The Swarovski Foundation, in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Partnerships, has opened applications for the 2025 Creatives for Our Future programme. This initiative aims to identify and accelerate the next generation of creative leaders in sustainability by offering financial support to successful applicants, alongside educational masterclasses, mentorship and networking opportunities.

To date, the Creatives for Our Future programme has supported 21 projects initiated by young creatives, each showcasing groundbreaking approaches to sustainable development. These projects span a range of disciplines, all leveraging the creative process to drive solutions for global sustainability challenges. The programme has empowered these innovators to develop and scale their projects, providing either the funding needed to advance their research or mentorship and networking opportunities to explore new directions.

What’s included in the programme:

The selected six applicants for the 2025 programme will receive:

• Financial grant to further develop their sustainable innovation projects.
• New York trip to showcase their work and connect with a sustainable     network.      
• One-on-one mentorship from industry leaders.
• Educational masterclasses provided with industry experts and institutions.
• Networking opportunities to connect with influential figures in their respective fields.

Applications are open to young creatives aged 21 to 30 worldwide, from a multitude of disciplines including fashion, design, art, architecture, and engineering. Applicants should be working on original projects that use the creative process to drive awareness, technology or solutions for sustainable development and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The deadline to apply is 15th October 2024.

Success stories from alumni

The impact of the Creatives for Our Future programme is reflected in the successes of its past participants:‍

• Joshua Ichor (Nigeria): Developed a hand pump monitoring system and built clean water kiosks in sub-Saharan Africa, significantly improving access to clean water in rural communities. With support from the Swarovski Foundation, Joshua expanded his project to Kenya and Uganda, and his work was featured in film produced by BBC StoryWorks.
• Noemi Florea (United States): Founder of LÆRO and creator of Cycleau, a water management system that recycles grey water into drinking water. Her project, installed on Governors Island in New York, has gained recognition as a 2023 MIT Solv[ED] Youth solver and continues to evolve with support from the programme.‍
• Namra Khalid (Pakistan): Through her project, Karachi Cartography, Namra is repatriating historic maps to enhance socio-climatic planning in Pakistan. The programme’s funding has enabled her to collect a significant map repository, contributing to better urban planning and climate resilience in her home country.‍
• Aradhita Parasrampuria (United States): Creator of Cellsense, a company producing algae-based fashion embellishments to reduce microplastic pollution. With the programme’s support, Aradhita has been able to scale her business and promote sustainable fashion practices globally.‍
• Stanley Anigbogu (Nigeria): Innovator behind LightEd, an eco-friendly energy solution providing clean light sources to underserved communities in Nigeria. Stanley has established a solar-powered community hub, the AVATAR Station, which educates locals on renewable energy and sustainability.

How to apply

Young creatives interested in applying for the 2025 Creatives for Our Future programme can submit their applications from 3rd September 2024 until 15th October 2024 (23:59 pm BST) through the programme website, www.sfcreatives.org. Successful applicants will be notified and announced publicly in April 2025 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

For more information and to apply, visit www.sfcreatives.org.