African Visual Storyteller Collaborating with creators for the African narrative. https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/ Mon, 15 Jun 2026 10:03:33 +0000 Mon, 15 Jun 2026 09:53:50 +0000 2026-06-15T09:53:50Z 2026-06-15T10:03:33Z Photography Culture Creativity Copyright 2026, African Visual Storyteller https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/publication/logo/fb485a9d-d706-4774-b91c-e6a36dca1251/The_Creative_Business_Studio__4_.png African Visual Storyteller https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/ https://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification beehiiv en-us support@beehiiv.com (Beehiiv Support) The Politics of Sustained Empowerment Within the Creative Economy Building Long-Term Career Infrastructure and Economic Independence for African Photographers https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/the-politics-of-sustained-empowerment-within-the-creative-economy https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/the-politics-of-sustained-empowerment-within-the-creative-economy Mon, 15 Jun 2026 09:53:50 +0000 2026-06-15T09:53:50Z Unpublished Africa

Welcome to African Visual Storyteller! Your weekly guide to African photographers, exhibitions, and creative opportunities.

This space exists to support visibility, connection, and real pathways for African creatives. Thank you for being part of our growing ecosystem.

African Visual Storyteller of the Week #59

Our featured storyteller this week is Patrick Muriuki 🇰🇪

Patrick Muriuki (Kenya) - "Mcmillan Memorial Library", 2025 (Published in "How We Lead" Exhibition in Nairobi Kenya (2026) hosted by the United States International University-Africa)

Unpublished Africa Featured in ArtAfrica Magazine

We were recently featured in Art Africa Magazine, where we discussed our mission to build long-term career infrastructure for African photographers, specifically women. The article covers our 2026 Nairobi exhibition, “I’d Be Empowered If…”, highlighting how artists need economic independence and consistent access to resources, rather than just temporary exposure.

To address these needs, we operate as a professional development platform that provides applicant feedback, teaches career skills through our Creative Business Studio, and organizes continental Photo Walks. We encourage you to check out the full article to learn more about our work in protecting African narratives and helping photographers build sustainable careers on their own terms.

Check out the full article here: https://artafricamagazine.org/building-structures-of-visibility-unpublished-africa-and-the-politics-of-sustained-empowerment/

Thank You For Joining The Kampala Photo Walk 🇺🇬

Kampala Photo Walk Group Photo June 2026

Thank you to everyone who attended the Kampala photo walk. We appreciate the strong turnout and the opportunity to connect with other local photographers. It was a productive session walking the route, exchanging practical ideas, and shooting the area together.

Please take some time to sort through your images from the walk. When you are ready to post them, please also upload them to the photo walk archive.

Upcoming Photo Walks

Jos Photo Exchange 🇳🇬

🇳🇬 Join our Upcoming Jos Photo Exchange:

Thika Photo Walk 🇰🇪

🇰🇪 Join our Thika Photo Walk this June:

I’d Be Empowered If… : Building Infrastructure for Women’s Participation in Africa’s Creative Economy

Sustaining Creative Labor: The Infrastructure Gap

We tend to frame creative work as passion or expression, but what happens when we approach it as labor that requires functional systems to survive?

Looking at the findings in I’d Be Empowered If… : Building Infrastructure for Women’s Participation in Africa’s Creative Economy offers a blueprint. The research highlights that while participation across the African creative economy is growing, sustainability is not keeping pace. It proves that visibility alone does not translate into the stable work needed to sustain creative careers.

The structural gap is evident. When creative work is seen, it does not always move through systems that allow it to generate ongoing value and income over time.

Addressing this outlines a fundamental shift for African creative economies, driven by building actual infrastructure:

  • Commissioning structures that create consistent, ongoing demand for creative work.

  • Intermediary networks (curators, agents, publishers) that actively connect creatives to viable markets.

  • Transparent opportunities that reduce the heavy reliance on closed, informal networks.

  • Post-opportunity support that helps creatives build long-term value beyond their initial exposure.

Without these systems, creatives simply move from one opportunity to the next without stability. Moving from merely supporting creative output to building systemic infrastructure changes how creative work sustains a life.

Read the full research: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/403833613_I'd_Be_Empowered_If_Building_Infrastructure_for_Women's_Participation_in_Africa's_Creative_Economy

Bakashimika International Photography Festival 🇿🇲

Photo by Jorge Dachala (Kenya)

Unpublished Africa: Tiyende / Twende, presented at the Bakashimika Photography Festival, features the work of seven photographers—Caleb Ishaya Oseshi, Jorge Dachala, Dachomo Yenyehk Gil, Maingaila Muvundika, Joyce Kipunga, Simphiwe Moyo, and Namukolo Siyumbwa. The exhibition centers on movement, drawn from the Chinyanja and Kiswahili words for "let us go." The images document people navigating various transport systems and transitional spaces, highlighting how mobility connects individuals to work and sustains their livelihoods. This practical focus on infrastructure and economic participation aligns directly with SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

All participating photographers are alumni of Unpublished Africa’s Creative Business Studio, a pan-African initiative that helps visual storytellers build sustainable, income-generating businesses. The festival hosting the exhibition was notably co-founded by Edith Chilliboy, also an alumnus of the program. In this context, the theme of movement reflects the professional progression of the artists and organizers alike as they transition from early-stage practice to structured careers and community leadership. The exhibition serves as both a presentation of geographically distinct visual narratives and a practical examination of how creatives enter, navigate, and sustain themselves within the creative economy.

Read More: https://bakashimika.com/articles26/unpublished.html

Bring an Unpublished Africa Photo Walk to Your City

Group Picture From Nairobi Photowalk May 2026

To our incredible community, partners, and volunteers: thank you. Every photo walk attended, session hosted, and piece of work shared has been vital in building the Unpublished Africa platform into what it is today.

We are currently laying the groundwork for the 4th edition of Unpublished Africa Photo Week, with a core focus on expanding our geographic reach and maximizing our impact.

To do that effectively, we need your insight. Which cities do you think are ready for the next edition?

We are actively looking to connect with regional creative organizations, grassroots collectives, and cultural communities. If you know of a group we should align with or if you are able to facilitate a direct introduction please reach out. Your connections will help shape where we go next.

Submit to the Photo Walk Archive

Were you part of an Unpublished Africa Photo Walk? We’d love to see what you captured! Upload your photos to the Photo Walk Archive and help us document the journey.

Upload here: https://photowalk.unpublished.africa/

Other Opportunities:

Help Us Improve What We’re Building

If you’ve joined an Unpublished Africa photo walk, exhibition, programme, or conversation, we’d really appreciate a quick Google rating and review.

It takes a few minutes, and it goes a long way in helping us build better infrastructure for African creatives.

👉 Leave a review here: https://g.page/r/CYo40kkDN_4UEBM/review

Thank you for being part of the journey and for helping shape what comes next.

➡️ Share this newsletter with a friend or colleague interested in the African creative economy!

Thank you for continuing to build with us.

More conversations, walks, and opportunities ahead.

— Unpublished Africa


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]]> Decentralizing Africa’s Creative Economy How distributed infrastructure and localized leadership are scaling cultural participation across the continent. https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/decentralizing-africa-s-creative-economy https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/decentralizing-africa-s-creative-economy Tue, 09 Jun 2026 11:37:37 +0000 2026-06-09T11:37:37Z Unpublished Africa

Welcome to African Visual Storyteller! Your weekly guide to African photographers, exhibitions, and creative opportunities.

This space exists to support visibility, connection, and real pathways for African creatives. Thank you for being part of our growing ecosystem.

African Visual Storyteller of the Week #58

Our featured storyteller this week is Eyitayo Oluwatoye 🇳🇬

Eyitayo Oluwatoye (Nigeria) - "Looking Up In CMS (Lagos, Nigeria)", (Published in "How We Lead" Exhibition in Nairobi Kenya (2026) hosted by the United States International University-Africa)

Upcoming Photo Walks

Jos Photo Exchange 🇳🇬

🇳🇬 Join our Upcoming Jos Photo Exchange:

Kampala Photo Walk 🇺🇬

🇺🇬 Join our Upcoming Kampala Photo Exchange:

Thika Photo Walk 🇰🇪

Photo From Nairobi Photo Walk, 2026

🇰🇪 Join our Thika Photo Walk this June:

Distributed Cultural Infrastructure in Africa: Lessons from Unpublished Africa Photo Week

Building Cultural Ecosystems Beyond the Capital: The UAPW Case Study

We tend to think of creative programming as a series of isolated events, but what happens when we design it as adaptable infrastructure?

Looking at the trajectory of Unpublished Africa Photo Week (UAPW) between 2024 and 2025 offers a blueprint. In that time, the initiative scaled from 3 to 15 cities across 9 countries. It didn't rely on permanent venues, centralized control, or massive institutional funding. Instead, it proved that cultural ecosystems can be successfully distributed.

The demand is clearly there. When access is decentralized, participation surges—in Nigeria, nearly 50% of registrations came from outside traditional hubs like Lagos and Abuja.

This model outlines a fundamental shift for African creative economies, driven by:

  • Decentralized networks that scale without bottlenecking at a central headquarters.

  • Locally embedded facilitators who mold the programming to fit their specific communities.

  • Blended coordination that seamlessly merges digital and physical participation.

  • Lean operational models that remove the barrier of heavy institutional funding.

Concentrated cultural production limits access. Moving toward locally driven, distributed infrastructure changes how the entire creative economy grows.

Read the full research: https://www.unpublished.africa/unpublishedafricaphotoweek2025paper

Unpublished Africa Featured in ArtAfrica Magazine

We were recently featured in Art Africa Magazine, where we discussed our mission to build long-term career infrastructure for African photographers, specifically women. The article covers our 2026 Nairobi exhibition, “I’d Be Empowered If…”, highlighting how artists need economic independence and consistent access to resources, rather than just temporary exposure.

To address these needs, we operate as a professional development platform that provides applicant feedback, teaches career skills through our Creative Business Studio, and organizes continental Photo Walks. We encourage you to check out the full article to learn more about our work in protecting African narratives and helping photographers build sustainable careers on their own terms.

Check out the full article here: https://artafricamagazine.org/building-structures-of-visibility-unpublished-africa-and-the-politics-of-sustained-empowerment/

Unpublished Africa Photo Week 2026

Group Picture From Nairobi Photowalk May 2026

Thank you to everyone who has been part of the Unpublished Africa community so far. Whether you attended a walk, hosted a session, volunteered, partnered with us, or shared your work, we appreciate your support and contribution to what this platform has become.

As we prepare for the 4th edition of Unpublished Africa Photo Week, we are looking to expand where and how the programme shows up.

We would like to know which cities you think we should be working in.

If there are creative organisations, collectives, or communities in your city that we should be connected to, please share them with us. If you are in a position to make an introduction, we would value that as well.

Submit to the Photo Walk Archive

Were you part of an Unpublished Africa Photo Walk? We’d love to see what you captured! Upload your photos to the Photo Walk Archive and help us document the journey.

Upload here: https://photowalk.unpublished.africa/

Other Opportunities:

Help Us Improve What We’re Building

If you’ve joined an Unpublished Africa photo walk, exhibition, programme, or conversation, we’d really appreciate a quick Google rating and review.

It takes a few minutes, and it goes a long way in helping us build better infrastructure for African creatives.

👉 Leave a review here: https://g.page/r/CYo40kkDN_4UEBM/review

Thank you for being part of the journey and for helping shape what comes next.

➡️ Share this newsletter with a friend or colleague interested in the African creative economy!

Thank you for continuing to build with us.

More conversations, walks, and opportunities ahead.

— Unpublished Africa


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]]> Cultivating the Creative Pipeline Overcoming Cultural Barriers and Structural Gaps in Africa’s Early Art Education https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/cultivating-the-creative-pipeline https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/cultivating-the-creative-pipeline Mon, 01 Jun 2026 16:46:09 +0000 2026-06-01T16:46:09Z Unpublished Africa

Welcome to African Visual Storyteller! Your weekly guide to African photographers, exhibitions, and creative opportunities.

This space exists to support visibility, connection, and real pathways for African creatives. Thank you for being part of our growing ecosystem.

African Visual Storyteller of the Week #57

Our featured storyteller this week is Esther N'sapu 🇨🇩

Esther N'sapu (DRC) - "The Notre-Dame de la Paix Cathedral in Bukavu", (Published in "How We Lead" Exhibition in Nairobi Kenya (2026) hosted by the United States International University-Africa)

Thank You For Attending Ce Que Goma Porte En Moi 🇨🇩

Photo From Goma Photo Walk May 2026

Français 🇨🇩

Merci à toutes les personnes qui ont participé à la balade photographique de Ce que Goma porte en moi. Nous apprécions profondément votre présence, votre confiance et votre volonté d'avoir partagé cet espace avec nous.

Ce fut un véritable plaisir de nous réunir avec vous le 30 mai, aux côtés de Huru Kama Sanaa, pour cette rencontre intime autour de l’image, de la mémoire et de l’expérience de Goma.

English 🇨🇩

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Ce que Goma porte en moi photo walk. We truly appreciate your presence, trust, and willingness to share this space with us.

It was wonderful to gather with you on 30 May alongside Huru Kama Sanaa for this intimate encounter centered around image-making, memory, and the experience of Goma.

Upcoming Photo Walks

Jos Photo Exchange

Group Photo From Jos Photo Walk, 2026

🇳🇬 Join our Upcoming Jos Photo Exchange:

Thika Photo Walk

Photo From Nairobi Photo Walk, 2026

🇰🇪 Join our Thika Photo Walk this June:

Our Founder Speaks at UNESCO Africa Week 2026

Photo From UNESCO Africa Week, 2026

Recently, our Founder, Anesu Chikumba (🇿🇼), joined a discussion at UNESCO Africa Week 2026 on creativity, digital storytelling, representation, and peacebuilding, sharing reflections drawn from Unpublished Africa's work across the continent.

At Unpublished Africa, we exist to support African visual storytellers and contribute to a more representative understanding of Africa by creating opportunities for photographers to document, publish, exhibit, and share their own perspectives.

A key reflection from the discussion

We are driven by a simple reality: representation shapes understanding. How a country or community is perceived globally is entirely dictated by the stories and images the world encounters. Our mission in shifting the African narrative isn't about pushing propaganda or swapping a negative story for an artificially positive one. It's about demanding accuracy through balance. It is about handing the microphone and the camera back to the source to showcase the full, unedited spectrum of African realities.

Watch Here: https://youtu.be/GKIr6xOBlQI?t=4363

Conversations around art education in Africa often centre on tertiary institutions, yet many of the challenges begin much earlier, at the point of exposure, access, and how creative practice is first introduced.

In Navigating the Path: Art Education in Africa, we reflect on how artists are often lost at the beginning of their journey due to limited access, cultural perceptions, and weak support systems, with these gaps continuing into post-secondary levels where sustained practice becomes difficult.

The paper is now available on ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/402678085_Navigating_the_Path_Art_Education_in_Africa

Submit to the Photo Walk Archive

Were you part of an Unpublished Africa Photo Walk? We’d love to see what you captured! Upload your photos to the Photo Walk Archive and help us document the journey.

Upload here: https://photowalk.unpublished.africa/

Other Opportunities:

Help Us Improve What We’re Building

If you’ve joined an Unpublished Africa photo walk, exhibition, programme, or conversation, we’d really appreciate a quick Google rating and review.

It takes a few minutes, and it goes a long way in helping us build better infrastructure for African creatives.

👉 Leave a review here: https://g.page/r/CYo40kkDN_4UEBM/review

Thank you for being part of the journey and for helping shape what comes next.

➡️ Share this newsletter with a friend or colleague interested in the African creative economy!

Thank you for continuing to build with us.

More conversations, walks, and opportunities ahead.

— Unpublished Africa



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]]> Africa's Story Is Still Being Written We encourage you to add your voice to that story https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/africa-s-story-is-still-being-written https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/africa-s-story-is-still-being-written Tue, 26 May 2026 11:21:13 +0000 2026-05-26T11:21:13Z Unpublished Africa

Welcome to African Visual Storyteller! Your weekly guide to African photographers, exhibitions, and creative opportunities.

This space exists to support visibility, connection, and real pathways for African creatives. Thank you for being part of our growing ecosystem.

African Visual Storyteller of the Week #56

Our featured storyteller this week is Jaili Hajo 🇸🇩

Jaili Hajo (Sudan) - "Quiet Archives", 2023 (Published in "How We Lead" Exhibition in Nairobi Kenya (2026) hosted by United States International University-Africa)

Our Founder Speaks at UNESCO Africa Week 2026

Last week, our Founder, Anesu Chikumba, joined a discussion at UNESCO Africa Week 2026 on creativity, digital storytelling, representation, and peacebuilding, sharing reflections drawn from Unpublished Africa's work across the continent.

At Unpublished Africa, we exist to support African visual storytellers and contribute to a more representative understanding of Africa by creating opportunities for photographers to document, publish, exhibit, and share their own perspectives.

Key reflections from the discussion

• Representation shapes understanding. The stories, images, and narratives we encounter influence how communities and countries are perceived. Narrative change is not about replacing one story with another, but about creating a more balanced and representative understanding of African realities.

• Supporting storytellers requires infrastructure. Through exhibitions, publications, Photo Walks, and programmes such as Creative Business Studio, Unpublished Africa has created pathways for emerging visual storytellers from 29 African countries. Sustainable storytelling requires sustainable storytellers.

• Representation is becoming increasingly important in the age of AI. The stories, images, and perspectives visible online today will help shape how future technologies understand African societies tomorrow.

Over the past four and a half years, Unpublished Africa has facilitated programming across 16 cities in 9 African countries, creating opportunities for creatives to document their communities, build networks, and contribute their perspectives.

We encourage more African visual storytellers to continue documenting their communities, publishing their work, and sharing their perspectives.

Africa's story is still being written. We encourage you to document your community, share your perspective, and contribute your voice to the stories that help shape how the continent is understood.

Thank You For Attending The HOW WE LEAD: Photography Exhibition

Photo taken at the "How We Lead" Exhibition in Nairobi Kenya (2026) Hosted by United States International University-Africa

At the HOW WE LEAD: Photography Exhibition, we explored how African street and architectural photography is redefining how our continent is seen and remembered. We believe that leadership is participation—it is found in the people who document, speak, create, and preserve our collective memory.

Thank you for showing up and participating in this vision. We are no longer just responding to narratives created elsewhere; through digital spaces and shared stories, we are actively shaping our own.

Thank you for being part of the narrative.

Submit to the Photo Walk Archive

Were you part of an Unpublished Africa Photo Walk? We’d love to see what you captured! Upload your photos to the Photo Walk Archive and help us document the journey.

Upload here: https://photowalk.unpublished.africa/

Other Opportunities:

Help Us Improve What We’re Building

If you’ve joined an Unpublished Africa photo walk, exhibition, programme, or conversation, we’d really appreciate a quick Google rating and review.

It takes a few minutes, and it goes a long way in helping us build better infrastructure for African creatives.

👉 Leave a review here: https://g.page/r/CYo40kkDN_4UEBM/review

Thank you for being part of the journey and for helping shape what comes next.

➡️ Share this newsletter with a friend or colleague interested in the African creative economy!

Thank you for continuing to build with us.

More conversations, walks, and opportunities ahead.

— Unpublished Africa



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]]> African Perspectives in Focus How are you using your narrative power? https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/african-perspectives-in-focus https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/african-perspectives-in-focus Mon, 18 May 2026 17:05:15 +0000 2026-05-18T17:05:15Z Unpublished Africa

Welcome to African Visual Storyteller! Your weekly guide to African photographers, exhibitions, and creative opportunities.

This space exists to support visibility, connection, and real pathways for African creatives. Thank you for being part of our growing ecosystem.

African Visual Storyteller of the Week #55

Our featured storyteller this week is Irene Naneu 🇰🇪

Irene Naneu (Kenya) - "How Much Beauty Lives in Everyday Moments", 2026 (Taken During an Unpublished Africa Nairobi Photowalk)

HOW WE LEAD: Photography Exhibition

Through street and architectural photography, the exhibition reflects on how African creatives are increasingly shaping how the continent is seen, understood, and remembered in the digital age.

Leadership within this exhibition is not approached through formal titles or institutional positions alone. Instead, the works consider leadership as participation; who documents, who speaks, who creates, who preserves memory, and who contributes to shaping public understanding within their communities and cities.

Through digital platforms and accessible technologies, creatives are no longer only responding to narratives produced elsewhere, but are actively participating in shaping how African societies represent themselves to one another and to the wider world.

Thank You For Being Part Of Our Lusaka Community 🇿🇲

Group Picture from Lusaka Photo Walk May 2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the walk. It is always great to welcome back familiar faces and to meet photographers experiencing the space for the first time. We hope the session gave you the opportunity to connect with others, explore new perspectives, and create work that continues to grow your practice.

We truly appreciate everyone who came through and contributed to the atmosphere and energy of the day. We are excited to see the images and stories that came out of the experience, and we look forward to having you with us again at the next walk.

Thank You For Signing Up For Ce Que Goma Porte En Moi 🇨🇩

Français 🇨🇩

Merci à toutes les personnes qui se sont inscrites pour faire partie de Ce que Goma porte en moi. Nous apprécions profondément votre intérêt, votre confiance et votre volonté de partager cet espace avec nous.

Nous avons hâte de vous retrouver le 30 mai aux côtés de Huru Kama Sanaa pour cette rencontre intime autour de l’image, de la mémoire et de l’expérience de Goma.

À très bientôt.

English 🇨🇩

Thank you to everyone who signed up to be part of Ce que Goma porte en moi. We truly appreciate your interest, trust, and willingness to share this space with us.

We look forward to gathering with you on 30 May alongside Huru Kama Sanaa for this intimate encounter centered around image-making, memory, and the experience of Goma.

See you soon.

Unpublished Africa Photo Week 2026

Group Picture From Nairobi Portrait Walk May 2026

Thank you to everyone who has been part of the Unpublished Africa community so far. Whether you attended a walk, hosted a session, volunteered, partnered with us, or shared your work, we appreciate your support and contribution to what this platform has become.

As we prepare for the 4th edition of Unpublished Africa Photo Week, we are looking to expand where and how the programme shows up.

We would like to know which cities you think we should be working in.

If there are creative organisations, collectives, or communities in your city that we should be connected to, please share them with us. If you are in a position to make an introduction, we would value that as well.

Submit to the Photo Walk Archive

Were you part of an Unpublished Africa Photo Walk? We’d love to see what you captured! Upload your photos to the Photo Walk Archive and help us document the journey.

Upload here: https://photowalk.unpublished.africa/

Other Opportunities:

Help Us Improve What We’re Building

If you’ve joined an Unpublished Africa photo walk, exhibition, programme, or conversation, we’d really appreciate a quick Google rating and review.

It takes a few minutes, and it goes a long way in helping us build better infrastructure for African creatives.

👉 Leave a review here: https://g.page/r/CYo40kkDN_4UEBM/review

Thank you for being part of the journey and for helping shape what comes next.

➡️ Share this newsletter with a friend or colleague interested in the African creative economy!

Thank you for continuing to build with us.

More conversations, walks, and opportunities ahead.

— Unpublished Africa


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]]> African Photography is contributing to social change across the continent Photography plays a role in exposing injustice, amplifying lived experiences and mobilizing collective action https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/african-photography-is-contributing-to-social-change-across-the-continent https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/african-photography-is-contributing-to-social-change-across-the-continent Mon, 11 May 2026 14:20:23 +0000 2026-05-11T14:20:23Z Unpublished Africa

Welcome to African Visual Storyteller! Your weekly guide to African photographers, exhibitions, and creative opportunities.

This space exists to support visibility, connection, and real pathways for African creatives. Thank you for being part of our growing ecosystem.

African Visual Storyteller of the Week #55

Our featured storyteller this week is Keerera Nellie 🇺🇬

Keerera Nellie (Uganda) - "Kalaname Mat Weaving Demonstration", 2025 (From Unpublished Africa's "I'd Be Empowered If..." Exhibition in Nairobi, Kenya)

Photography as an Agent of Social Transformation: Collaboration for Impact

Photography is often understood as documentation or artistic expression, but this paper positions it as a form of social infrastructure, a medium capable of shaping public awareness, influencing participation, and contributing to social change across communities and institutions.

From historical documentation to contemporary digital platforms, photography has consistently played a role in exposing injustice, amplifying lived experiences, and mobilizing collective attention. As the distribution of impactful photography is critical for accelerating positive change, the synergy between photographers and social causes through collaborations with NGOs, activists, and grassroots movements amplifies the power of visual storytelling.

Within the African creative ecosystem, this shift has become increasingly visible through the work of photographers engaging with questions of identity, environment, health, migration, governance, and community life. Drawing on Unpublished Africa’s experience working with visual storytellers across more than 25 African countries, this paper explores how photography can move beyond representation toward active civic and cultural engagement.

What this paper highlights is a shift in how photography is understood:

  • 📌 From isolated artistic practice to collaboration with communities, organisations, and causes: Matching artistic goals with the missions of advocacy groups to reach common goals and bring light to important social issues.

  • 📌 From documentation alone to storytelling that influences awareness and public discourse: Using social media to reach the world in real time, while using books and exhibitions to help people truly understand the heart of the story.

  • 📌 From image-making as personal expression to photography as ethical and social responsibility: Helping photographers use their skills to balance beautiful imagery with real-world activism and a deep sense of responsibility.

Without thoughtful engagement, photography risks reproducing distance, extraction, or spectacle. The shift this paper calls for is clear: from photography as image production to photography as a deliberate practice connected to social impact, accountability, and meaningful change.

Access the Paper: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/402689219_Photography_as_an_Agent_of_Social_Transformation_Collaboration_for_Impact

Unpublished Africa Photo Week 2026

Group Picture from Nairobi Portrait Walk May 2026

Thank you to everyone who has been part of the Unpublished Africa community so far. Whether you attended a walk, hosted a session, volunteered, partnered with us, or shared your work, we appreciate your support and contribution to what this platform has become.

As we prepare for the 4th edition of Unpublished Africa Photo Week, we are looking to expand where and how the programme shows up.

We would like to know which cities you think we should be working in.

If there are creative organisations, collectives, or communities in your city that we should be connected to, please share them with us. If you are in a position to make an introduction, we would value that as well.

Upcoming Unpublished Africa Photo Walks

Lusaka Photo Walk

Lusaka Photographers 🇿🇲: We are excited to open registrations for Lusaka Photo Walk.

  • 🗓️ Date: 17 May 2026

  • ⏰ Time: 2:00 PM

Once you have registered, you will receive a link to join the Lusaka photographers community ahead of the walk, along with any final updates closer to the date.

Register here: https://airtable.com/appoOCu5Be7LsDtNg/shrIpbbXG2cGlZUJD

Ce Que Goma Porte En Moi

Photographes de Goma 🇨🇩

Nous vous invitons à postuler pour faire partie de Ce que Goma porte en moi, une rencontre intime qui aura lieu le 30 mai en collaboration avec Huru Kama Sanaa. Les inscriptions se terminent le 17 mai.

Anglais:

Goma Photographers 🇨🇩

We invite you to apply to be part of Ce que Goma porte en moi, an intimate gathering taking place on 30 May in collaboration with Huru Kama Sanaa. Registrations close 17 May.

Inscrivez-vous ici/Register here: https://airtable.com/appoOCu5Be7LsDtNg/shr6KG2RVObvsYWmd

Submit to the Photo Walk Archive

Were you part of an Unpublished Africa Photo Walk? We’d love to see what you captured! Upload your photos to the Photo Walk Archive and help us document the journey.

Upload here: https://photowalk.unpublished.africa/

Other Opportunities:

Help Us Improve What We’re Building

If you’ve joined an Unpublished Africa photo walk, exhibition, programme, or conversation, we’d really appreciate a quick Google rating and review.

It takes a few minutes, and it goes a long way in helping us build better infrastructure for African creatives.

👉 Leave a review here: https://g.page/r/CYo40kkDN_4UEBM/review

Thank you for being part of the journey and for helping shape what comes next.

➡️ Share this newsletter with a friend or colleague interested in the African creative economy!

Thank you for continuing to build with us.

More conversations, walks, and opportunities ahead.

— Unpublished Africa


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]]> What 16 African cities taught us about who gets access and who doesn’t From Southern Africa to East, West, and Central Africa our Photo Walks have now been held in 16 cities, where should we go next? https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/what-16-african-cities-taught-us-about-who-gets-access-and-who-doesn-t https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/what-16-african-cities-taught-us-about-who-gets-access-and-who-doesn-t Mon, 04 May 2026 13:19:52 +0000 2026-05-04T13:19:52Z Unpublished Africa

Welcome to African Visual Storyteller! Your weekly guide to African photographers, exhibitions, and creative opportunities.

This space exists to support visibility, connection, and real pathways for African creatives. Thank you for being part of our growing ecosystem.

African Visual Storyteller of the Week #54

Our featured storyteller this week is Rebeka Negatu 🇪🇹

Rebeka Negatu (Ethiopia) - "Daily Offering", 2025 (From Unpublished Africa's "I'd Be Empowered If..." 2026 Exhibition in Nairobi, Kenya)

Distributed Cultural Infrastructure in Africa: Lessons from Unpublished Africa Photo Week

Creative programming is often treated as events or moments, but this research on Unpublished Africa Photo Week 2025 (UAPW) positions it as infrastructure, something that can be designed to move across contexts, activate participation, and sustain cultural ecosystems over time.

Between 2024 and 2025, UAPW expanded from 3 cities to 15 cities across nine countries without centralised systems, permanent spaces, or heavy reliance on institutional funding. Instead, it worked through local partnerships, facilitator-led programming, and hybrid coordination, showing that cultural infrastructure can be distributed rather than fixed.

Across the African creative economy, demand is not limited to major capitals. In Nigeria, nearly half of participants registered outside Lagos and Abuja, indicating that access expands when delivery models are decentralised.

This reveals a structural opportunity: cultural ecosystems do not need to be built around central hubs to function or scale.

What this model offers is a shift in how cultural infrastructure is understood:

  • 📌 distributed systems that allow programming to scale without central control

  • 📌 locally embedded leadership that adapts to context rather than imposing uniform structures

  • 📌 hybrid coordination models that connect physical and digital participation

  • 📌 cost-efficient approaches that reduce dependence on large institutional funding

Without these approaches, cultural production remains concentrated and access limited. The shift this paper points to is clear: from centralised cultural systems to distributed, locally driven infrastructure that expands participation and redefines how creative economies grow.

Access the Paper: https://www.unpublished.africa/unpublishedafricaphotoweek2025paper

Unpublished Africa Photo Week 2026

As we prepare for the 4th edition of Unpublished Africa Photo Week, we are looking to expand where and how the programme shows up.

We would like to know which cities you think we should be working in.

If there are creative organisations, collectives, or communities in your city that we should be connected to, please share them with us. If you are in a position to make an introduction, we would value that as well.

Thank You For Attending The Nairobi Portrait Walk 🇰🇪

Image from Nairobi Photo Walk held on 3 May 2026

It is always good to see familiar faces return and to meet new photographers coming into the space. We hope the walk gave you time to connect, to observe how others are working, and to take images that push your practice forward.

We appreciate everyone who showed up and contributed to the experience. We look forward to seeing the work that came out of it, and to having you with us again at the next walk.

Thank You For Submitting To The "How We Lead" Open Call

Thank you to everyone who took the time to reflect on this question and submit your work. You can expect to receive feedback on your submissions by the 26th of May.

We’re grateful for your participation and for sharing your perspectives with us.

Upcoming Unpublished Africa Photo Walks

Lusaka Photo Walk 🇿🇲

Lusaka Photographers 🇿🇲: We are excited to open registrations for Lusaka Photo Walk.

  • 🗓️ Date: 17 May 2026

  • ⏰ Time: 2:00 PM

Once you have registered, you will receive a link to join the Lusaka photographers community ahead of the walk, along with any final updates closer to the date.

Register here: https://airtable.com/appoOCu5Be7LsDtNg/shrIpbbXG2cGlZUJD

Ce Que Goma Porte En Moi

Photo de l’Exposition “ambulants — une ou plusieurs réalités”, Goma, 2023, Joyce Kipunga.
(Published in by Unpublished Africa womens month group exhibition 2023)

Photographes de Goma 🇨🇩

Nous vous invitons à postuler pour faire partie de Ce que Goma porte en moi, une rencontre intime qui aura lieu le 30 mai en collaboration avec Huru Kama Sanaa.

Anglais:

Goma Photographers 🇨🇩

We invite you to apply to be part of Ce que Goma porte en moi, an intimate gathering taking place on 30 May in collaboration with Huru Kama Sanaa.

Inscrivez-vous ici/Register here:
https://airtable.com/appoOCu5Be7LsDtNg/shr6KG2RVObvsYWmd

Submit to the Photo Walk Archive

Were you part of an Unpublished Africa Photo Walk? We’d love to see what you captured! Upload your photos to the Photo Walk Archive and help us document the journey.

Upload here: https://photowalk.unpublished.africa/

Other Opportunities:

Help Us Improve What We’re Building

If you’ve joined an Unpublished Africa photo walk, exhibition, programme, or conversation, we’d really appreciate a quick Google rating and review.

It takes a few minutes, and it goes a long way in helping us build better infrastructure for African creatives.

👉 Leave a review here: https://g.page/r/CYo40kkDN_4UEBM/review

Thank you for being part of the journey and for helping shape what comes next.

➡️ Share this newsletter with a friend or colleague interested in the African creative economy!

Thank you for continuing to build with us.

More conversations, walks, and opportunities ahead.

— Unpublished Africa


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]]> If Creative Work is Labour, Where are the Systems That Sustain it? Creative work should generate income, and support a life over time. https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/if-creative-work-is-labour-where-are-the-systems-that-sustain-it https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/if-creative-work-is-labour-where-are-the-systems-that-sustain-it Mon, 27 Apr 2026 12:19:19 +0000 2026-04-27T12:19:19Z Unpublished Africa

Welcome to African Visual Storyteller! Your weekly guide to African photographers, exhibitions, and creative opportunities.

This space exists to support visibility, connection, and real pathways for African creatives. Thank you for being part of our growing ecosystem.

African Visual Storyteller of the Week #53

Our featured storyteller this week is Tariro Zinyemba 🇿🇼

Tariro Zinyemba (Zimbabwe) - "Mother's Son", 2025 (From Unpublished Africa's "I'd Be Empowered If..." Exhibition held in Nairobi, March 2026)

Unpublished Africa White Paper:

I’d Be Empowered If… : Building Infrastructure for Women’s Participation in Africa’s Creative Economy

Creative work is often framed as passion or expression, but our latest research on Building Infrastructure for Women’s Participation in Africa’s Creative Economy looks at it as labour, and something that moves through systems,to generate income, and support a life over time.

Across the African creative economy, participation is growing, but sustainability is not keeping pace. We found that Visibility is increasing, but it is not consistently turning into stable work which is what sustain creative careers.

This is a structural gap leads to creative work being seen, but not always moving through systems that allow it to generate ongoing value.

What is missing is infrastructure, not just physical spaces, but the systems that make creative work function as an economy:

  • 📌 commissioning structures that create consistent demand for creative work

  • 📌 intermediary networks (curators, agents, publishers) that connect creatives to markets

  • 📌 transparent opportunities that reduce reliance on informal networks

  • 📌 post-opportunity support that helps creatives build beyond first exposure

Without these, creatives move from one opportunity to the next without stability. The shift this paper calls for is clear: there is a need to move from only supporting creative output to building the systems that allow creative work to become sustainable. Read the paper to engage with this further.

Available on ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/403833613_I'd_Be_Empowered_If_Building_Infrastructure_for_Women's_Participation_in_Africa's_Creative_Economy

Thank You For Attending The Nairobi Photo Walk

Thanks to everyone who attended the Nairobi Photo Walk.

It was great to see so many people show up and take part. We hope you enjoyed the experience, met other photographers, and got some good shots during the walk.

We appreciate everyone who came through and helped make it a success. We look forward to seeing your photos and having you join us again at the next one.

Open Call for African Photographers

We invite you to respond to the question:

What does leadership look like in your context?

Your work may reflect:

  • Moments where individuals or communities take initiative

  • How young people influence systems, spaces, or narratives

  • Leadership in creative practice or cultural work

  • Responsibility, accountability, or decision-making in everyday life

  • Collective or community-led approaches to leadership

  • Leadership in the absence of formal structures

Please note: We do not publish images with children’s faces, and any images that show peoples’ faces will need an accompanying model release.

Deadline: 01 May

Submit your work on this link: https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/african-photographers-submit-work-to-considered-for-an-exhibition

Upcoming Unpublished Africa Photo Walks

Nairobi Portrait Walk

Nairobi Photographers 🇰🇪: We are excited to open registrations for our first Nairobi Portrait Walk.

  • 🗓️ Date: 03 May 2026

  • ⏰ Time: 10:30 AM

Limited spots available for this event. Register to attend: https://airtable.com/appoOCu5Be7LsDtNg/shrOaYg5PUawyGUch

Lusaka Photo Walk

Lusaka Photographers 🇿🇲: We are excited to open registrations for Lusaka Photo Walk.

  • 🗓️ Date: 17 May 2026

  • ⏰ Time: 2:00 PM

Once you have registered, you will receive a link to join the Lusaka photographers community ahead of the walk, along with any final updates closer to the date.

Register here: https://airtable.com/appoOCu5Be7LsDtNg/shrIpbbXG2cGlZUJD

Submit to the Photo Walk Archive

Were you part of an Unpublished Africa Photo Walk? We’d love to see what you captured! Upload your photos to the Photo Walk Archive and help us document the journey.

Upload here: https://photowalk.unpublished.africa/

Other Opportunities:

Help Us Improve What We’re Building

If you’ve joined an Unpublished Africa photo walk, exhibition, programme, or conversation, we’d really appreciate a quick Google rating and review.

It takes a few minutes, and it goes a long way in helping us build better infrastructure for African creatives.

👉 Leave a review here: https://g.page/r/CYo40kkDN_4UEBM/review

Thank you for being part of the journey and for helping shape what comes next.

➡️ Share this newsletter with a friend or colleague interested in the African creative economy!

Thank you for continuing to build with us.

More conversations, walks, and opportunities ahead.

— Unpublished Africa


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]]> African Photographers submit work to considered for an exhibition! Deadline: 1 May 2026. In-Person Exhibition opportunity. Submit photography that showcases youth in your country leading! https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/african-photographers-submit-work-to-considered-for-an-exhibition https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/african-photographers-submit-work-to-considered-for-an-exhibition Fri, 24 Apr 2026 16:02:17 +0000 2026-04-24T16:02:17Z Unpublished Africa

Unpublished Africa invites African photographers to submit their work for our upcoming 2025 Africa Day exhibition.

How We Lead looks at how young Africans take part in shaping their worlds through everyday action.

Leadership here is not about titles or formal roles. It is about participation. It is about who is involved, who makes decisions, who creates, and who carries responsibility in their community, even in small and often unseen ways.

Across many African contexts, young people are already active within the industries and in their communities. They organise, document, build, and influence. This exhibition is interested in those moments. Not the idea of leadership in the future, but what it looks like now in practice.

As a photographer, think about where participation is visible.


We invite you to respond to the question:

What does leadership look like in your context?

Your work may look at:

  • How young people take initiative within their environments

  • The ways they contribute to creative, cultural, or community spaces

  • How decisions are made, formally or informally

  • Moments of responsibility, whether individual or shared

  • How groups organise themselves to solve problems or create opportunities

  • What leadership looks like when there is no clear structure or support

This exhibition focuses on youth and leadership. It asks how young people are already shaping systems, even when those systems are incomplete.

Submission Guidelines:

  • Image Quantity: Submit 3-5 images. These may be a single story or a short series.

  • Caption: Include a brief caption for each image explaining what we are seeing and why it matters. When submitting, please label your captions as follows:
    Artist Name, Nationality, Title, Year

  • Artist Statement: A short statement about your photographic practice and the thinking behind the work you are submitting. (200 words)

  • Bio: Include a bio to share about yourself. (100 words)

  • Headshot: Please include a clear headshot.

Please note: We do not publish images with children’s faces, and any images that show peoples’ faces will need an accompanying model release.

Selection Approach

We are not only looking for strong images, but for clarity of thought. Submissions will be considered based on:

  • How well the work engages with the idea of leadership

  • The strength of the story or perspective being presented

  • Intentionality behind the work

Selected photographers will be part of a group exhibition, engaging an audience of students, academics, policymakers, and industry practitioners.

The exhibition forms part of a broader conversation on youth, governance, and leadership in Africa, with a focus on how these ideas are practiced, not just discussed.

Deadline: 1 May 2026

Selected photographers will be invited to exhibit their work as part of the Africa Day programme.


About Unpublished Africa

Unpublished Africa works to create access, visibility, and professional pathways for African visual storytellers. Through exhibitions, publishing, and programmes, we support photographers at key early stages of their careers and contribute to a stronger African creative economy.

We look forward to receiving your submissions!

Submit your work on this link:

https://airtable.com/appf0GGiOOYqqSMzO/shrZUUPMakueRjcSh

Know an African photographer that should see this? Please share this with them!


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]]> Open Call for African Photographers Deadline: 01 May 2026. Submit photography that showcases youth in your country leading! https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/open-call-for-african-photographers-caed https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/open-call-for-african-photographers-caed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:33:59 +0000 2026-04-20T11:33:59Z Unpublished Africa

Welcome to African Visual Storyteller! Your weekly guide to African photographers, exhibitions, and creative opportunities.

This space exists to support visibility, connection, and real pathways for African creatives. Thank you for being part of our growing ecosystem.

African Visual Storyteller of the Week #52

Our featured storyteller this week is Nduwa Siachaba 🇿🇲

Nduwa Siachaba (Zambia) - "A building of contrasts somewhere between old and new", 2025 (From Unpublished Africa's "From the African Streets Vol 2" Exhibition)

Open Call for African Photographers

We invite you to respond to the question:

What does leadership look like in your context?

Your work may reflect:

  • Moments where individuals or communities take initiative

  • How young people influence systems, spaces, or narratives

  • Leadership in creative practice or cultural work

  • Responsibility, accountability, or decision-making in everyday life

  • Collective or community-led approaches to leadership

  • Leadership in the absence of formal structures

Submission Guidelines:

  • Image Quantity: Submit 3-5 images. These may be a single story or a short series.

  • Caption: Include a brief caption for each image explaining what we are seeing and why it matters. When submitting, please label your captions as follows: Artist Name, Nationality, Title, Year

  • Artist Statement: A short statement about your photographic practice and the thinking behind the work you are submitting. (200 words)

  • Bio: Include a bio to share about yourself. (100 words)

  • Headshot: Please include a clear headshot.

Please note: We do not publish images with children’s faces, and any images that show peoples’ faces will need an accompanying model release.

Deadline: 01 May

Submit your work on this link: https://airtable.com/appf0GGiOOYqqSMzO/shrZUUPMakueRjcSh

Upcoming Unpublished Africa Photo Walks

Nairobi Photo Walk

Nairobi Photographers 🇰🇪: We are excited to open registrations for Nairobi Photo Walk.

  • 🗓️ Date: 26 April 2026

  • ⏰ Time: 11:00 AM

Once you have registered, you will receive a link to join the Nairobi photographers community ahead of the walk, along with any final updates closer to the date.

Register here: https://airtable.com/appoOCu5Be7LsDtNg/shrOaYg5PUawyGUch

Lusaka Photo Walk

Lusaka Photographers 🇿🇲: We are excited to open registrations for Lusaka Photo Walk.

  • 🗓️ Date: 17 May 2026

  • ⏰ Time: 2:00 PM

Once you have registered, you will receive a link to join the Lusaka photographers community ahead of the walk, along with any final updates closer to the date.

Register here: https://airtable.com/appoOCu5Be7LsDtNg/shrIpbbXG2cGlZUJD

Unpublished Africa White Paper:

Photography as an Agent of Social Transformation: Collaboration for Impact



Photography is a powerful medium for capturing human experiences and driving social change. From historical documentation to modern digital platforms, it raises awareness, mobilizes communities, and influences policy by making important issues visible.

The paper highlights the need for photographers to engage with social causes and act ethically in shaping narratives. Drawing on the African creative ecosystem and Unpublished Africa’s work, it encourages photographers to use their craft not just for storytelling, but to support meaningful social impact.

The paper is now available on ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/402689219_Photography_as_an_Agent_of_Social_Transformation_Collaboration_for_Impact

Submit to the Photo Walk Archive

Were you part of an Unpublished Africa Photo Walk? We’d love to see what you captured! Upload your photos to the Photo Walk Archive and help us document the journey.

Upload here: https://photowalk.unpublished.africa/

Other Opportunities:

Help Us Improve What We’re Building

If you’ve joined an Unpublished Africa photo walk, exhibition, programme, or conversation, we’d really appreciate a quick Google rating and review.

It takes a few minutes, and it goes a long way in helping us build better infrastructure for African creatives.

👉 Leave a review here: https://g.page/r/CYo40kkDN_4UEBM/review

Thank you for being part of the journey and for helping shape what comes next.

➡️ Share this newsletter with a friend or colleague interested in the African creative economy!

Thank you for continuing to build with us.

More conversations, walks, and opportunities ahead.

— Unpublished Africa


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]]> The Real Starting Point of Creative Careers in Africa Where do creative careers really begin, and where they break https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/the-real-starting-point-of-creative-careers-in-africa https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/the-real-starting-point-of-creative-careers-in-africa Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:18:30 +0000 2026-04-13T14:18:30Z Unpublished Africa

Welcome to African Visual Storyteller! Your weekly guide to African photographers, exhibitions, and creative opportunities.

This space exists to support visibility, connection, and real pathways for African creatives. Thank you for being part of our growing ecosystem.

African Visual Storyteller of the Week #51

Our featured storyteller this week is Farida Mahdy 🇪🇬

Farida Mahdy (Egypt) - "Ehsan",2026 (From Unpublished Africa's "I'd Be Empowered If..." Group Exhibition in Nairobi, Kenya in March 2026)

Unpublished Africa White Paper

On Art Education and Where Creative Work Begins

Our white paper, Navigating the Path: Art Education in Africa, looks at a point that often gets missed when we talk about the creative economy, which is that the barriers to building a creative career do not start at the professional level, they start much earlier in how exposure to creative work is shaped.

A few things stand out:

  • Creative work often starts without early exposure, not because of a lack of interest but because the system does not introduce it as a viable path. Across many contexts, art is either absent or treated as secondary in early education, which means many creatives only encounter it seriously much later, often outside formal structures.

  • Even where interest exists, it is filtered by perception and access. Cultural stigma, limited resources, and underdeveloped school programs shape how young people see creative work, often positioning it as unstable or secondary rather than something that can be built into a practice.

  • What we are seeing across the continent is that creatives are entering through alternative pathways, not formal ones. Community spaces, independent platforms, and peer-led initiatives are increasingly where exposure, practice, and early development actually happen, which shifts how we need to think about education in the creative economy.

This is less about reforming curriculum in isolation and more about recognising that exposure is the first layer of infrastructure, and without it, participation in the creative economy will always start unevenly.

The paper is now available on ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/402678085_Navigating_the_Path_Art_Education_in_Africa

Thank You For Attending The Bulawayo Photo Walk 🇿🇼

Thanks to everyone who attended the Bulawayo Photo Walk.

It was great to see so you show up and take part. We hope you enjoyed the experience and got some good shots.

Upcoming Unpublished Africa Photo Walks

🇰🇪 Nairobi Photo Walk

Nairobi Photographers 🇰🇪: We are excited to open registrations for Nairobi Photo Walk.

  • 🗓️ Date: 26 April 2026

  • ⏰ Time: 11:00 AM

Once you have registered, you will receive a link to join the Nairobi photographers community ahead of the walk, along with any final updates closer to the date.

Register here: https://airtable.com/appoOCu5Be7LsDtNg/shrOaYg5PUawyGUch

 🇿🇲 Lusaka Photo Walk

Lusaka Photographers 🇿🇲 : We are excited to open registrations for Lusaka Photo Walk.

  • 🗓️ Date: 17 May 2026

  • ⏰ Time: 2:00 PM

Once you have registered, you will receive a link to join the Lusaka photographers community ahead of the walk, along with any final updates closer to the date.

Register here: https://airtable.com/appoOCu5Be7LsDtNg/shrIpbbXG2cGlZUJD

Submit to the Photo Walk Archive

Were you part of an Unpublished Africa Photo Walk? We’d love to see what you captured! Upload your photos to the Photo Walk Archive and help us document the journey.

Upload here: https://photowalk.unpublished.africa/

Other Opportunities:

Help Us Improve What We’re Building

If you’ve joined an Unpublished Africa photo walk, exhibition, programme, or conversation, we’d really appreciate a quick Google rating and review.

It takes a few minutes, and it goes a long way in helping us build better infrastructure for African creatives.

👉 Leave a review here: https://g.page/r/CYo40kkDN_4UEBM/review

Thank you for being part of the journey and for helping shape what comes next.

➡️ Share this newsletter with a friend or colleague interested in the African creative economy!

Thank you for continuing to build with us.

More conversations, walks, and opportunities ahead.

— Unpublished Africa




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]]> From Photo Walks to Photo Stories What are you using your narrative power for https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/from-photo-walks-to-photo-stories https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/from-photo-walks-to-photo-stories Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:56:56 +0000 2026-04-07T14:56:56Z Unpublished Africa

Welcome to African Visual Storyteller! Your weekly guide to African photographers, exhibitions, and creative opportunities.

This space exists to support visibility, connection, and real pathways for African creatives. Thank you for being part of our growing ecosystem.

African Visual Storyteller of the Week #50

Our featured storyteller this week is Lonah Wanjiru 🇰🇪

Lonah Wanjiru (Kenya) - "Inherited Memory",2026 (From Unpublished Africa's "I'd Be Empowered If..." Group Exhibition)

Bulawayo Photo Walk

Image in Poster by Bonani Vundla from our first Bulawayo Photo Walk

Bulawayo Photographers🇿🇼: We are excited to open registrations for the second Bulawayo Photo Walk.

  • 🗓️ Date: 11 April 2026

  • ⏰ Time: 9:00 AM

Once you have registered, you will receive a link to join the Bulawayo photographers community ahead of the walk, along with any final updates closer to the date.

Register here: https://airtable.com/appoOCu5Be7LsDtNg/shrubiXQ6gRDpmRUf

Have you been part of our Publications?

This photo story by Thamsanqa Sibanda (Bulawayo Photo Walk host) explores the impact of deindustrialization in Bulawayo through the experience of one family. It highlights how the closure of manufacturing companies led to the retrenchment of a father, drastically changing the course of his child’s upbringing and daily life.

The story reflects the broader social and economic consequences of industrial decline, showing how job loss can reshape family dynamics, stability, and opportunity

Unpublished Africa White Papers

"I'd Be Empowered If…": Unlocking True Empowerment for African Women in Photography

If you didn’t get a chance to visit the “I’d Be Empowered If…” exhibition in Nairobi in March, you can still engage with the ideas behind it through the white paper. It brings together the key themes, reflections, and contributions that shaped the project, and gives a clearer look at the thinking behind the work.

We encourage you to read it if you’re interested in understanding the conversations that emerged from the exhibition. It’s a simple way to explore the questions it raised and the perspectives people shared, even if you weren’t able to see the installation in person.

The paper is now available on ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/402664147_I'd_Be_Empowered_If_Unlocking_True_Empowerment_for_African_Women_in_Photography

Distributed Cultural Infrastructure in Africa: Lessons from Unpublished Africa Photo Week

Over the past 2 years, we have been a testing a different way of building cultural infrastructure.

We've now released our latest white paper on Distributed Cultural Infrastructure in Practice documenting how Unpublished Africa Photo Week expanded from in-person activations in 3 cities to 15 cities across 9 African countries.

Access the Paper: https://www.unpublished.africa/unpublishedafricaphotoweek2025paper

Conversations around art education in Africa often centre on tertiary institutions, yet many of the challenges begin much earlier, at the point of exposure, access, and how creative practice is first introduced.

In Navigating the Path: Art Education in Africa, we reflect on how artists are often lost at the beginning of their journey due to limited access, cultural perceptions, and weak support systems, with these gaps continuing into post-secondary levels where sustained practice becomes difficult.

The paper is available on ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/402678085_Navigating_the_Path_Art_Education_in_Africa

Photography as an Agent of Social Transformation: Collaboration for Impact

Photography is a powerful medium for capturing human experiences and driving social change. From historical documentation to modern digital platforms, it raises awareness, mobilizes communities, and influences policy by making important issues visible.

The paper highlights the need for photographers to engage with social causes and act ethically in shaping narratives. Drawing on the African creative ecosystem and Unpublished Africa’s work, it encourages photographers to use their craft not just for storytelling, but to support meaningful social impact.

The paper is available on ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/402689219_Photography_as_an_Agent_of_Social_Transformation_Collaboration_for_Impact

Photo Walk Archive

Were you part of an Unpublished Africa Photo Walk? We’d love to see what you captured! Upload your photos to the Photo Walk Archive and help us document the journey.

Upload here: https://photowalk.unpublished.africa/

Other Opportunities:

Help Us Improve What We’re Building

If you’ve joined an Unpublished Africa photo walk, exhibition, programme, or conversation, we’d really appreciate a quick Google rating and review.

It takes a few minutes, and it goes a long way in helping us build better infrastructure for African creatives.

👉 Leave a review here: https://g.page/r/CYo40kkDN_4UEBM/review

Thank you for being part of the journey and for helping shape what comes next.

➡️ Share this newsletter with a friend or colleague interested in the African creative economy!

Thank you for continuing to build with us.

More conversations, walks, and opportunities ahead.

— Unpublished Africa


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]]> Campus Photo Walks, Photography publications and more opportunities Here's your weekly guide to African photographers, and creative opportunities. https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/campus-photo-walks-photography-publications-and-more-opportunities https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/campus-photo-walks-photography-publications-and-more-opportunities Mon, 30 Mar 2026 12:21:20 +0000 2026-03-30T12:21:20Z Unpublished Africa

Welcome to African Visual Storyteller! Your weekly guide to African photographers, exhibitions, and creative opportunities.

This space exists to support visibility, connection, and real pathways for African creatives. Thank you for being part of our growing ecosystem.

African Visual Storyteller of the Week #49

Our featured storyteller this week is Keerera Nellie 🇺🇬

Keerera Nellie (Uganda) - "Palm Leaf Harvesting Process", 2025 (From Unpublished Africa's "I'd Be Empowered If..." 2026 Group Exhibition)

Join Our Campus Photo Walk at USIU-Africa

Register via the USIU- Africa Journalism Club & Film and Animation Club. This event is open to students at USIU-Africa.

If you’re part of a university photography club, journalism club, or any creative group that would be interested in co-hosting a similar event or photography workshop, please do send us an email!

Send us an email: hello@unpublished.africa

We’d love to collaborate.

Photo Walk Archive

With the upcoming photo walk, we encourage everyone to upload their photos to the Photo Walk Archive. It’s a great way to share your perspective, document the experience, and contribute to a growing collection of moments captured across Africa.

Upload here: https://photowalk.unpublished.africa/

Unpublished Africa Publications

Cohort Publication: Africa Published Volume 4

Stephen Ojeleye (Nigeria) - Sorting of threads during weaving of Aso òkè, a Yoruba fabric, 2025, Okeho, Nigeria (Published by Unpublished Africa in Africa Published Volume 4)

Creative Business Studio is Unpublished Africa’s flagship six-week virtual program that empowers creatives to embrace entrepreneurship. Through mentorship, practical exercises, and peer learning, participants gain the tools to turn their creative practice into sustainable businesses.

The program has helped many monetize their craft and build viable careers. Each cohort culminates in a themed volume of Africa Published, showcasing participants’ growth and work, while also fostering an ongoing network of collaboration and mentorship within Africa’s creative community.

"Africa Published Volume 4" is available here: https://www.unpublished.africa/creative-business-studio-4

Conversations around art education in Africa often centre on tertiary institutions, yet many of the challenges begin much earlier, at the point of exposure, access, and how creative practice is first introduced.

In Navigating the Path: Art Education in Africa, we reflect on how artists are often lost at the beginning of their journey due to limited access, cultural perceptions, and weak support systems, with these gaps continuing into post-secondary levels where sustained practice becomes difficult.

The paper is now available on ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/402678085_Navigating_the_Path_Art_Education_in_Africa

Other Opportunities:

Help Us Improve What We’re Building

If you’ve joined an Unpublished Africa photo walk, exhibition, programme, or conversation, we’d really appreciate a quick Google rating and review.

It takes a few minutes, and it goes a long way in helping us build better infrastructure for African creatives.

👉 Leave a review here: https://g.page/r/CYo40kkDN_4UEBM/review

Thank you for being part of the journey and for helping shape what comes next.

➡️ Share this newsletter with a friend or colleague interested in the African creative economy!

Thank you for continuing to build with us.

More conversations, walks, and opportunities ahead.

— Unpublished Africa


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]]> Access Opportunity and First Exhibitions Your weekly guide to African photographers, exhibitions, and creative opportunities. https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/access-opportunity-and-first-exhibitions https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/access-opportunity-and-first-exhibitions Mon, 23 Mar 2026 13:08:19 +0000 2026-03-23T13:08:19Z Unpublished Africa

Welcome to African Visual Storyteller! Your weekly guide to African photographers, exhibitions, and creative opportunities.

This space exists to support visibility, connection, and real pathways for African creatives. Thank you for being part of our growing ecosystem.

African Visual Storyteller of the Week #47

Our featured storyteller this week is Achem Deborah Ojochenemi 🇳🇬

Achem Deborah Ojochenemi (Nigeria) - "Chasing the Storm", 2026 (From Unpublished Africa's "I'd Be Empowered If..." Group Exhibition)

Thank you for Your Submissions

Images in poster: Tinashe Jakarasi (Harare Photo Walk Host)

Thank you for submitting your photography to From the African Streets Vol 3. We appreciate the time and effort everyone put into their work during our Photo Walks across the continent.

"I'd Be Empowered If..." Creative Conversation

"I'd Be Empowered If..." Creative Conversation:

  • 🗓️ Tuesday 24 March 2026

  • ⏰ 7 PM CAT | 6 PM WAT | 8 PM EAT

  • 📍 X Spaces (@unpub_africa)

“I’d Be Empowered If…” Creative Conversation brings together voices, reflections, and ideas sparked by the exhibition. It creates a space for open discussion around what empowerment means in different contexts, and how people experience it in their everyday lives.

"I’d Be Empowered If..." Exhibition Closed

Thanks to everyone who came to the “I’d Be Empowered If…” exhibition while it was open. We really appreciate you taking the time to visit, view the work, and engage with the ideas shared.

It was meaningful to see people interact with the exhibition and reflect on the messages in their own way. Even though the exhibition is now closed, we’re grateful for the support and interest it received.

Unpublished Africa White Papers

Conversations around art education in Africa often centre on tertiary institutions, yet many of the challenges begin much earlier, at the point of exposure, access, and how creative practice is first introduced.

In Navigating the Path: Art Education in Africa, we reflect on how artists are often lost at the beginning of their journey due to limited access, cultural perceptions, and weak support systems, with these gaps continuing into post-secondary levels where sustained practice becomes difficult.

The paper is now available on ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/402678085_Navigating_the_Path_Art_Education_in_Africa

"I’d Be Empowered If…" White Paper

If you didn’t get a chance to visit the “I’d Be Empowered If…” exhibition, you can still engage with the ideas behind it through the white paper. It brings together the key themes, reflections, and contributions that shaped the project, and gives a clearer look at the thinking behind the work.

We encourage you to read it if you’re interested in understanding the conversations that emerged from the exhibition. It’s a simple way to explore the questions it raised and the perspectives people shared, even if you weren’t able to see the installation in person.

The paper is now available on ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/402664147_I'd_Be_Empowered_If_Unlocking_True_Empowerment_for_African_Women_in_Photography

Photo Walk Archive

Even though the submission deadline for “From the African Streets Volume 3” has passed, we’re still building the photo walk archive and welcome ongoing contributions. If you missed the deadline, you’re still encouraged to submit your work so it can be included in the growing collection of images and stories.

Upload here: https://photowalk.unpublished.africa/

Other Opportunities:

Help Us Improve What We’re Building

If you’ve joined an Unpublished Africa photo walk, exhibition, programme, or conversation, we’d really appreciate a quick Google rating and review.

It takes a few minutes, and it goes a long way in helping us build better infrastructure for African creatives.

👉 Leave a review here: https://g.page/r/CYo40kkDN_4UEBM/review

Thank you for being part of the journey and for helping shape what comes next.

➡️ Share this newsletter with a friend or colleague interested in the African creative economy!

Thank you for continuing to build with us.

More conversations, walks, and opportunities ahead.

— Unpublished Africa



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]]> Open Call for African photographers : From the African Streets You're invited to contribute street photography to From the African Streets Volume 3 https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/open-call-for-african-photographers-from-the-african-streets https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/open-call-for-african-photographers-from-the-african-streets Fri, 20 Mar 2026 16:30:38 +0000 2026-03-20T16:30:38Z Unpublished Africa

From the African Streets is an ongoing publication by Unpublished Africa that brings together photographs made during our photo walks across the continent. The project looks at how photographers observe public space, everyday movement, and moments that unfold in African cities.

Volume 3 will feature selected images from our photo walks that highlight:

  • Cities in motion

  • Urban development and progress

  • Architecture and built spaces

  • Everyday life that reflects local identity

DEADLINE: 22 March 2026

Eligibility

  • Submissions are only open to African photographers aged 18 and above.

  • Photographs must have been taken during an Unpublished Africa Photo Walk.

  • Images from any city where Unpublished Africa has hosted a walk are eligible.

  • Photographers must submit their own original work.

Number of Images

  • Each photographer may submit up to 5 images.

  • Images may function as individual photographs or as a small sequence from the walk.

File Format and Technical Requirements

  • File type: JPEG (.jpg)

  • Minimum resolution: 3000 pixels on the longest side

  • Maximum file size: 5MB per image

  • File naming format:
    Firstname_Lastname_City_Year_ImageNumber
    Example: Jane_Doe_Lusaka_2025_01.jpg

Please ensure:

  • No watermarks

  • No borders

  • No graphic overlays

Basic colour correction and light editing are acceptable. Avoid heavy manipulation that alters the original scene.

Ethical Guidelines

The publication prioritises responsible and respectful storytelling.

  • We do not publish images of children.

  • We do not publish images that depict poverty in an exploitative or sensational manner.

  • We encourage photographers to present work that reflects thoughtful and balanced representations of place and community.

  • Submissions should avoid imagery that reinforces harmful or reductive stereotypes about countries or communities.

If a person is clearly identifiable in the photograph, photographers may be asked to provide a model release confirming consent to publish.

Captions and Context

Each image must include a short caption.

Captions may:

  • Provide clear context about the moment photographed.

  • (or) Share a researched observation about the place or situation.

  • (or) Briefly explain why the scene stood out during the photo walk.

Captions help readers understand the image beyond the visual moment.

Photographer Information

Submissions should include:

  • Full name

  • City and country

  • The Unpublished Africa Photo Walk location and year where the image was taken

  • A portfolio, website, or social link you would like associated with your work (if selected)

Image Rights and Use

By submitting, photographers confirm that:

  • They own the rights to the images submitted.

  • They grant Unpublished Africa permission to reproduce the selected images in the publication and in related communications promoting the project.

All selected photographers will be credited in the publication.

Submission Link:

https://airtable.com/appf0GGiOOYqqSMzO/shrGlbqkjM6ViCEFe

From the African Streets continues to build a record of how photographers observe everyday life across the continent through shared moments of practice during our photo walks. We look forward to receiving your submissions.

DEADLINE: 22 March 2026


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]]> Submit images From the African Streets (Volume 3 open call & more) Street Photography? Submit work to be considered for From the African Streets Volume 3 https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/submit-images-from-the-african-streets-volume-3-open-call-more https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/submit-images-from-the-african-streets-volume-3-open-call-more Mon, 16 Mar 2026 11:19:58 +0000 2026-03-16T11:19:58Z Unpublished Africa

Welcome to African Visual Storyteller! Your weekly guide to African photographers, exhibitions, and creative opportunities.

This space exists to support visibility, connection, and real pathways for African creatives. Thank you for being part of our growing ecosystem.

African Visual Storyteller of the Week #47

Our featured storyteller this week is Irene Naneu 🇰🇪

Irene Naneu (Kenya) - "Care and Climate", 2023 ("From Unpublished Africa's "I'd Be Empowered If..." 2026 Group Exhibition)

From the African Streets – Volume 3 Call for Submissions

Images in poster: Tinashe Jakarasi (Harare Photo Walk Host)

From the African Streets is an ongoing publication by Unpublished Africa that brings together photographs made during our photo walks across the continent.

Volume 3 will feature selected images created during Unpublished Africa Photo Walks. So if you've attended an Unpublished Africa Photo Walk, you're invited to contribute work photographed during Unpublished Africa Photo Walks.

Submit Here: https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/from-the-african-streets-volume-3-call-for-submissions

Join our Creative Conversations (Live on X Spaces)

Image in poster: Tinashe Jakarasi (Harare Photo Walk Host)

Open Q&A: From The African Streets Volume 3:

  • 🗓️ Tuesday 16 March 2026

  • ⏰ 7 PM CAT | 6 PM WAT | 8 PM EAT

  • 📍 X Spaces (@unpub_africa)

    Want to submit to From the African Streets Volume 3 but unsure about some of the guidelines? Attend the Creative Conversation to ask your questions.

"I'd Be Empowered If..." Exhibition in Nairobi is Still Open

If you’re in Nairobi and haven’t had the chance to see the “I’d Be Empowered If…” Exhibition, it’s still open. The exhibition brings together a range of perspectives that explore ideas around empowerment and lived experience. If you’re nearby, consider stopping by to view the work and support the artists who contributed to the show. Exhibition will be up at Baraza Media Lab for you to view until March 22nd.

Photo Walk Archive

Were you part of an Unpublished Africa Photo Walk? We’d love to see what you captured! Upload your photos to the Photo Walk Archive and help us document the journey.

Upload here: https://photowalk.unpublished.africa/

Other Opportunities:

Help Us Improve What We’re Building

If you’ve joined an Unpublished Africa photo walk, exhibition, programme, or conversation, we’d really appreciate a quick Google rating and review.

It takes a few minutes, and it goes a long way in helping us build better infrastructure for African creatives.

👉 Leave a review here: https://g.page/r/CYo40kkDN_4UEBM/review

Thank you for being part of the journey and for helping shape what comes next.

➡️ Share this newsletter with a friend or colleague interested in the African creative economy!

Thank you for continuing to build with us.

More conversations, walks, and opportunities ahead.

— Unpublished Africa


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]]> From the African Streets – Volume 3Call for Submissions Attended an Unpublished Africa Photo Walk? You're invited to contribute work photographed during Unpublished Africa Photo Walks. https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/from-the-african-streets-volume-3-call-for-submissions https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/from-the-african-streets-volume-3-call-for-submissions Tue, 10 Mar 2026 10:56:10 +0000 2026-03-10T10:56:10Z Unpublished Africa

From the African Streets is an ongoing publication by Unpublished Africa that brings together photographs made during our photo walks across the continent. The project looks at how photographers observe public space, everyday movement, and moments that unfold in African cities.

Volume 3 will feature selected images from our photo walks that highlight:

  • Cities in motion

  • Urban development and progress

  • Architecture and built spaces

  • Everyday life that reflects local identity

Eligibility

  • Submissions are only open to African photographers aged 18 and above.

  • Photographs must have been taken during an Unpublished Africa Photo Walk.

  • Images from any city where Unpublished Africa has hosted a walk are eligible.

  • Photographers must submit their own original work.

Number of Images

  • Each photographer may submit up to 5 images.

  • Images may function as individual photographs or as a small sequence from the walk.

File Format and Technical Requirements

  • File type: JPEG (.jpg)

  • Minimum resolution: 3000 pixels on the longest side

  • Maximum file size: 5MB per image

  • File naming format:
    Firstname_Lastname_City_Year_ImageNumber
    Example: Jane_Doe_Lusaka_2025_01.jpg

Please ensure:

  • No watermarks

  • No borders

  • No graphic overlays

Basic colour correction and light editing are acceptable. Avoid heavy manipulation that alters the original scene.

Ethical Guidelines

The publication prioritises responsible and respectful storytelling.

  • We do not publish images of children.

  • We do not publish images that depict poverty in an exploitative or sensational manner.

  • We encourage photographers to present work that reflects thoughtful and balanced representations of place and community.

  • Submissions should avoid imagery that reinforces harmful or reductive stereotypes about countries or communities.

If a person is clearly identifiable in the photograph, photographers may be asked to provide a model release confirming consent to publish.

Captions and Context

Each image must include a short caption.

Captions may:

  • Provide clear context about the moment photographed.

  • (or) Share a researched observation about the place or situation.

  • (or) Briefly explain why the scene stood out during the photo walk.

Captions help readers understand the image beyond the visual moment.

Photographer Information

Submissions should include:

  • Full name

  • City and country

  • The Unpublished Africa Photo Walk location and year where the image was taken

  • A portfolio, website, or social link you would like associated with your work (if selected)

Image Rights and Use

By submitting, photographers confirm that:

  • They own the rights to the images submitted.

  • They grant Unpublished Africa permission to reproduce the selected images in the publication and in related communications promoting the project.

All selected photographers will be credited in the publication.

Submission Link:

https://airtable.com/appf0GGiOOYqqSMzO/shrGlbqkjM6ViCEFe

From the African Streets continues to build a record of how photographers observe everyday life across the continent through shared moments of practice during our photo walks. We look forward to receiving your submissions.


Powered by beehiiv
]]> Finish the sentence: I'd Be Empowered If... Your weekly guide to African photographers, exhibitions, and creative opportunities. https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/finish-the-sentence-i-d-be-empowered-if https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/finish-the-sentence-i-d-be-empowered-if Mon, 09 Mar 2026 16:54:32 +0000 2026-03-09T16:54:32Z Unpublished Africa

Welcome to African Visual Storyteller! Your weekly guide to African photographers, exhibitions, and creative opportunities.

This space exists to support visibility, connection, and real pathways for African creatives. Thank you for being part of our growing ecosystem.

African Visual Storyteller of the Week #46

Our featured storyteller this week is Ruth Takele G Eyesus 🇪🇹

Ruth Takele G Eyesus (Ethiopia) - "Reflection of Time", 2025 ("From Unpublished Africa's "I'd Be Empowered If..." 2026 Group Exhibition )

"I'd Be Empowered If..." Exhibition Featured in AFRICA ART Magazine

We’re pleased to share that our I’d Be Empowered If… Women’s Month exhibition has been featured by ART AFRICA Magazine.

This is the second iteration of the exhibition under the same theme and this year it brings together work by photographers from Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, and Egypt.

Check out the article here: "I'd Be Empowered If..." Art Africa Magazine.

Thank you for joining our third Kampala Photo Walk

Thank you to everyone who came to the Kampala Photo Walk. We appreciate you taking the time to join us and be part of it. Kampala Photo Walk is hosted by Badru Katumba and Hannah Noowe in collaboration with Muwado and Global Shapers Kampala.

Thank you for Attending the "I'd Be Empowered If..." Exhibition in Nairobi

Thank for coming out to view the "I'd Be Empowered If..." Exhibition. If you weren’t unable to attend the opening, the Exhibition will be up at Baraza Media Lab for you to view until March 20th.

We would also like to congratulate the three photographers that exhibited their work for the very first time yesterday.

Photo Walk Archive

Were you part of an Unpublished Africa Photo Walks? We’d love to see what you captured! Upload your photos to the Photo Walk Archive and help us document the journey.

Upload here: https://photowalk.unpublished.africa/

Other Opportunities:

Help Us Improve What We’re Building

If you’ve joined an Unpublished Africa photo walk, exhibition, programme, or conversation, we’d really appreciate a quick Google rating and review.

It takes a few minutes, and it goes a long way in helping us build better infrastructure for African creatives.

👉 Leave a review here: https://g.page/r/CYo40kkDN_4UEBM/review

Thank you for being part of the journey and for helping shape what comes next.

➡️ Share this newsletter with a friend or colleague interested in the African creative economy!

Thank you for continuing to build with us.

More conversations, walks, and opportunities ahead.

— Unpublished Africa



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]]> March In-person Exhibitions and Photo Walks Here's your weekly guide to African photographers, exhibitions, and creative opportunities. https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/march-in-person-exhibitions-and-photo-walks https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/march-in-person-exhibitions-and-photo-walks Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:34:43 +0000 2026-03-02T10:34:43Z Unpublished Africa

Welcome to African Visual Storyteller! Your weekly guide to African photographers, exhibitions, and creative opportunities.

This space exists to support visibility, connection, and real pathways for African creatives. Thank you for being part of our growing ecosystem.

African Visual Storyteller of the Week #45

Our featured storyteller this week is Prince Solomon Ibrahim 🇳🇬

Prince Solomon Ibrahim ( Nigeria ) - Taken during the Unpublished Africa Jos Photo Walk, 2026

Thank you for Joining the Jos Photo Walk

Thank you to everyone who joined the Unpublished Africa Jos Photo Walk. We appreciate you taking the time to show up and participate. It was a good session, and we’re glad you were part of it.

Upcoming In-person Events

Kampala Photo Walk

🇺🇬 Join our Kampala Photo Walk this March:

"I'd Be Empowered If..." Women's Month Group Exhibition In Nairobi

We are pleased to invite you to the second edition "I’d Be Empowered If..." of our Women’s Month group exhibition.

Last year, this theme became both an exhibition and a white paper opening up honest reflections on what empowerment actually looks like for African women creatives, beyond language and into lived experience.

This year, we continue that conversation through image and presence. Join us in Nairobi 🇰🇪 :

  • 🗓 8 March

  • ⏰ 11AM – 2PM

  • 📍 Baraza Media Lab (Riverside Drive)

Unpublished Africa White Papers

Distributed Cultural Infrastructure in Practice documenting how Unpublished Africa Photo Week

Over the past 2 years, we have been a testing a different way of building cultural infrastructure.

We've now released our latest white paper on Distributed Cultural Infrastructure in Practice documenting how Unpublished Africa Photo Week expanded from in-person activations in 3 cities to 15 cities across 9 African countries.

Access the Paper: https://www.unpublished.africa/unpublishedafricaphotoweek2025paper

More of our White Papers:

"I'd Be Empowered If... " - Unlocking True Empowerment for Africa Women in Photography

This white paper, created alongside the "I'd Be Empowered If" exhibition examines the complexities of empowerment. As stated in the abstract, structural barriers impede access to resources, hindering progress. We explore how photography, as seen in this exhibition, can be a powerful tool for change, redefining narratives and promoting equity.

Access the Paper: https://www.unpublished.africa/_files/ugd/52dd41_51aa724ed510454997be802af84178b3.pdf

Other Opportunities:

Help Us Improve What We’re Building

If you’ve joined an Unpublished Africa photo walk, exhibition, programme, or conversation, we’d really appreciate a quick Google rating and review.

It takes a few minutes, and it goes a long way in helping us build better infrastructure for African creatives.

👉 Leave a review here: https://g.page/r/CYo40kkDN_4UEBM/review

Thank you for being part of the journey and for helping shape what comes next.

➡️ Share this newsletter with a friend or colleague interested in the African creative economy!

Thank you for continuing to build with us.

More conversations, walks, and opportunities ahead.

— Unpublished Africa


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]]> Building sustainable creative careers in Africa & more Here's your weekly guide to African photographers, exhibitions, and creative opportunities. https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/building-sustainable-creative-careers-in-africa-more https://unpublished.beehiiv.com/p/building-sustainable-creative-careers-in-africa-more Mon, 23 Feb 2026 13:02:56 +0000 2026-02-23T13:02:56Z Unpublished Africa

Welcome to African Visual Storyteller! Your weekly guide to African photographers, exhibitions, and creative opportunities.

This space exists to support visibility, connection, and real pathways for African creatives. Thank you for being part of our growing ecosystem.

African Visual Storyteller of the Week #44

Our featured storyteller this week is Keith Benjamine Lancaster 🇰🇪

Keith Benjamine Lancaster (Kenya) - "Above The Street", 2025 (Published by Unpublished Africa in the "Representation" Group Photography Exhibition 2025/6)

Upcoming Photo Walks

Jos Photo Walk

🇳🇬 Join our 3rd Jos Photo Walk this February:

Kampala Photo Walk

🇺🇬 Register for the Kampala Photo Walk taking place this March:

Join the Creative Conversations (Live on X Spaces)

Building Sustainable Creative Careers In Africa:

At Unpublished Africa, we care about what it really takes to build a creative career that can last in Africa because we see the gap every day. Many creatives are skilled but lack access to platforms, networks, commissioning structures, and clear routes to monetise their work. And without these, talent stalls.

Our work has always focused on creating early entry points into the creative economy. Through exhibitions, publications, photo walks, and the Creative Business Studio, we have supported creatives across 25+ African countries, with in-person programming in nine.

Sustainability is not abstract to us. It is about building systems that allow creatives to move from passion to profession, and from isolated practice to long-term participation in the creative economy.

Join our creative conversations to engage with this more.

Unpublished Africa White Papers

Distributed Cultural Infrastructure in Practice documenting how Unpublished Africa Photo Week

Over the past 2 years, we have been a testing a different way of building cultural infrastructure.

We've now released our latest white paper on Distributed Cultural Infrastructure in Practice documenting how Unpublished Africa Photo Week expanded from in-person activations in 3 cities to 15 cities across 9 African countries.

Access the Paper: https://www.unpublished.africa/unpublishedafricaphotoweek2025paper

More of our White Papers:

"I'd Be Empowered If... " - Unlocking True Empowerment for Africa Women in Photography

This white paper, created alongside the "I'd Be Empowered If" exhibition examines the complexities of empowerment. As stated in the abstract, structural barriers impede access to resources, hindering progress. We explore how photography, as seen in this exhibition, can be a powerful tool for change, redefining narratives and promoting equity.

Access the Paper: https://www.unpublished.africa/_files/ugd/52dd41_51aa724ed510454997be802af84178b3.pdf

Other Opportunities:

Help Us Improve What We’re Building

If you’ve joined an Unpublished Africa photo walk, exhibition, programme, or conversation, we’d really appreciate a quick Google rating and review.

It takes a few minutes, and it goes a long way in helping us build better infrastructure for African creatives.

👉 Leave a review here: https://g.page/r/CYo40kkDN_4UEBM/review

Thank you for being part of the journey and for helping shape what comes next.

➡️ Share this newsletter with a friend or colleague interested in the African creative economy!

Thank you for continuing to build with us.

More conversations, walks, and opportunities ahead.

— Unpublished Africa



Powered by beehiiv
]]>