Further initiatives of the Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft
With our Creator Lift program, we support aspiring creators.
role='presentation'Creators have long shaped the way we stay informed, entertain ourselves, and engage in social debates. With Creator Lift, we support emerging talent in professionally developing their content, brand, and business model.
The program is designed for creators with journalistic and entrepreneurial aspirations. Together with strong partners from the creator economy, we support you with expertise, a network, and personalized guidance—from content strategy and brand building to collaborations and monetization.
The goal is to empower you in the long term to successfully and sustainably establish high-quality content in the creator economy.
When?
July to December 2026
Application phase: 26.3. to 31.5.2026
Where?
In Hamburg and remotely
The application period for Creator Lift 2026 has ended.
If you'd like to receive a reminder when the 2027 application period opens, please sign up for the reminder list here.
Reminder List
Anne combines authentic storytelling with running motivation, mental health perspectives, and a thoughtful take on social media. She deliberately shares not only personal bests, perfect…
Anne combines authentic storytelling with running motivation, mental health perspectives, and a thoughtful take on social media. She deliberately shares not only personal bests, perfect routines, or high-gloss moments, but also doubts, fatigue, pressure, humor, and personal lessons learned. Through her experience in social media and influencer marketing, she also brings a professional perspective to creator topics, brands, events, and community building.
Instagram
Dianne combines in-depth expertise in sex education with storytelling rooted in everyday life. Much of her content stems from real questions, uncertainties, and situations she encounters in her…
Dianne combines in-depth expertise in sex education with storytelling rooted in everyday life. Much of her content stems from real questions, uncertainties, and situations she encounters in her daily life. She translates complex and often taboo topics into clear, understandable, and relatable language. Her goal is to present content in a way that is accessible, factually accurate, and emotionally relatable. In doing so, she contributes to public education, prevention, and an open approach to sensitive topics.
Instagram
Emilija paints on caps, repurposes textiles, and turns seemingly worn-out garments into one-of-a-kind pieces. Her content showcases the creative potential of clothing that might otherwise be…
Emilija paints on caps, repurposes textiles, and turns seemingly worn-out garments into one-of-a-kind pieces. Her content showcases the creative potential of clothing that might otherwise be discarded. Through her DIY ideas, she combines sustainability, art, and personal expression, giving textiles a second life. As a visual artist, she inspires her community not to throw away clothes too quickly, but to think creatively about them and reinterpret them.
Instagram
Ferdaus produces entertaining, lively, and humorous content. Even in the realm of brand content, he avoids a traditional advertising approach, instead relying on storytelling, humor, creative…
Ferdaus produces entertaining, lively, and humorous content. Even in the realm of brand content, he avoids a traditional advertising approach, instead relying on storytelling, humor, creative editing, and language that resonates with his target audience. This results in content where brand messages don’t feel out of place but are perceived as natural.
TikTok
Jasmin uses creative writing, poetry, and personal reflections to bring to light experiences that many young women can relate to. Her content explores identity, self-discovery, insecurities, and…
Jasmin uses creative writing, poetry, and personal reflections to bring to light experiences that many young women can relate to. Her content explores identity, self-discovery, insecurities, and the feeling of growing up between different worlds. This is complemented by lifestyle, fashion, and everyday content. Through her work, she creates a safe space for young women with immigrant backgrounds and provides the representation she herself long lacked.
Instagram
Julia creates calm, curated, and visually appealing content focused on set design, film production, and creative processes. She offers insights into the work behind the scenes and shows how film…
Julia creates calm, curated, and visually appealing content focused on set design, film production, and creative processes. She offers insights into the work behind the scenes and shows how film worlds come to life. In her videos, she also makes set design easy to understand and relatable. In addition, she discusses product design, interior design, and creative tools. Through thorough research and her own experiences from college and the professional world, she shares valuable knowledge and makes the world of film accessible to her community.
Instagram
Lena produces short explanatory videos on children’s questions and general knowledge. In her videos, she delves into specific questions with the goal of explaining each topic as simply and…
Lena produces short explanatory videos on children’s questions and general knowledge. In her videos, she delves into specific questions with the goal of explaining each topic as simply and clearly as possible. As a journalist, she conducts thorough research and places great emphasis on factual accuracy. Her goal is to present information in a way that’s easy to understand, leaving as few unanswered questions as possible and ensuring that even younger viewers can follow along without any trouble.
Instagram
Ömer combines the themes of family and lifestyle with honest insights into his daily life. Through his content, he challenges existing gender stereotypes and shares his views and…
Ömer combines the themes of family and lifestyle with honest insights into his daily life. Through his content, he challenges existing gender stereotypes and shares his views and experiences—whether on pregnancy, household chores, mental health, or support in everyday life. At the same time, fashion, aesthetics, and modern lifestyle play an important role in his content, without ever coming across as superficial.
Instagram
Simon visits buildings, construction sites, and major construction projects in person and presents them in the form of casual, journalistic reports. Using his own photos, interviews, and…
Simon visits buildings, construction sites, and major construction projects in person and presents them in the form of casual, journalistic reports. Using his own photos, interviews, and insightful analysis, he combines thorough research with visually compelling storytelling and a personal perspective. His goal is to present architecture and design not in a dry or elitist way, but in a way that inspires even people without specialized knowledge to engage with their surroundings and their city.
Instagram
Zarah creates a colorful mix of lifestyle content, creative ideas, and local recommendations around Berlin—from flea markets to trade shows and events, as well as trends and personal…
Zarah creates a colorful mix of lifestyle content, creative ideas, and local recommendations around Berlin—from flea markets to trade shows and events, as well as trends and personal reflections. Many of her videos explore topics such as sustainability, mindful living, reducing smartphone use, and creative self-expression. Her core values are creativity, curiosity, and sustainability. Through her content, she inspires her community to approach everyday life with greater awareness, openness, and creativity.
Instagram26.03.26 – 31.05.26
15.06.2026
02.07.2026
03.07.26 – 07.10.26Current
Qualification of participants through workshops, peer learning, exchange sessions and attendance at exclusive creator events.
08.10.2026
Further matching event: partners select 4 to 5 creators for the implementation of specific projects.
12.10.26 – 31.12.26
Co-creation phase: Concrete cooperation between partners and creators through financial and content-related support from the partners.
März 2027
Official closing event of Creator Lift.
Workshop and seminar program designed to support your personal development in areas such as content creation, brand building, and entrepreneurship, featuring the Professional Creator Program of the Hamburg Media School, the Google News Initiative and #usethenews.
Mentoring sessions with experts from the creator economy (e.g., established creators, management professionals, and platform representatives), including representatives from WeCreate, Justaddsugar, and RocketBeans
Peer learning & exchange sessions with the other creators in the program
Creators with journalistic and/or entrepreneurial aspirations: You should already be active as a creator and be able to demonstrate a corresponding profile with positive development
Creator Lift is is open to different kind of platforms and contentstyles. So it doesn’t matter whether you’re active on Instagram, TikTok, Twitch, YouTube, LinkedIn, or multiple platforms. There are also no restrictions on content, which can range from podcasts and vlogs to short-form content like Reels.
You can apply using this form until May 31. To participate in the program, you must be at least 18 years old, be a resident of Germany, and your community focus should be on German users.
A minimum number of followers is not a requirement. We’re looking for people who value journalism, are interested in social issues, enjoy creating content, and want to establish themselves as creators. Experience as a creator is a plus, but not a requirement. What matters most is that we see potential—in the quality of the content, community engagement, and the direction of the brand.
Yes and no – you don’t have to live in Hamburg. However, parts of the program take place in Hamburg. During the co-creation phase, you’ll work directly with our Hamburg-based partner companies to decide how and where the joint project work will take place.
Our panel of experts evaluates all applications that meet the requirements based on the criteria of brand/content quality and development potential. From all the applications, the ten most promising candidates are selected to participate in the program. Following the qualification phase, the partner companies decide which creators they would like to continue working with during the matching event.
All participants will receive a stipend of 1,500 EUR for participating in Phase 1. In addition, individual arrangements may be made between the creators and the partner companies during Phase 2.
Yes, though it should be ensured that the creator’s career is pursued with the appropriate level of commitment and time investment (both within the program and beyond).
