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Visit Natives Indigenous Storytelling Fellowship

Sharing Indigenous stories through film

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About the Fellowship

Each year, Visit Natives sponsors one filmmaker or visual storyteller to co-create a short documentary or photography project with an Indigenous community. The fellowship covers all on-the-ground costs, including accommodation, meals, logistics, guides, translation, and community hosting. Fellows cover their own international flights, equipment, insurance, and post-production.
The location changes each year from the savannahs of Tanzania to the Arctic landscapes of Norway offering unique opportunities to tell stories that matter.

Why We Do This

At Visit Natives, we believe that Indigenous stories must be told with care, respect, and collaboration. The fellowship exists to amplify Indigenous voices, not to speak for them. Every project is designed so that communities benefit directly, both financially and through the preservation of their cultural heritage. We also believe everyone deserves a chance to tell meaningful stories, to learn from Indigenous knowledge, and to create films and photography that inspire change.

Who Can Apply

The fellowship is open to:
 

  • Emerging and professional filmmakers, photographers, and storytellers

  • Students in film, media, anthropology, or related fields

  • Creators with a clear interest in ethical cultural storytelling
     

Applicants must demonstrate previous visual storytelling experience through a portfolio or published work.

What We’re Looking For

We are seeking project proposals that:
 

  • Highlight Indigenous knowledge, resilience, traditions, or everyday life

  • Are rooted in collaboration with the community, not stereotypes

  • Show creativity, authenticity, and artistic vision

  • Can realistically be produced during 1–3 weeks in the field

What We Provide

  • Accommodation and meals during fieldwork

  • Transport, logistics, and location access

  • Local guides, translators, and cultural liaisons

  • Pre-arranged access to Indigenous communities with consent

  • Ongoing support from Visit Natives before and during the project

  • Preparation and guidance on ethical filmmaking practices

What You Provide

  • International flights to the fellowship location

  • Film/photography equipment and software

  • Visas, travel insurance, and vaccinations (if required)

  • Post-production and editing of the final film/project

Rules & Expectations

  • The Indigenous community must approve the project idea before filming.

  • Fellows will collaborate closely with the community, respecting cultural protocols.

  • The final work (short documentary or equivalent visual project) must credit both the Indigenous community and Visit Natives.

  • Fellows grant Visit Natives permission to share and promote the final work (with full credit to the creator).

  • Respect, responsibility, and ethical conduct are required throughout.

2026 Theme & Location

Each year, the Visit Natives Indigenous Storytelling Fellowship highlights a specific theme to guide applicants. In 2026, the fellowship will take place in a remote village in Tanzania.

The theme for this year is “Beyond Stereotypes: Indigenous Tanzania.” Too often, Indigenous peoples are portrayed through narrow, romanticized, or exotic images. This fellowship challenges storytellers to move past these clichés and to seek narratives that reflect the complexity, resilience, and lived realities of Tanzania’s Indigenous communities.

We invite applicants to bring forward story ideas that amplify authentic voices, reveal overlooked perspectives, and create space for Indigenous people to be seen and heard on their own terms.

Application Process

Applicants must submit:
 

  • CV or resume

  • Portfolio link (previous films, photography, visual works, or social media)

  • A short project proposal (1–2 pages) describing your filming idea with Visit Natives

  • A short motivation letter

    Deadline: 28 February 2026

    Fieldwork Period: 2026 in a remote village in Tanzania

    Jury: Applications are reviewed jointly by the Visit Natives team and Indigenous representatives. Together, we select the candidate to ensure the fellowship reflects both creative vision and community priorities

    Send your application to team@visitnatives.com 
    Email subject line: Application – Visit Natives Indigenous Storytelling Fellowship 2026

Get Inspired by
Our Fieldnotes

At Visit Natives, stories are at the heart of everything we do. In our Fieldnotes, we share reflections, encounters, and cultural insights from time spent with Indigenous communities across the world. If you’re applying for the fellowship, our Fieldnotes can inspire you to think about storytelling that goes deeper with stories of resilience, tradition, and everyday life.
 

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