76 Reframed: From protests to portraits

Today, it’s the students doing the shooting. Young South Africans are picking up the camera to tell their own stories.

76 Reframed is a Youth Month campaign by Dentsu Creative South Africa in collaboration with Blackboard Community, offering high school learners from under-resourced communities the chance to explore photography and visual storytelling. Inspired by the iconic image of Hector Pieterson, the campaign aims to reframe 76 from oppression to expression.

Learners have participated in hands-on photography workshops, capturing life as they see it – their communities, hopes, and lived experiences. Supported by Nikon and a team of creative mentors, their work will be showcased in a unique, classroom-style exhibition during the week of 16 June 2026.

“This is about helping young people see June 16 as more than a day of remembrance. It’s a space for expression and creativity,” says Nkanyezi Masango, founder of Blackboard Community and chief creative officer at Dentsu Creative South Africa.

But the journey doesn’t end in June. 76 Reframed will continue beyond Youth Month. Over the next 12 months, the campaign will grow through mentorship programmes, content creation, and collaborative exhibitions. This will build up to a showcase in June 2026, marking 50 years since the historic uprising that changed the course of South African history. This ongoing platform aims to create a youth-led photographic archive that reflects both where we come from and where we are headed.

Stakeholders will be invited to attend the exhibition and experience the stories told through the eyes of young South Africans. Guests, families, educators, and the public will have the opportunity to witness history being reframed from the inside out. Proceeds from the sale of the photographs will be donated directly to the participating schools, supporting their educational programmes.