Open Call for African Artists and Creatives

Deadline: 30-Sep-26

KARAKTA Africa is inviting artists, fashion designers, makeup artists, costume designers, visual artists, and multidisciplinary creators from Africa and the African diaspora to submit creative work for KARAKTA 2026: REBIRTH. The open call explores African identity and character through themes including memory, culture, transformation, and imagination, and welcomes bold works that reflect, reinterpret, or challenge contemporary ideas of African identity.

About KARAKTA 2026: REBIRTH

KARAKTA 2026: REBIRTH is an open creative call focused on African identity, character, culture, and transformation.

The programme recognises African identity as dynamic, layered, and continuously evolving. It encourages creators to explore how identity is shaped by history, cultural memory, personal experiences, imagination, and social change. The initiative welcomes creative approaches that move beyond conventional representations of Africa and offer fresh perspectives on what African identity and character can mean today. Themes of the Open Call

KARAKTA 2026: REBIRTH encourages submissions that engage with one or more of the following themes:

- Memory: Personal, family, ancestral, historical, or collective memories.

- Culture: African traditions, customs, heritage, contemporary culture, and cultural exchange.

- Transformation: Change, renewal, evolution, migration, adaptation, and personal or collective transformation.

- Imagination: New visions of African identity, speculative perspectives, creativity, and future possibilities.

- African identity: Diverse understandings and representations of African character and identity.

- Reinterpretation: Creative approaches that question, challenge, or redefine existing ideas about Africa and African communities.

Artists do not necessarily need to present a traditional interpretation of these themes. Experimental, contemporary, conceptual, and multidisciplinary approaches are encouraged. Who Is Eligible? The open call is intended for creatives from Africa and the African diaspora.

Eligible creative practitioners include:

- Artists - Fashion designers - Makeup artists - Costume designers - Visual artists - Multidisciplinary creators Applicants should be based in Africa or belong to the African diaspora. The call is particularly relevant to creators whose work explores African culture, identity, representation, heritage, contemporary experiences, or changing perceptions of African character. What Types of Creative Work Are Encouraged?

KARAKTA 2026: REBIRTH welcomes bold and thoughtful creative work that engages with the central theme of African identity and character.

Submissions may use different artistic disciplines and creative formats, particularly where they offer innovative ways of communicating ideas about: - African identity and belonging - Cultural heritage and contemporary culture - Personal and collective memory - African histories and experiences - Transformation and rebirth - Future visions of African communities - Diaspora experiences - Representation and self-expression - New interpretations of African character Multidisciplinary projects are also encouraged where artists combine different creative practices to develop a stronger conceptual response.

Why Does KARAKTA 2026: REBIRTH Matter?

African identity cannot be understood through a single cultural, geographic, historical, or artistic perspective. The African continent and its diaspora contain diverse communities, histories, languages, traditions, and contemporary experiences. KARAKTA 2026: REBIRTH provides a platform for creators to explore this complexity through artistic expression.

The programme is important because it:

- Encourages diverse representations of African identity. - Gives artists space to challenge established stereotypes. - Promotes contemporary African creativity. - Connects cultural memory with present-day experiences. - Encourages conversations about transformation and identity. - Creates opportunities for African and diaspora creators to contribute new perspectives. What Should Applicants Consider? Applicants should develop work that has a clear relationship with the central ideas of REBIRTH, African identity, and character. When preparing a submission, creators should consider: - What does African identity mean in your work? - How does your work respond to memory, culture, transformation, or imagination? - Does the work challenge or reinterpret conventional representations of Africa? - What personal, cultural, historical, or contemporary experience informs the work? - How does your chosen artistic medium strengthen the concept? A strong submission should communicate a clear creative idea rather than simply referencing African culture as a visual theme. How to Apply Applicants should prepare their creative work and submission materials according to the requirements of the KARAKTA Africa 2026 open call. A typical application preparation process includes: - Confirm your eligibility Ensure that you are an eligible artist or creative practitioner based in Africa or part of the African diaspora. - Develop your concept Create or select work that meaningfully engages with African identity, character, memory, culture, transformation, or imagination. - Prepare your creative materials Organise the required images, portfolio materials, descriptions, or other supporting content specified in the call. - Write a clear project or artwork statement Explain the concept, creative process, themes, and relationship to REBIRTH. - Review the submission requirements Check the official call for the required format, submission method, deadlines, file specifications, and any additional eligibility conditions. - Submit the application Complete the application using the designated submission process before the stated deadline. Tips for a Strong Submission Creators can strengthen their applications by focusing on the relationship between concept, identity, and artistic expression. Consider