• As support from YouTube, the grantees will receive Sh 2.439 million ($ 20,000) and Sh 6.097 million ($ 50,000) as seed funding.
• They will also receive dedicated partner support for six months and have the opportunity to participate in programmes.
YouTube has announced it will broaden it's support for creators and the creative economy in Africa through the 2023 #YouTubeBlack Voices creators and artist cohorts.
The initiative, now in its third year, is a follow-up to a global multi-year commitment made in 2020 to uplift and grow Black creators, artists, songwriters, and producers on the platform.
Some 40 creatives from subsaharan Africa have been selected to be part of the 135 #YouTubeBlack Voices creators chosen globally and who are enrolled into the cohort.
Of the 40 creators, 10 are Kenyan.
These are Agatha Nkirote, Caleb Orem, Joanne Wanja, Juliet Kane, Kate Kendy, Martin Kihara, Olive Nkirote, Sebastian Ngida, Susan Muriithi, and Wongel Zelalem.
Four African music artists have also been selected to be part of the 23 #YouTubeBlack Voices Artists chosen globally.
These are Ghana’s Gyakie, Nigeria’s Asake, and BNXN and South Africa’s Kamo Mphela.
The cohort will also include two African songwriters and producers who will be joining the 17 #YouTubeBlack Voices songwriters and producers selected globally.
They include HipHop producer MashBeatz and Nairobi-based producer, Ukweli.
As support from YouTube, the grantees will receive Sh2.439 million ($20,000) and Sh6.097 million ($50,000) as seed funding.
They will also receive dedicated partner support for six months and have the opportunity to participate in programmes.
These will include bespoke training, workshops and networking programmes spread out across the year.
YouTube EMEA MD for emerging markets Alex Okosi said the initiative is dedicated to equipping up-and-becoming black creators and artists with the resources to succeed on the platform.
“We are seriously interested in the growth of the creative economy in Africa,” Okosi said.
“For the creators, artists, songwriters, and producers that will be joining this third cohort, we will go beyond the initial training to measure our success with them over a long-term period, thereby ensuring that they achieve sustained success.”
Those joining the #YoutubeBlack Voices Music Class of 2023 will be required to set goals, develop a content strategy and engage with their fans on YouTube.
This is with the assistance of a YouTube partner manager.
There will be networking opportunities and a chance to maximise the impact of their channels as they provide catalog-development opportunities.
Over the next few years, YouTube will be directly investing in more than 500 creators and artists from across the world.
They will support, grow and fund their channels and content development through the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund.