The Association of African Podcasters and Voice Artists (APVA) Launches The African Podcast and Voice Academy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 30th, 2025

The Association of African Podcasters and Voice Artists (APVA) Launches The African Podcast and Voice Academy

A continent-wide learning and acceleration hub to empower creators, strengthen industry standards, and partner with existing training institutions—amplifying Africa’s audio traditions while shaping new histories.

The Association of African Podcasters and Voice Artists (APVA) today announced the launch of the African Podcast and Voice Academy (APVA Academy)—a structured, sector-specific training and acceleration hub designed to turn audio talent into thriving, sustainable careers while reinforcing Africa’s wider creative economy.

APVA Academy delivers a unified pathway from foundational skills to business readiness, connecting learners to paid opportunities, distribution, and mentorship—without replacing existing schools or programs. Instead, APVA Academy is built to partner with universities, studios, training agencies, and cultural institutions to scale what already works and extend it across the continent.

“APVA Academy exists to turn creative talent into sustainable livelihoods, strengthen Africa’s audio sector with structured pathways, and work shoulder-to-shoulder with existing schools, agencies, and academies. We’re not here to replace what’s working—we’re here to amplify trusted traditions while co-creating new histories for African audio.” — Bidemi Adedire, Founder, Association of African Podcasters & Voice Artists (APVA)

Why this matters now

Africa’s audio ecosystem is booming, yet many creators lack access to standardized training, market entry, and monetization frameworks.

APVA, home to the African Podcast and Voice Awards (APVA Awards), which drew 2,800+ nominations and 42,000+ votes in 2024 across 30+ countries is leveraging its continent-wide community and partnerships to professionalise the pipeline for podcasters, voice artists, and spoken word performers.

What APVA Academy Will Offer as It Grows

Five core learning tracks: Podcasting; Voice Acting; Spoken Word & Performance; Audio Business & Monetization; Instruction & Thought Leadership.
Stacked learning formats: Signature courses, short courses, masterclasses, live clinics, mentorship, and capstone projects aligned to real briefs.
Career acceleration: Integrated pathways to APVA Match (project + job marketplace), APVA Sounds (24/7 digital audio experience for discovery), and the African Voices Script Repository (script library for collaboration).
Industry readiness: Portfolio reviews, demo reels, pitch coaching, audience growth and monetization labs, and ethics/IP/AI literacy.
Partnership-first model: Co-created curricula and guest faculty with universities, media houses, studios, and training agencies across Africa and the diaspora.

“This is a collaboration engine. APVA Academy empowers creators with market-ready skills and then connects them to work, audiences, and revenue. Our mandate is to strengthen, not supplant, Africa’s training ecosystem by partnering with the institutions already serving our communities.”
Abimbola Babatunde, Program Lead, APVA Academy

The Vision

Enroll: Creators choose a track and level that matches their goals (starter to pro).
Learn: Cohort-based and self-paced modules with practical assignments and feedback.
Build: Publish a portfolio—podcast pilot, voice reel, or spoken word performance—guided by mentors.
Monetize: Get matched to gigs and collaborations via APVA Match, and gain distribution exposure through APVA Sounds.
Advance: Join alumni communities, guest-teach, or transition into instructor and mentor roles.

Call for partners & instructors

APVA invites universities, studios, training agencies, guilds, festivals, and cultural funds to co-design modules, offer scholarships, host labs, and place graduates on real productions. Experienced creators and industry experts are encouraged to apply as instructors, mentors, and guest lecturers.

About APVA

The Association of African Podcasters and Voice Artists (APVA) is the leading hub for African audio creatives, building a structured, sustainable, and thriving ecosystem for podcasters, voice artists, and spoken word performers. Through its pillars—discover and amplify African voices; strengthen the industry with training and policy influence; transform audio skills into viable businesses; foster partnerships and global collaborations—APVA powers initiatives including the APVA Awards, APVA Academy, APVA Match, APVA Sounds, the African Voices Script Repository, Rolodex, Utukufu – The Glory of Africa, APVA Editor (newsletter), and Hosts for Hire (professional podcast hosting).