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Evoke

CU Boulder · Sep 25–27, 2026

EVOKE · CU BOULDER · SEP 25–27, 2026

Something is under the ice.

A 3-day creative challenge for CU Boulder undergrads.

Work with a team to turn an Antarctic climate story into a graphic novel and a Minecraft world — then present it to guest judges.

Apply now ↗See the three days

Solo or with a team. Every major welcome. No experience needed.

Friday reception at the Moxy Hotel · Saturday and Sunday on campus · Applications close September 23, 2026

THE STORY

A climate mystery in Antarctica. Your team writes what happens next.

Somewhere under the Antarctic ice there is a base that is not on any map, and someone decided that what happened there was better left buried.

Over three days, your team decides what really happened — and builds it. Twelve missions, four chapters, no finished script.

You do not need to know anything about Antarctica to start.

Three students standing at an open hatch in the Antarctic ice, light coming from below.
  1. FRIDAYevening — time to be announced

    You get the brief and meet your team

    The story opens, the rules land, and teams form. By the end of the night you know what you are building and who you are building it with.

  2. SATURDAYFull day

    You build

    Chapters two and three. Research, script, character design, world building, code. Meals are on us so the day belongs to the work.

  3. SUNDAYUntil the judging room

    You finish it and you present it

    Final chapter, final build, and a live pitch to guest judges from Boulder. Every team presents.

Your team walks out with a graphic novel chapter and a Minecraft world. The missions, the constraints and what the story is actually hiding land Friday night, when it opens.

A student team presenting their comic panels to a room of judges, the Flatirons visible through the window.

WHAT YOU BUILD

What you make here doesn't stay here.

YOU BUILD
A graphic novel chapter and a Minecraft world, built by your team from a real climate story.
IT GOES TO
A live pitch to guest judges from Boulder on Sunday — and then to Evoke teams in other countries, who respond to what you made.
YOU KEEP
Portfolio-ready work with your name on it, and three days of practice in a room full of people who do not study what you study.
AND YES
The winning team continues the work with professional mentorship, plus a cash prize of amount to be announced. terms to be confirmed

Writers. Artists. Coders. Scientists. Founders.

Every major, no experience needed — teams need every kind of mind. Pick yours in the form below.

QUESTIONS

Before you apply.

WHO'S BEHIND THIS

EvokeThe World Bank

Evoke is a global network of young changemakers.

  • 15 YEARS · 10+ COUNTRIESEvoke started at the World Bank in 2010 and now runs as an independent nonprofit. It has run missions with young people in more than ten countries.
  • MEASURED, NOT ASSUMEDThe method was tested in a randomized controlled trial, with measurable gains in skills and in students’ sense of agency.
  • NEXT CHAPTER · BOULDERBoulder is the next chapter of the story, and the work made here becomes part of what other teams around the world pick up.

* Randomized controlled trial: measurable gains in problem-solving, collaboration and sense of agency.

Do I need experience with graphic novels, Minecraft, or climate science?

No. Teams are built to be mixed on purpose, and everyone learns hands-on during the three days. What you bring is your own field and your willingness to use it on something unfamiliar.

Who can apply?

Undergraduate students at CU Boulder, any major, any year.

Can I apply with friends?

Yes. One person fills out the form and lists the rest of the team. Teams are about four people, so a smaller group will be matched with others. Applying solo is just as good — most people do.

What is the actual time commitment?

Friday evening, all of Saturday, and Sunday through the final presentations. Meals are covered. If you have one conflict inside the weekend, tell us in the application — it does not disqualify you.

How are participants selected?

There are 30 spots, and the selection balances fields of study so every team has the range it needs. selection criteria and response date to be confirmed

What happens to the work we make?

It is yours for your portfolio, and it becomes part of the wider Evoke story that teams in other countries respond to. Some participants also get to help finalize the graphic novel after the weekend. rights to the work to be confirmed

What does the winning team get?

A cash prize and a paid continuation of the project with professional mentorship. amount, duration and terms to be announced

What is Evoke?

A youth empowerment program that started at the World Bank in 2010 and now runs as an independent nonprofit. Young people work through narrative missions and build real projects. The method was tested in a randomized controlled trial.

APPLY

Apply by September 23, 2026.

Takes about three minutes. Solo or with a team — if you apply as a team, one person fills this out and lists the others.

September 25–27, 2026 · CU Boulder · 30 spots

Your CU Boulder address works best — that is where we send the selection results.

Only for schedule and location updates close to the event.

How you'll contribute *No prior experience required. Pick as many as fit — and if yours is not here, pick the closest. Everyone does a bit of everything.
Applying solo or with a team? *

Two or three sentences. We read every one — it is how we build teams that fit together.

Applications close September 23, 2026.