Apply to Join the TB Alliance Creator Collective

We’re bringing six creators to the 2026 Union Conference in Rio for a chance to bring new audiences inside one of the most consequential global health issues of our time.

About the Collective

Tuberculosis kills more people each year than any infectious disease in the world. Science is advancing faster than in 50 years. But awareness isn’t keeping pace. We’re building a team of engaged and creative creators, independent journalists, and influential voices to change that.

The TB Alliance Creator Collective brings together a diverse group of content creators to help tell the story of the world’s deadliest infectious disease, and the innovative science that seeks to overcome it. We are launching this initiative by inviting six content creators to the 2026 Union World Conference on Lung Health — the world’s leading gathering of TB researchers, clinicians, and advocates. Over about five days, (November 16-20), creators will attend the conference, participate in a panel and workshop showcasing their skills, visit a local community engagement site, and join fun outings with their fellow creators.

They’ll have access to the science, the people, and the work — and the freedom to tell the story their own way. We’re looking for creators who can use the experience and knowledge they gain from this trip to create content that helps shift the global conversation on TB, and we’ll be giving them the access and the support to do it.

Why Creators

More people are turning to social media to find and consume information, and many trusted voices in public health and related issues have turned to content creation to reach them. Creators often reach audiences and cover subjects that traditional journalism and institutional advocacy miss. And they bring something those institutions can’t: a personal voice, a relationship with an audience, and the editorial instincts to make complex science land.

The TB Alliance Creator Collective is built on a simple bet — that giving a small group of serious creators direct access to the work of ending tuberculosis will produce public health storytelling that makes an impact.

Who We’re Looking For

Six creators, diverse in geography, platform, perspective, and expertise. We care more about the quality of your work and your relationship with your audience than your follower count. Creators with engaged communities at any scale are welcome to apply.

We are open to any creators who think they have a unique perspective to share on TB, but we’re particularly interested in applicants in four categories:

Creators within the TB community. Creators who already cover TB on their channels or are well-known within the global TB and lung health communities.
General science and global health communicators. Trusted, evidence-based creators whose content focuses on science, medicine, public or global health, or related fields.
Advocacy voices. Creators who approach global health from a movement-building or advocacy perspective.
Unexpected creators. Documentarians, independent journalists, historians, cultural commentators, and others who can bring a fresh angle to TB and global health.

Strong candidates will:

Have a personal, professional, or platform connection to global health, science communication, or social-justice issues that intersect with health
Produce consistent, evidence-based content that resonates with their audience
Demonstrate clear understanding of who their audience is and how to reach them
Bring a distinctive voice or original point of view to the conversation
Be committed to talking about TB and global health with rigor, accuracy, and care

The Union conference is conducted primarily in English, so in order to get the most out of attendance, we request that those who apply are able to understand and communicate in English. However, when it comes to the content created, we embrace diversity, including content in various languages. We’re committed to building a Collective that reflects the global nature of TB. Applicants from high-burden countries — including Brazil, India, South Africa, the Philippines, Indonesia, and across sub-Saharan Africa — are especially encouraged to apply.

What Members of the Collective Receive

A spot in the inaugural TB Alliance Creator Collective
Round-trip travel to Rio de Janeiro for the 2026 Union Conference
Hotel, meals, ground transport, and conference registration covered for the duration
$1,000 content creation and workshop participation stipend, in recognition that quality content takes time and skill
Visa support, including a TB Alliance support letter (if needed) and reimbursement of basic application fees
Direct access to TB Alliance scientists and global TB advocates at the Union Conference, and a community-based TB program through a coordinated site visit
Participation in a Collective-led panel and workshop at the Union Conference, where members will share expertise on creator-led science communication and advocacy
Professional photography, provided by a Getty photographer through TB Alliance, who will accompany the Collective on the site visit and the Conference Workshop
An ongoing relationship with TB Alliance for future collaboration opportunities — World TB Day, drug approvals, advocacy windows, and more

As a Member of the Collective, You’ll

Participate in three brief virtual prep calls with the Collective between September and early November (onboarding, conference prep, final logistics)
Attend the 2026 Union Conference on Lung Health in Rio de Janeiro, November 17–20, 2026 — approximately five days of travel in total, including the community site visit (November 16) and additional Collective programming
Create and share content in your voice, on your platforms, during and after the conference. No scripts, no required post count. Just disclose your connection to TB Alliance, keep your content evidence-based and tag the organization
Join a post-conference debrief call to share what worked, what didn’t, and what’s next

Key Dates

Milestone	Date
Applications open	June 1, 2026
Applications close	July 6, 2026
Finalists notified for interviews	July 10, 2026
Interviews conducted	Weeks of July 13 and July 20
Final selections announced	July 31, 2026
Virtual onboarding and prep calls	September–November 2026
Union Conference and Collective programming in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	November 16–20, 2026 Additional travel days TBD
Post-conference debrief	Late November / early December 2026

Apply

Applications are open now and close July 6, 2026.
We’d love to hear from you.

Apply Now

For questions, contact creators@tballiance.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the TB Alliance Creator Collective?

We’re building a team of creators, online journalists, and other influential voices to help tell the story TB and the science fighting it. This initiative is kicking off by selecting a group of six content creators to partner TB Alliance at the 2026 Union Conference on Lung Health in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. TB Alliance Creator Collective members participate in conference programming, attend a community site visit, and contribute to a panel and workshop on using digital platforms for science communication and advocacy. The goal is to support creator-led storytelling on TB and global health for global audiences.

Is this paid?

We cover the costs of attending: hotel and food for the duration of your stay, conference registration, ground transport during the conference week, and your flights to and from Rio. If accepted, we’ll work with you to coordinate travel. In addition, Collective members also receive a $1,000 stipend to cover content creation time.

Who is TB Alliance?

TB Alliance is the world’s leading developer of innovative TB cures. As a not-for-profit biotechnology organization, we combine the capabilities of a pharmaceutical company—from early-stage research through clinical trials to global delivery—with the mission of a global health enterprise. We have already introduced transformative new treatments for drug-resistant and pediatric TB that have reached millions worldwide and are committed to ensuring our products are affordable, available, and accessible for TB-affected communities around the world. We work closely with Ministries of Health around the world, leading global academic institutions like Johns Hopkins University and the University of Cape Town, the private sector, multilateral partnerships like the World Health Organization and the Stop TB Partnership, advocate organizations like Médecins Sans Frontières (also called Doctors without Borders), and community-based organizations in high TB burden countries.

Why creators?

TB kills more people each year than any other infectious disease, yet awareness, even among public-health-aware audiences, remains low. We want to reach new audiences by giving a group of creators direct access to the science, the people, and the work, and let them tell the story in their own way. We’ve broken the mold in how we approach R&D and product access and are now bringing an innovative approach to how we tell the story of TB and TB science.

What’s the time commitment?

From September to November you can expect 1-2, one-hour virtual calls per month to meet as a group. The conference itself is in Rio de Janeiro and runs November 17–20, 2026. Dates for additional non-conference Creator Collective activities — including arrival, the site visit, our social gatherings, and the panel and workshop — are still being finalized and will be shared before any creator commits.

Will my content be scripted?

No. You make the content. We provide context, access, and evidence-based messaging and details as you need them. Collective members will be asked to disclose their connection to TB Alliance and tag the organization, but there are no required talking points or number of posts.

Who owns the content I create?

You do. We may ask permission to repost or excerpt your content from TB Alliance and partner channels, with attribution and your approval.

Can I bring a producer, partner, or production team?

Membership in the Collective and its benefits — flights, lodging, conference access, stipend, programming — are for one person, the creator. But talk to us! We may be able to accommodate a travel partner, producer or videographer where logistics allow, but costs for additional people will not be covered (flights, hotel upgrades to accommodate an extra guest, meals, conference passes, etc.).

What if I have an active brand partnership in a related space?

Disclose it on the application. We will flag any we believe would create a conflict.

I’m not a TB or health and science creator. Should I still apply?

Yes. We’re looking for creators who will have a variety of angles when talking about TB. If you have a thoughtful reason for being interested, tell us in the application.

What’s the application process?

Applications are open June 1–July 6. We’ll select 10 finalists for 30-minute informational interviews in mid-to-late July. Final selections will be announced July 31, with onboarding in August and September.

I live in a country with travel or visa challenges. Will TB Alliance help?

Creators are responsible for securing their own visas, and our team will provide guidance and support throughout the process. That includes:
● An official invitation and visa support letter from TB Alliance
● Reimbursement of visa application fees
● A team contact who can answer questions about the conference, your role, and provide any supporting documentation
● Help coordinating timelines so your application is submitted with enough lead time

What if I have accessibility needs or dietary restrictions?

Tell us in the application or your interview. We will accommodate.

What happens after the trip concludes?

We hope this becomes the start of an ongoing relationship. For some creators, that may mean future partnerships, advisory roles, or collaboration on specific moments (World TB Day, major milestones in TB research, policy windows). But there are no obligations after the program period.

Are there language requirements for attendance or content?

The Union Conference is in English, so English is the required language for this opportunity. However, content as part of the Collective can be created in any language.

Can I email someone with a question not answered here?

Yes — contact: creators@tballiance.org.