The NAACP has opened submissions for the 58th NAACP Image Awards with 10 new categories focused on African film, television, streaming and music. The official announcement was published on September 1, 2026, one day after submissions opened.
Four of the new categories cover African motion pictures: outstanding motion picture, actor, actress and directing. Three cover African television: outstanding series, actor and actress. The recording field adds outstanding African album, new artist and song.
The NAACP says only submitted work will be reviewed. A performance or project must occur between January 1 and December 31, 2026 to qualify for this cycle. Entries are evaluated and narrowed to five nominees in each category by the Image Awards nominating committees.
The early-bird submission window closes October 9, literary submissions close November 6 and online submissions close November 13. The nominee announcement and public voting are scheduled to begin January 7, 2027. The ceremony date remains unannounced.
African creators, production teams, labels and rights holders should read the official category list and submission guidelines before entering. The announcement names the categories and dates, but it does not say that every creator can submit every type of work. AfroStream checked the NAACP announcement on September 8, 2026.