YouTube has announced its plans to support creators and the creative economy in Africa with $20,000 and $50,000 respectively through the 2023 #YouTubeBlack Voices creators and artist cohorts.
This announcement was made by the Managing Director, Emerging Markets, YouTube EMEA, Alex Okosi, in a statement on Tuesday.
According to him, the initiative from YouTube was a follow-up to a global, multi-year commitment made in 2020, and the grant is to uplift and grow Black creators, artists, songwriters, and producers on the platform.
Okosi said YouTube is seriously interested in the growth of the creative community in Africa.
He said that for the creators, artists, songwriters, and producers that would be joining this third cohort, it would go beyond the initial training to measure success with them over a long-term period.
Okosi also stated that it would ensure that the creators achieved sustained success. 40 creators from Sub-Saharan Africa would be part of the 135 #YouTubeBlack Voices creators selected globally that enrolled into the cohort.
He said that among the 23 #YouTubeBlack Voices Artists selected for the programme were African fast-rising musical artists, Gyakie from Ghana, Kamo Mphela from South Africa, Asake from Nigeria, and BNXN from Nigeria.
He said, “As support from YouTube, grantees will receive $20,000 and $50,000 as seed funding.”
Okosi added that the creators would receive dedicated partner support for six months and have the opportunity to participate in programmes including bespoke training, workshops, and networking programmes spread out across the year.
“We are excited about the creators, musical artists, and producers from Africa joining others from across the world in the 2023 #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund.
In furtherance to the support, he said the cohort will include Hip Hop producer MashBeatz from South Africa and Nairobi-based producer, Ukweli, who will be joining 17 #YouTubeBlack Voices songwriters and producers globally.
He said there would be networking opportunities with other artists, songwriters, and producers included in the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund and there would also be a chance to maximise the impact of their channels as they provide catalogue-development opportunities.
He said over the next few years, YouTube would be directly investing in more than 500 creators and artists from across the world.
“It is to support, grow, and fund their channels and content development through the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund.”