NAACP Image Awards Introduces 10 New Categories Celebrating African Creatives
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Image Awards has introduced 10 new categories recognising the achievements of African creatives across music, film and television.
The expansion will see African artists, actors, filmmakers and television talent recognised across dedicated categories as the awards broaden their celebration of Black creative achievement globally.
“With ten new African categories, the NAACP Image Awards expands its historic mission of recognizing Black excellence, building a cultural bridge between Africa and the global Black diaspora while celebrating the continent’s growing influence across film, television and music—and establishing the Image Awards as a global standard-bearer for Black creative achievement”, the Association noted in a statement.
The 10 new categories are:
- Outstanding African album
- Outstanding African new artist
- Outstanding African song
- Outstanding African motion picture
- Outstanding actor in an African motion picture
- Outstanding actress in an African motion picture
- Outstanding directing in an African motion picture
- Outstanding African television series
- Outstanding actor in an African television series
- Outstanding actress in an African television series
Submissions for nomination consideration in 108 categories spanning motion picture, television + streaming, recording, literature and podcasts are now open on the NAACP Image Awards website.
A performance or project that occurs between 1 January 2026 and 31 December 2026 is eligible for submissions.
Nominees will be announced on 7 January 2027. That is also the date that public voting opens. Public voting closes on 1 February 2027. The date of the awards ceremony will be announced later.