Bring on 2026

The product changes:

This quarter, we’re launching the most significant update to our submissions process in Zealous’s history. You’ll now be able to manage multiple entries for the same program without starting each one from scratch and paying up front.

We’re also completely rebuilding how you explore opportunities – with better profiles, smarter recommendations, and discovery tools tailored to your creative skills.

For organizations running programs, expect conditional questions in application forms, custom email broadcasts, and multiple admin access (with plenty more to come).

We’re also introducing a new pricing tier that makes key features like custom emails accessible at a lower price point. And we’re reviewing our annual plans with the goal of reducing them.

Visit our roadmap page for the full breakdown of our updates.

But the product is only a small part of it.

In 2026 we’re accelerating our impact for the creative industries with:

The biggest prize we’ve ever run. We can’t share full details yet, but the prize money will be transformative for the winner, and shortlisted artists will exhibit in spaces that have hosted Grayson Perry, Lubaina Himid, and Antony Gormley. Full announcement in April.

Every creative opportunity in the UK, in one place. Within the next year we’ll be opening our platform to list opportunities from across the country – not just those run on Zealous. With intelligent curation and recommendations, we’re building the home for the discovery of creative opportunities, irrespective of where they are administered.

Real advocacy with accountability. Starting in February, I’ll publish monthly interviews with organizations doing right by creators. I’ll also hold monthly open office hours where anyone can book 20 minutes to discuss challenges or flag issues. And we’ll use Zealous’s data to champion transparency standards and celebrate organisations that innovate to serve creators better.

We’ve spent 15 years proving you can build a sustainable business while staying true to your mission. 2026 is the year we show what’s possible when that business reaches scale.

Bring on 2026.