Call for Proposals – ICH Creative Content Contest 2026 (Malaysia)

UNESCO is seeking a qualified Malaysia-based organization to design and implement an Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Creative Content Contest in Kelantan. The initiative will engage young filmmakers and digital content creators in documenting and promoting Kelantan’s living heritage through digital storytelling, with three to five finalists receiving expert mentoring before a public screening and awards ceremony.

About the UNESCO ICH Creative Content Contest

The Intangible Cultural Heritage Creative Content Contest is being introduced in Kelantan, Malaysia, as part of UNESCO’s efforts to encourage young people to document, celebrate, and promote living cultural heritage through digital media.

The initiative is being developed through collaboration between UNESCO Jakarta and the International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (ICHCAP), Republic of Korea.

The Kelantan edition follows successful implementations of similar creative content initiatives in Indonesia and Timor-Leste.

The project will use filmmaking, audiovisual production, and digital storytelling to increase awareness and appreciation of Kelantan’s rich intangible cultural heritage.

What Is Intangible Cultural Heritage?

Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) refers to living cultural practices, knowledge, skills, traditions, and expressions passed from one generation to another.

In Kelantan, relevant heritage can include:

• Traditional performing arts.
• Traditional craftsmanship.
• Culinary traditions.
• Community-based cultural practices.
• Traditional knowledge and skills.
• Other forms of living heritage maintained by local communities.

The contest will encourage young creators to interpret and communicate this heritage through contemporary digital storytelling while respecting the communities and traditions being documented.

Objectives of the Initiative

The contest aims to:

• Increase awareness of Kelantan’s intangible cultural heritage.
• Encourage young people to engage with living heritage.
• Promote heritage documentation through audiovisual media.
• Develop filmmaking and digital storytelling skills.
• Encourage creative approaches to cultural preservation.
• Connect young creators with heritage and filmmaking experts.
• Showcase Kelantan’s cultural traditions to wider audiences.
• Build appreciation for community-based cultural heritage.

What Will the Selected Organization Do?

The selected organization will be responsible for the design and implementation of the entire creative content contest.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Designing the contest framework.
• Developing eligibility and application procedures.
• Conducting public outreach.
• Recruiting young filmmakers and digital content creators.
• Managing applications.
• Coordinating the selection process.
• Selecting three to five finalists for mentoring.
• Organizing technical mentoring.
• Coordinating heritage and filmmaking experts.
• Supporting audiovisual and creative content development.
• Organizing a public screening.
• Organizing the awards ceremony.
• Showcasing the finalists’ completed work.

The organization will therefore need strong capabilities in both project management and creative cultural programming.

Mentoring Programme for Finalists

After the open contest, approximately three to five finalists will participate in a mentoring programme.

The mentoring component will help participants strengthen their skills in areas such as:

• Intangible cultural heritage documentation.
• Heritage research.
• Creative storytelling.
• Filmmaking.
• Videography.
• Audiovisual production.
• Digital content development.
• Responsible representation of cultural traditions.

Mentoring is intended to help young creators turn their ideas into stronger and more meaningful audiovisual works.

Public Screening and Awards Ceremony

The programme will conclude with a public screening and awards ceremony.

The event will provide an opportunity to:

• Showcase the finalists’ work.
• Celebrate young creative talent.
• Raise public awareness of Kelantan’s heritage.
• Encourage discussion around cultural preservation.
• Recognize the achievements of participating creators.
• Promote continued engagement with intangible cultural heritage.

Who Is Eligible to Apply?

The procurement opportunity is aimed at legal organizations based in Malaysia with substantial experience in audiovisual and heritage-related work.

Applicants must demonstrate:

• Legal registration in Malaysia.
• At least five years of experience in relevant fields.
• Experience in audiovisual documentation.
• Experience in community capacity-building.
• Experience with heritage documentation.
• Experience in storytelling and videography.
• Experience in creative content development.
• At least three relevant projects completed during the past five years.
• A qualified project leader with at least eight years of relevant experience.

Knowledge of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage is considered an advantage.

Organizational Experience Requirements

The five-year experience requirement should be demonstrated through relevant previous work rather than general organizational history alone.

Applicants should be prepared to demonstrate experience in areas such as:

• Cultural heritage projects.
• Community-based documentation.
• Audiovisual production.
• Digital storytelling.
• Youth engagement.
• Creative content competitions.
• Capacity-building programmes.
• Heritage communication.
• Filmmaking or videography.

The organization should clearly explain how its previous projects demonstrate its ability to deliver the proposed contest.

Project Team Requirements

The organization must propose an appropriately qualified project team.

A key requirement is a project leader with at least eight years of relevant experience.

The proposed team should collectively have expertise covering areas such as:

• Project management.
• Heritage and cultural documentation.
• Filmmaking.
• Videography.
• Digital storytelling.
• Community engagement.
• Youth outreach.
• Communications.
• Event management.

A clear division of responsibilities can help demonstrate that the organization has sufficient capacity to implement all components of the project.

How the Contest Will Work

The initiative can be understood as a series of connected stages.

Step 1: Contest Design

The selected organization will establish the contest structure, requirements, application process, communication strategy, and selection methodology.

Step 2: Public Outreach

The organization will promote the opportunity among young filmmakers and digital content creators in Kelantan.

Outreach should reach diverse potential participants and clearly communicate the connection between creative content and intangible cultural heritage.

Step 3: Application Management

The organization will receive and manage applications according to the agreed contest procedures.

This includes administrative coordination and supporting an appropriate selection process.

Step 4: Select Finalists

Three to five finalists will be selected to participate in the next stage of the programme.

Step 5: Provide Expert Mentoring

Finalists will receive technical mentoring from heritage and filmmaking specialists.

The mentoring will help them improve their heritage documentation, storytelling, and audiovisual production approaches.

Step 6: Develop Creative Works

Participants will develop their final audiovisual or digital storytelling works based on Kelantan’s intangible cultural heritage.

Step 7: Public Screening and Awards

The completed works will be presented at a public screening and awards ceremony, providing visibility for both the young creators and the heritage documented through their work.

Why This Initiative Matters

Digital storytelling can help connect younger generations with traditional cultural practices in ways that are accessible to contemporary audiences.

The contest combines cultural heritage preservation, youth participation, filmmaking, digital media, and community engagement.

It can help:

• Give young people an active role in heritage promotion.
• Make traditional knowledge more accessible to digital audiences.
• Encourage respectful documentation of living heritage.
• Build practical creative skills.
• Increase visibility of Kelantan’s cultural traditions.
• Strengthen connections between heritage practitioners and young creators.

How to Prepare a Strong Proposal

Organizations interested in the opportunity should prepare a proposal that clearly demonstrates their ability to manage both the cultural and creative dimensions of the project.

A strong proposal should include:

1. Relevant organizational experience – Clearly describe at least three comparable projects delivered during the past five years.
2. Contest methodology – Explain how young creators will be reached, recruited, and selected.
3. Mentoring approach – Describe how heritage and filmmaking experts will support finalists.
4. Community engagement – Explain how cultural communities and heritage practitioners will be involved.
5. Project team – Identify key personnel and clearly define their roles.
6. Project leader – Demonstrate the required eight years of relevant experience.
7. Workplan – Provide a realistic sequence of activities and deliverables.
8. Outreach strategy – Explain how the contest will reach young filmmakers and digital creators in Kelantan.
9. Screening and awards plan – Explain how the finalists’ work will be presented publicly.
10. ICH knowledge – Demonstrate understanding of UNESCO’s approach to safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid:

• Providing only general audiovisual experience without demonstrating heritage-related work.
• Failing to provide evidence of three relevant projects from the past five years.
• Proposing a project leader who does not meet the experience requirement.
• Treating the contest purely as a filmmaking competition without a clear ICH component.
• Failing to explain how local communities and heritage practitioners will be respected and engaged.
• Providing an unclear selection methodology.
• Underdeveloping the mentoring component.
• Providing a workplan without clearly defined responsibilities and deliverables.
• Failing to demonstrate the organization’s ability to manage public outreach and events.

Key Facts at a Glance

• Programme: Intangible Cultural Heritage Creative Content Contest
• Location: Kelantan, Malaysia
• Lead organizations: UNESCO Jakarta and ICHCAP
• Target participants: Young filmmakers and digital content creators
• Finalists: 3–5
• Core focus: Intangible cultural heritage and digital storytelling
• Finalist support: Heritage and filmmaking mentoring
• Final event: Public screening and awards ceremony
• Applicant type: Legal organizations based in Malaysia
• Minimum organizational experience: 5 years
• Relevant projects required: At least 3 in the past 5 years
• Project leader experience: At least 8 years
• Relevant expertise: Audiovisual documentation, heritage, storytelling, videography and creative content development

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the UNESCO ICH Creative Content Contest?

It is a creative storytelling initiative in Kelantan that will engage young filmmakers and digital content creators in documenting and promoting intangible cultural heritage through audiovisual and digital media.

Who can apply to implement the contest?

The opportunity is intended for legal organizations based in Malaysia that meet the required experience and organizational capacity criteria.

How much experience must an applicant organization have?

Applicants must have at least five years of relevant experience in areas such as audiovisual documentation and community capacity-building related to heritage documentation, storytelling, videography, and creative content development.

How many previous projects must applicants demonstrate?

Applicants must demonstrate a track record of at least three relevant projects completed during the past five years.

How many finalists will receive mentoring?

The contest will select approximately three to five finalists for a mentoring programme involving heritage and filmmaking experts.

What will the mentoring cover?

Mentoring will strengthen participants’ abilities in heritage documentation, creative storytelling, filmmaking, and audiovisual production.

Is UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage experience required?

Knowledge of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention is considered an asset. Applicants should nevertheless demonstrate strong relevant experience in heritage documentation, community engagement, and creative content development.

Conclusion

The UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Creative Content Contest provides an opportunity to combine youth creativity, digital storytelling, filmmaking, and cultural heritage safeguarding in Kelantan. The selected Malaysian organization will play a central role in recruiting young creators, managing the contest, mentoring finalists, and presenting their work to the public.

Organizations applying should demonstrate strong experience in audiovisual production, community-based heritage documentation, youth engagement, project management, and creative storytelling, supported by a qualified project leader, relevant previous projects, and a clear methodology for delivering the contest.