Witsprouts Opens Nominations for the Second Edition of Its Storytelling Prize

The Witsprouts Storytelling Prize is now open for nominations for its second edition, with The Witsprouts Project inviting a much wider range of storytellers to participate.

The prize was created in an attempt to reintegrate oral storytelling into contemporary culture and reward the people who keep the art form alive. It was first launched with a tightly defined brief, “Rebooting Legends and Memories,” a call for Nigerian creatives to re-imagine traditional African oral storytelling through original 5 to 10 minutes theatrical video performances. The net is wider this year and the rules are looser. There is no set theme. Podcasters, spoken word artists, animators, audio drama producers, video creators and anyone else working in oral or multimedia storytelling are all in scope, as long as they’re based anywhere across Africa or the diaspora.

The total prize is ₦500,000 and the nomination process is open to just about anyone. A friend can recommend a friend. A fan can nominate an artist they love. Storytellers may even self-nominate.

Why the shift

For Witsprouts Director Tope Akintayo, extending the prize’s purview is less an issue of changing course than it is about keeping up with the way storytelling actually travels today. “Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have, and it is evolving,” he said. “Contemporary griots, creative podcasters, spoken word artists, animators, voice over artists and everyone involved in the art of storytelling are carrying something important forward. The Witsprouts Storytelling Prize exists to make sure those voices are encouraged, celebrated, and supported.”

This is a philosophy that runs through the rest of Witsprouts’ work. “At Witsprouts, we believe creativity is best rewarded when given a platform,” Akintayo added. “We strive to always showcase emerging creatives whose work is worth sharing with the world.”

Who should apply

The prize is looking for young storytellers and voice artists who:

• Use multimedia to tell engaging, impactful stories
• Work in any form of oral or multimedia storytelling
• Are based anywhere across Africa or the African diaspora

The details

• Nominations open: August 10, 2026
• Nominations close: September 30, 2026
• Nomination form: https://witsprouts.org/2026prize
• Enquiries: prize@witsprouts.org

For a prize built around the idea that stories still matter, the widened scope feels like the point. Fewer rules about format, more room for the storytellers themselves to define what the form looks like next.