Elevate Africa Opens Applications for Threads of Africa 2026 to Revive Endangered Textiles Through Fashion Film

 

Elevate Africa has officially opened applications for the Threads of Africa Fashion Film Prize 2026, a pan-African initiative aimed at preserving the continent's rich textile heritage by encouraging creatives to tell compelling stories through fashion and film.

The competition, which brings together fashion, culture, and storytelling, invites designers, filmmakers, students, and creative teams from Africa and the diaspora to document and reimagine endangered or forgotten African textiles, garments, and traditional techniques through short fashion films.

The announcement comes at a period when African fashion continues to gain global recognition. While the industry has witnessed remarkable international growth and increasing interest, many indigenous textiles and craftsmanship traditions remain at risk of disappearing due to inadequate investment, limited infrastructure, and declining transmission of traditional skills.

With the 2026 edition themed "Stories of Rebirth," the initiative seeks to reposition African fashion as a vehicle for cultural diplomacy, economic development, and sustainable creative industry growth.

Participants are expected to produce a three-to-five-minute fashion micro-film that explores the story of an endangered African textile, garment, or production technique. Entries should combine documentary-style storytelling with visual documentation of the creative process while demonstrating the cultural significance and economic potential of reviving the featured tradition.

According to Princess-Iman Sado, Project Lead for Threads of Africa, the initiative extends beyond a creative competition. "Threads of Africa Fashion Film Prize is more than a competition; it is a movement to reclaim our narratives and revive our traditions. It is our way of weaving a stronger and better connected Africa," she said.

The programme builds on the success of its inaugural edition in 2024, which attracted more than 520 participants from Nigeria and several West African countries, reflecting the region's vibrant creative talent.

Among the previous winners were Adeyoola Adenusi of Adeyoola's Rehab and Tammytara Abaku of The Abiyetara Brand, both from Nigeria, alongside Philip-Oppong Antwi of Phyll Quahsey from Ghana.

For the 2026 edition, organisers have significantly increased the prize pool, with up to $25,000 in non-dilutive grants to be awarded to outstanding participants.

Beyond financial support, winners will benefit from mentorship opportunities, international visibility through a dedicated showcase during Elevate Africa's 2026 Convening in Ghana, and promotional amplification across the organisation's platforms and partner networks.

Organisers say the expanded programme is designed to strengthen intra-African collaboration, stimulate policy conversations around the creative economy, and contribute to building a more integrated and globally competitive African fashion industry.

Creatives from across Africa and the diaspora are encouraged to submit their entries through the official Threads of Africa website.