover letter describing the genre of the work, word count (for prose), number of poems included (for poetry), short author bio, and any other relevant information relating to the piece. Do not add any identifying information in the document with the entry.
Entries should be between 1,500 – 4,000 words and should come in .doc or .docx format.
Poetry submissions should not be more than forty (40) lines, per poem. They accept a maximum of three poetry entries at a time.
Entries must be sent single-spaced in 12 point, Times New Roman font.
Files should be saved with the title of the work, and in the case of a body of poems, with the first poem in the file. The editors respond before they begin to review towards publication.
Only previously unpublished works would be reviewed and considered.
Reprints are NOT allowed. Do inform us if your piece has been considered or is being considered for publication elsewhere. At publication, all intellectual rights revert to the contributor.
They only accept one body of work in a genre at a time. Feel free to resubmit in another issue if your work was rejected within a submission window.
6. Submit to the Inaugural Alhaji Arole Agarawu African Poetry Prize
The Alhaji Arole Agarawu African Poetry Prize seeks to showcase excellence in African poetry while honoring the legacy and contributions of Alhaji Arole Agarawu—a songwriter, photographer, and musician—to African oral traditions. In its inaugural year, the foundation will recognize poets who demonstrate exceptional craft, cultural insight, and innovative use of language in their work, elevate African voices in contemporary poetry, and foster a deeper appreciation for the continent’s rich literary heritage.
Deadline: 31st May 2026 | Prize: Total of $2,000
Things to note:
Open to poets of African descent — however that may be defined — regardless of nationality or residence. This includes, but is not limited to, poets from the African continent, the African diaspora, Black Americans, Black British, Caribbean, Afro-Latin, and all communities rooted in the African heritage.
There are TWO prizes. One writer can win both prizes
The Arole Agarawu African Poetry Prize, awarded to any writer who identifies as African or a descendant of Africa
The Arole Grayling Wraith Prize, generously supported by Grayling and Wraith, awarded to any writer living on the African continent for a suite of 10 poems nominated by the board. In addition to the cash prize, Grayling and Wraith will produce a production-grade video of a selected poem by the winning poet.
Entrants must be 18 years of age or older at the time of submission.
Poets who have published up to two full-length poetry collections are eligible.
Poets who have published three or more full-length collections are NOT eligible.
Submit a packet of ten (10) original, unpublished poems.
Previously published poems, whether in part or whole, including on personal blogs, Substack, or social media, are not eligible.
Poems found to have been generated by artificial intelligence, in whole or in part, will be disqualified.
Poems must be written in English. Poems written in other languages are eligible if accompanied by an English translation.
While there is no line limit per poem, the full submission should not exceed 15 pages.
Only one entry per entrant. Multiple submissions will result in disqualification.
Simultaneous submissions are accepted. Please notify them at info@aroleagarawufoundation.com immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere.
Submissions must be completed via the submission manager on the submission page. Attach your work as a Word document (.doc or .docx) or PDF.
Your name and contact information must not appear anywhere on the manuscript.
All entries are final. No changes may be made once the submission window closes.
To read the full call, click here.
Create an account and submit your poems through the submission portal.
7. SLF Older Writers Grant
Since 2004, the Older Writers Grant has been awarded annually to writers who are at least fifty years of age at the time of application to assist such writers who are just starting to work at a professional level. These funds may be used as each writer determines will best assist their work. This grant, as with all SLF grants, is intended to help writers working with speculative literature.
Speculative literature spans the breadth of fantastic writing, encompassing literature ranging from hard science fiction to epic fantasy, including ghost stories, horror, folk and fairy tales, slipstream, magical realism, and more. Any piece of literature containing a fabulist or speculative element would fall under their aegis
Deadline: 31st May 2026 | Pay: $1000
Things to note:
Required materials include:
A cover letter: Include a short (500-1000 words) autobiographical statement describing your work thus far, including date of birth, and a bibliography of previously published work, if applicable. Applicants need not have prior publishing credits to apply.
A writing sample: Up to 10 pages of poetry, 10 pages of drama, or 5,000 words of fiction or creative nonfiction. If you are sending a segment of a novel, novella, or novelette, please include a one-page synopsis as the first page of the document. The submitted work must be speculative, as defined above.
To apply, click here.
Send this to a writer who needs it ❤️
8. Usawa: Call for Submissions—Refuse
Usawa in Swahili means equality. The Usawa Literary Review is a bi-annual English language literary magazine dedicated to feminist literature and writings by and about underrepresented communities. They are currently calling for submissions under their July issue themed ‘Refuse’
“Out of place. Still here. Not going anywhere. Refuse names both what is cast out and the act of resistance. Waste, garbage, remainder, what is left behind and meant to disappear. But also: to resist, to withhold consent, to say no with the full weight of one’s body. That the two meanings share a spelling is not an accident. Language remembers what power would prefer to split apart.”—U
Deadline: 31st May 2026 | Pay: $12
Things to note:
To read the full call, click here
You may submit up to one entry for each genre during a given submission period. They include:
Poetry
Fiction
Non-Fiction
Book review
Translation
To submit, click here. Category: Usawa Literary Review, Summer 2026.
Please write to them at editor@usawa.in if you have any questions.
9. African Human Rights Prison Writing Contest
The African Secretariat of the International Human Rights Art Movement (IHRAM) announces the Call for Entries for the African Human Rights Prison Writing Contest, a continental literary initiative created to spotlight the voices, experiences, and human rights challenges of individuals who have passed through the African correctional system.
This year’s edition opens the door not only to currently incarcerated persons but also to formerly incarcerated individuals who wish to share their personal reflections, testimonies, and human rights experiences during and after imprisonment. The contest seeks to transform lived prison encounters into documented knowledge that can inspire reform, healing, advocacy, and public awareness.
Deadline: 31st May 2026 | Prize: Total of $225
Things to note:
Eligible Participants
Current inmates in any correctional facility across Africa.
Former inmates who have regained their freedom but have stories, insights, and reflections to share regarding incarceration and human rights.
To ensure depth, clarity, and strong human rights engagement, only essays or articles are accepted. Entries may explore:
human rights conditions in prisons
rehabilitation, reintegration, and personal transformation
injustice, dignity, and access to fair treatment
health, education, and welfare in correctional settings
discrimination, vulnerability, and resilience
reform recommendations and personal testimonies
Submission Guidelines
All entries must be original, unpublished, and written by the participant.
Length: 800–1,500 words.
Entries must be typed.
Current inmates must submit through their facility librarian, welfare officer, or designated authority.
Former inmates must include a short bio indicating their facility, country, and year of release.
Each entry must clearly state the writer’s full name, Country, correctional facility (or former facility), country, and contact information.
Designated officers and individuals should send entries to:
African Secretariat, International Human Rights Art Movement (IHRAM)
Email: wole@humanrightsartmovement.org and copy ihrafafrica@humanrightsartmovement.orgFor additional information or clarification, contact the Contest Coordinator via:
oluwoleadedoyinonline@gmail.com
10. The Novel Prize
The Novel Prize, a biennial award for book-length works of literary fiction written in English by both published and unpublished writers from around the world. Writers based in Africa and Europe are invited to submit to Fitzcarraldo Editions. African writers based elsewhere, should check this page for their submission pathway.
Deadline: 1st June 2026, midnight GMT | Prize: $10,000
Things to note:
Entrants residing in Africa and Europe should submit a full manuscript of their novel (minimum 30,000 words) to novelprize@fitzcarraldoeditions.com. The manuscript should be double-spaced, 12pt.
Each submission should include a cover letter including a biographical note, contact details and brief outline of the novel.
The entry must be the entrant’s own original creation and must not infringe upon the right or copyright of any person or entity.
Co-authored entries will not be accepted.
Writers who have existing contracts, or who have previously held contracts, with publishers for books of fiction or non-fiction are eligible to enter.
Writers who have published writing (fiction or non-fiction) in magazines and journals are eligible to enter.
Writers who have published books of poetry are eligible to enter.
Writers may submit only one manuscript per iteration of the prize.
The novel must be written in English (no translations).
Submissions may be made by the author of the novel or (if they have one) their agent.
There are no age restrictions, and we welcome submissions from writers of all backgrounds.
Submissions from writers residing outside of the Americas will not be considered or passed on to the relevant publishers.
All submissions should include page numbers.
The novel must be original and should not have been previously published anywhere in full. Published work is taken to mean published in any printed, publicly accessible form, e.g. anthology, magazine, newspaper. It is also taken to mean published online, with the exception of personal blogs and personal websites.
A shortlist will be announced in January 2027. The winner will be announced in February 2027, and published in early 2028. Unsuccessful entrants will not be contacted.
New Directions, Fitzcarraldo Editions, and Giramondo reserve the right to organize a meeting or phone call with all shortlisted writers to discuss their novel before the award of the prize.
11. Pitch to Film Daze: Issue 1
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
Click here to submit an opportunity.
If you did not receive a reply to a previous editorial inquiry by 31st January 2026, please send a query to editor.afww@gmail.com.
Prose of the Week
Outrage as Glocal Area Man Royally Phucks Up | Davina Philomena Kawuma (Uganda)
Maddu, Uganda — A marriage ceremony in [East] Africa took a bizarre turn over the weekend when a foreign suitor offered foreskins as bride price.
A traditional marriage ceremony in Maddu village of Maalo Parish was cancelled after a foreign national took two hundred foreskins to his in-laws.
The man in the eye of the shitstorm, British-born, American-raised, Kampala-based Nimrod Knotsea, had travelled Saturday in a convoy of German-made luxury SUVs to ask for the hand of Blanche Nyamwiza at a function known in Lugandan dialect as kwanjula.
Blanche is the last-born child and only daughter of Mariko Kalyoonso, the Malyaansiimbi Resident District Commissioner. She is a lifestyle influencer, content creator, brand ambassador and slay queen best known for her Lugandan skits about the viral Hawk Tuah video.
Like many influencers of her ilk, Blanche began her career producing cheesy content, mostly renditions of TikTok dance challenges that involved minimal dancing. Her following grew steadily post-COVID, peaking at one million during the kerfuffle caused by last year’s pheromone perfume trend…
If you’d like your already PUBLISHED prose featured in ‘Prose of The Week’ please fill this form.
Poetry of the Week
The Art of Unloving You | Ruth Torty (Nigeria)
Today, I am stepping into the shoes
I never thought I would wear
It’s called the slow and torturous art:
The art of unloving you.
I can still catch the scent of our laughter
In the places we went together
Here I am, struggling to find my way
Through the messy tangles of our memories…
If you’d like your already PUBLISHED poetry featured in ‘Poetry of The Week’ please fill this form.
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Ya gazie (Let it go well - Igbo, Nigeria)
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