Black Creative Trailblazers and The Onlii invite you to create a bold, innovative marketing campaign concept for the Black Creative Trailblazers 2026 Showcase, a vibrant celebration of Black creativity, community and culture happening on the 4th of September 2026 at Factory International in Manchester.
This is your chance to shape how the world sees this flagship event, influence the cultural conversation, and leave your mark on a project that platforms some of the most exciting emerging Black talent in the UK.
The Theme: Strength in Vulnerability
Your campaign should respond to the theme for the 2026 Black Creative Trailblazers Showcase, “Strength in Vulnerability.”
It is a challenge to the expectation that Black people must always be strong, resilient and emotionally contained, while positioning vulnerability as power, resistance, healing and truth-telling.
Strength is often what the world expects from Black creatives. Vulnerability is what allows the full person, full artist and full story to be seen. This year’s showcase is not just about showing finished talent. It is about showing the courage, honesty and humanity behind the work.
Fully Seen
We pose the question: What does it mean to be seen as your full self?
Being ‘Fully Seen’ takes courage and positions the 2026 showcase will celebrate the courage it takes for Black creatives to expose their inner emotion, not only through finished work, confidence and achievement, but through the process, doubt, discipline, care and vulnerability behind it.
The campaign should feel
Human, Honest, Confident, Collective, Culturally specific, Visually bold, Emotionally intelligent.
A celebration of Blackness. A reflection of the community.
The campaign should avoid
Trauma-led storytelling . Generic mental health imagery . “Black pain” as the main hook . Overly polished corporate visuals . Empty empowerment language . Making vulnerability look like weakness . Treating process as messy for the sake of it.
The Prize
Your concept will become the official marketing campaign for the Black Creative Trailblazers 2026 Showcase
You’ll also receive a prize of £750, and develop the concept working with Black Creative Trailblazers and the Onlii
Deadline to Apply
Monday, 29th June 2026, 11:59am
What to Submit
Campaign Concept Overview
It should include:
1. Campaign name
2. Your creative idea
3. How it responds to the theme of Strength in vulnerability
4. What it means to be fully seen within your idea
5. What format would the final work take e.g. video, image etc.
You can submit by writing, video or presentation.
Judging Criteria
Submissions will be assessed on creativity, relevance to theme and audience, visual impact, strategic thinking and feasibility within a modest marketing budget
Need Inspiration?
Check out past showcases on our website & instagram and imagine how you can help us tell this powerful story in a way that stops people in their tracks.
Questions
Contact us: info@blackcreativetrailblazers.com
For any questions, please email info@blackcreativetrailblazers.com
With thanks,
Black Creative Trailblazers (Adeola & Ronke Jane)
