YouTube Announces Grant To Support African Creators

The 2023 #YouTubeBlack Voices creators and artist cohorts will receive $20,000 and $5,000 from YouTube, respectively, as part of its expanding initiatives to promote African innovators and the creative sector.

The initiative from YouTube is a follow-up to a global, multi-year pledge announced in 2020, according to a statement from Alex Okosi, Managing Director, Emerging Markets, YouTube EMEA.

According to Okosi, the fund aims to support and advance Black musicians, composers, producers, and innovators on the platform.

He said that YouTube has a genuine interest in the expansion of the African creative scene.

He stated that it would continue beyond the initial training to assess success with the inventors, artists, songwriters, and producers who would be joining this third cohort.

Okosi added that it would guarantee the artists' long-term prosperity.

He said that among the 135 #YouTubeBlack Voices Creators chosen internationally and enrolled in the cohort, 40 will be from Sub-Saharan Africa.

He claimed that African fast-rising musical artists Gyakie from Ghana, Kamo Mphela from South Africa, Asake from Nigeria, and BNXN from Nigeria were among the 23 #YouTubeBlack Voices Artists chosen for the show.

"As support from YouTube, grantees will receive $20,000 and $50,000 as seed funding.”

According to Okosi, they would have devoted partner support for a period of six months and be able to take part in year-round networking programmes, specialised training, and workshops.

"We are excited about the creators, musical artists and producers from Africa joining others from across the world in the 2023 #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund.

"The initiative is dedicated to equipping up-and-coming Black creators and artists with the resources to succeed on our platform,” he said

He disclosed that in addition to Nairobi-based producer Ukweli and South African Hip Hop producer MashBeatz, there would be 17 #YouTubeBlackVoices Songwriters and Producers worldwide in the cohort.

Okosi said with the aid of a YouTube partner manager, the musicians, composers, and producers who will make up the #YouTubeBlack Voices Music Class of 2023 will be expected to define objectives, create content strategies, and interact with their YouTube audience.

He claims that there will be opportunities for networking with other musicians, songwriters, and producers who are a part of the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund.

Okosi stated that as their channels offer options for catalogue development, there would also be an opportunity to maximise the impact of their channels.

According to him, YouTube will personally invest in more than 500 innovators and artists from around the world over the coming years.

“It is to support, grow, and fund their channels and content development through the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund."