Democracy Stories Lab Open Call
- Organization: People Powered x Democracy Narratives Alliance
- Type: Competition
- Location: Global
- Deadline: September 14, 2026
- Age: No age restriction stated
- Funding: Fully Funded
People Powered, a global hub for participatory democracy, and the Democracy Narratives Alliance are looking for creators who can make democracy feel like something people actually have a stake in. The Democracy Stories Lab is an open call for visual content, meaning short vertical videos under three minutes, illustrations, or graphics, that tell a compelling story about voice, fairness, and community power. Four winning entries receive USD 1,000 each, and five honorable mentions receive USD 500 each. Winners are amplified across the Alliance's channels and featured in a global screening webinar. The interesting part is who they want. The call explicitly favours creators who reach audiences outside democracy circles and creators from communities that have historically had less representation in public discourse. They ask for evidence of your distribution channels and audience, which means a creator with a real following on a platform that never talks about democracy is exactly the point rather than a disadvantage. Submissions are open from 14 July to 14 September 2026, and previously published work is allowed. What you get: ➤ USD 1,000 for each of four winning entries ➤ USD 500 for each of five honorable mentions ➤ Amplification across Democracy Narratives Alliance and People Powered channels ➤ Featuring in a global screening webinar ➤ Access to the Alliance's narrative research on how to talk about democracy What you'll do: ➤ Submit up to two finished pieces of visual content: short videos under three minutes in vertical format, illustrations, or graphics ➤ Engage with the Democracy Narratives Alliance research frameworks on how to talk about democracy ➤ Write a description of up to 300 words covering the narrative type, the story, the change you expect, and your creative process ➤ Provide a creator bio of up to 150 words and evidence of your distribution channels and audience