People Powered Launches Democracy Stories Lab to Reimagine How We Talk About Democracy [Apply by September 14!]

People Powered, a global hub for participatory democracy, has launched the Democracy Stories Lab in partnership with the Democracy Narratives Alliance, an open call inviting creators worldwide to submit visual stories that reimagine what democracy could look and feel like. The initiative moves conversations about democracy beyond policy circles by inviting films, illustrations, and graphics that capture voice, fairness, belonging, and what happens when communities hold real power over their own decisions. Creators anywhere in the world, working in any visual medium, can apply by the September 14, 2026 deadline, with four winners receiving $1,000 each and five honorable mentions receiving $500 each. The initiative reflects NCDD's broader interest in expanding who tells the story of democracy and how, connecting narrative strategy directly to the practice of dialogue and civic participation.

---

---

People Powered, a global hub for participatory democracy, has launched the Democracy Stories Lab, an open call inviting creators around the world to submit short videos, illustrations, or graphics that tell compelling stories about democracy. The initiative responds to a real gap: conversations about democratic participation tend to stay within policy and advocacy spaces, rarely reaching people who haven't yet seen a reason to get involved. Rather than asking for another explainer on political systems, the call asks for stories about voice, fairness, dignity, and what it feels like when ordinary people hold genuine power over the decisions that shape their lives.

The Democracy Stories Lab is a partnership between People Powered and the Democracy Narratives Alliance, and submissions are asked to engage with the Alliance's research on how to talk about democracy effectively. The call is open to individual creators and small teams working in any format, from comedy and illustration to games and lifestyle content, with particular interest in creators who reach audiences outside traditional democracy and civic engagement circles. This openness reflects a broader principle familiar to NCDD's network: expanding who gets to shape public narratives about democracy is itself a form of participatory, inclusive practice, not just a communications strategy layered on top of it.
​
The initiative carries additional significance because it was itself selected through PP Decides, People Powered's own participatory budgeting process, making the Democracy Stories Lab a direct product of the democratic culture it aims to promote. Four winning entries will receive $1,000 each, and five honorable mentions will receive $500 each, with all selected work amplified across both organizations' networks and featured in a global screening event. Applications are open now through the September 14, 2026 deadline. Creators interested in submitting can learn more and read the full call for proposals at https://www.peoplepowered.org/news-content/announcing-the-democracy-stories-lab.