Are you a cultural and/or civil society organisation in Sub-Saharan Africa, looking to start or strengthen an Africa-Europe collaboration project in culture? Are you interested in expanding your partner network across Africa and Europe and explor-
ing approaches to fair and equal collaboration in cultural relations between the two continents? Do you want to engage with other African and European partners to respond to local challenges through a co-creative and innovative cultural project? And are you looking for funding?

The Spaces of Culture funding scheme, part of the EU-funded Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture programme, is looking for new and exciting collaborative cultural relations projects taking place in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Whether you are looking to organise networking and knowledge sharing activities, festivals, performances, exhibitions, artist residencies, to set up new networks to develop cultural infrastructure, or any other cultural relations project activities, the Spaces of Culture programme could be an exciting opportunity for you and your partners.

Projects are expected to be based on the principles of international cultural relations, practicing mutual listening and learning, engaging in dialogue, co-creation, and joint capacity building.

Your starting point is to develop new or existing collaboration between Sub-Saharan African and European partners, coming together on equal footing to build a project proposal that responds to local challenges and addresses relevant topics with a view to achieve social impact.

Find out more about the possibilities in this call for proposals!

The Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture Programme 

The Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture programme fosters cooperation on an equal footing between African and European artists, creators and cultural professionals and aims to strengthen cultural exchanges at regional level, by supporting cross-border projects and partnerships in all cultural and creative sectors. The programme is structured along the lines of a continental, a Western African, and a Southern African component.

The continental component aims to foster continent-to-continent and people-to-people cultural exchange, co-creation, and co-production. A portion of this component is dedicated to the Spaces of Culture funding scheme, the subject of this call for proposals.

The Spaces of Culture programme brings an exciting opportunity to:

• place focus on networking and relationships, new audiences, and opening up civic space;
• continue to cultivate and develop a shared cultural relations approach to cooperation between Africa and the European Union (EU);
• explore in more depth approaches to fair collaboration in Africa including new and balanced partnerships between Europe and Africa and considerations of ethical sensitivities linked to colonial legacies.

The programme is modelled after the European Spaces of Culture scheme, which since 2019 has been putting the EU’s approach to international cultural relations into concrete 1 EUNIC members are national institutes for culture or other organisations acting for or on behalf of an EU national entity. A list of EUNIC action on the ground in countries outside the EU.

This call, besides being tailored to Sub-Saharan Africa, deepens the work done by European Spaces of Culture by supporting new alliances with local actors that are until now less involved in Africa-Europe cultural relations, as well as a broader implementation of the Team Europe approach, by involving a wider range of EU Member States.

Not only do such initiatives create innovative and meaningful projects, but they also strengthen local and fair partnerships between African and European actors, place on the agenda important societal topics, and lead to invaluable insights into the practice of international cultural relations between Africa and the EU.

Over the period 2025-2028, the programme aims to support around 21 projects, spread out over three calls. This first call, with a
budget of EUR 350,000, aims to support seven projects across the continent.

About this Call

The purpose of this call for proposals therefore is to find and support concrete cultural relations projects taking place in Sub-Saharan African countries. The call will support projects that are designed and implemented by triangular partnerships – based on equal access and ownership – of local cultural and civil society stakeholders from the country(ies) concerned, members of the EUNIC network and EU Delegations2 active on the continent.

Supported projects will demonstrate innovation and relevance to the local context and exemplify both fair partnerships and an elaboration of the Team Europe approach in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The call supports involvement of a broad range of EU Member States, with many EUNIC members having the ambition to start new relationships, open branches, or otherwise intensify their collaboration on the continent, while at the same time broadening the range and diversity of local partner or ganisations from the continent collaboratin with their European counterparts.

This also includes the flexibility to develop and support initiatives in countries on the continent where the presence of Member States is limited or with no existing EUNIC cluster. All EU Member States active on the continent therefore are invited to participate through their network of either cultural institutes or embassies.

What is being looked for?

Projects need to subscribe to the principles of cultural relations and must go beyond the projection and promotion of (the diversity of) European culture in Sub-Saharan Africa. Project activities demonstrate deeper understanding of these principles by practicing mutual listening and learning, engaging in dialogue, co-creation and joint capacity building with all partners involved.

Projects can take any format, focusing on arts, creative industries, digitalisation, education, gender, heritage, human rights, social inclusion, sports, sustainability, tourism, youth, and others.

The call encourages contemporary and innovative formats, including digital or hybrid ones. As preparatory activities for the project, research, feasibility studies, and capacity building initiatives are possible. Projects could also have the potential to be upscaled and translated to a different context.

Whenever possible and relevant, projects will foster free spaces of speech and of artistic expression, particularly in fragile or illiberal contexts. Project ideas stemming from countries notably affected by political, societal, security, or environmental fragility, for instance where freedom of speech or artistic expression is severely restricted, are most welcome, even if the context may feel restrictive to propose a contemporary cultural relations project. The jury will take such sensitivities into consideration on a case-by-case basis.

Projects supported for funding should take place in the period between 1 September 2025 and 31 August 2026 in one or more Sub-Saharan African countries. Applicants are encouraged to explore a cross-border dimension to their proposal.

As the global cultural and civil society sectors are increasingly conscious that culture can – and must – contribute to achieving the UN Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs), this programme creates an opportunity to make this commitment explicit and concrete. All proposals are therefore required to indicate concretely how they contribute to achieving the UN SDGs and identify and justify specific SDGs. Proposals not indicating this will be considered ineligible.

Extra attention should be given to widening access to culture and cultural collaborations, especially amongst:

• Youth
• People with disabilities
• Communities outside urban areas
• Communities living in fragile contexts, including environmental and security fragility.

Partnership Requirements

All proposals need to be submitted by a triangular partnership, all actively engaged in the design and implementation of the project. Eligible partnerships:

• A minimum of three key local cultural and/or civil society partners. Partners may be public bodies. Specific attention should be given to widen access to the partnership to actors who have been less involved in such intercontinental projects.
• A minimum of three Full EUNIC members is required, with a possible exception in countries with limited EUNIC member presence. In such cases it must be made clear why the threshold of three EUNIC members is impossible to achieve. Both EUNIC members’ headquarters and their local branches are eligible. It is not required for EUNIC members to formally be structured as a cluster. When in doubt about whether a potential partner can participate in a project, do not hesitate to contact the EUNIC team.
• The EU Delegation(s) in the concerned country(ies) must engage in the project in a concrete and meaningful way, be it in content, public outreach, facilitation of meetings and contacts, or otherwise. For how to get engaged in projects, EU Delegations or partners are welcome to inquire with the EUNIC team.

Partnerships are encouraged to be as inclusive as possible and involve local partners beyond already existing networks. Further-
more, in the spirit of widening access to EU Member States, these partnerships are a suitable opportunity for Member States that
are starting cultural relations activity on the continent.

All partners are required to submit written support letters in the proposal, stating commitment to the project as well as foreseeing their specific role in the project if selected. A template for such letters is provided in the
application package.

Organisations can be involved in multiple applications at the same time. However, it is recommended to focus on one solid and
well-elaborated proposal, rather than spreading too thinly.

To ensure inclusive and shared ownership among the project partners from the start, the project teams are required to form a shared coordination team consisting of one Full EUNIC member, the/an EU Delegation, and one key local partner. This coordination team will together form the first contact points for the EUNIC team concerning the project.

You are invited to have a look at EUNIC’s resources on Fair Collaboration in cultural relations, a set of resources authored by an independent group of experts in cultural relations.

When submitting the application, one of the partners should be designated to sign a grant agreement with EUNIC and receive the
awarded grant if selected. This can be either a EUNIC member or local partner. It is this partner’s responsibility to receive from EUNIC and allocate the funds to other partners in all transparency and according to the pro-
ject budget and activities, and to coordinate the financial reporting back to EUNIC.

Designated partners are required to self-evaluate their experience and capacity to receive such grants, as indicated in the application form. In addition, get in touch with the EUNIC team to make sure the designated partner is a feasible fit.

Financing

Applicants can request up to EUR 50,000 for their project’s implementation. Co-funding from the partners or any third party is required and should be at least 5 % of the requested grant amount (e.g., for a grant request of EUR 50,000, co-funding needs to be at least EUR 2,500).

This co-funding may come from any of the partners or source, except for the EU Delegation, as that would be considered double funding by the EU.

All applicants should submit a budget with their application form, estimating the costs of implementation of the proposed project. A budget template is provided to that end. Once selected, project teams may be asked to revise and detail their budgets for final approval.

Eligible costs are those related to the project and its actions (fees for artists and experts, travel and accommodation, catering, rental of venues or equipment, production of material, etc.), including the hiring of external coordinators/consultants to carry out certain components of the project (studies, mapping of resources, PR/communication, etc.).

Costs not eligible are those related to project communication, the purchase of equipment, overhead costs (organisational costs unrelated to the project), the project partners’ permanent staff costs, as well as costs related to the development of infrastructure. In-kind contributions cannot be included in the overall budget of the project.

Pre-payment of 80% of the awarded grant will be made after an agreement is signed and upon receipt of an invoice before implementation. A final payment (the remaining 20%) will be made upon receipt of a final financial and narrative report. All receipts related to project costs should be kept and made available for a possible audit.

The partner signing the agreement will receive the payments on behalf of the project partners and is responsible for the correct financial administration of the project as well as the final reporting, unless otherwise specifically agreed with EUNIC.

Selection Criteria 

All applications will be evaluated along the lines of the same selection criteria below. These reflect – alongside questions such as
on objectives, target groups, and proposed activities – the questions in the application form. The maximum points that can be scored per criterion are included in the application form.

Relevance to local context

The proposal describes the local context, including challenges and opportunities, and the proposal’s relevance to that context. The needs of the local target audiences, civil society, and/or cultural sector to be addressed are clearly identified. The project description is convincing and target groups that are identified fit the objectives that are outlined. In conversation with the EU Delegation, the strategic importance of the project to wider EU priorities is made clear.

Innovation

The proposed project brings new perspectives and processes to Africa-Europe collaboration through culture and goes beyond traditional one-off events:

• New concepts or ways of working with local cultural sectors, including digital cultural relations, based on local contexts and needs of local communities;
• New ideas on sustainability, accessibility and inclusivity, or entrepreneurship in culture;
• New ways of strengthening culture as a vector to promote values such as artistic freedom (of expression), social cohesion, equality, and accessibility and inclusivity.

Partnership set-up

An inclusive approach is at the core of the design and implementation of the project. The proposal includes active inclusion, participation, and governance of all partners: EUNIC members, EU Delegation, local partners, and other stakeholders and ensures ownership by all. The proposal clearly describes the added value and involvement of each part-
ner and actively seeks participation of (local and European) actors new in this field.

Impact foreseen

The proposal states concrete, realistic, and sustainable foreseen results and includes activities and expected results that will last beyond the timeframe of the project that clearly link back to the context and challenges described. Mid- or long-term impact on societies, local cultural scenes, and other target groups are foreseen. The proposal includes concrete mechanisms and indicators to monitor and evaluate the project.

Alignment with UN SDGs

The proposal demonstrates how the objectives, activities, and impact foreseen contribute to the achievement of the SDGs. Individual SDG(s) is/are clearly specified and concretely elaborated on.

Feasibility and cost-effectiveness

The project’s activities are realistic within the timeframe and budget provided and within the local context. Possible risks are considered, and mitigation is foreseen. Activities are appropriately reflected in the budget and proposed costs are reasonable in relation to the activities mentioned and fair remuneration to artists and experts.

Environmental sustainability

The project lays out a strategy for sustainable resources for its activities, addresses and environmental sustainability as a topic and, where relevant, raises awareness of and advocates for climate action.

Selection Process

The EUNIC team will carry out a first eligibility check of incoming applications. An independent jury of experts (both from Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe, but all with thorough knowledge of and experience with Africa-Europe cultural relations), will collectively decide which proposals are to be selected on the basis of the selection criteria.

The independent nature of the jury ensures concentration on quality and relevance to the overall objectives of the programme, but also relevance to local contexts. The Selection Committee will be composed of at least four persons and established based on a set of criteria:

• Relevance of knowledge and expertise in the cultural relations between Sub-Saharan Africa and the EU;
• Experience in evaluation of grant programmes;
• Diversity of professional roles and profiles and lived experience with different regions on the continent.

All applicants will be informed about the decision directly after selection and will receive feedback on their application.

Selected projects will receive feedback from the jury and possible conditions to their selection and will have the time to review and deepen their project plans in a two-month inception phase. Possible elements to look into in more detail are, if needed:

• Making more concrete activities and
  timelines;
• Elaborating on strategies for communication and evaluation;
• Adding more detail in the budget;
• Making more concrete the approach to actively involve all partners in different facets of implementation (programming, decision making, evaluation, etc.);
• elaborating potential future plans beyond the scope of the proposed project.

Timeline

3 March 2025
Launch of the Call for Proposals

March – June 2025
A series of webinars for potential applicants
hosted by the EUNIC team

8 June 2025
Deadline for submission of proposals

1 July 2025
Selection of proposals by the jury

July – August 2025
Contracting of beneficiaries

1 September 20254
Start of implementation period

31 August 2026
End of implementation period

September – October 2026
Reporting of projects

Implementation

The eligible implementation period for supported projects is between 1 September 2025 and 31 August 2026.

The EUNIC team must be informed of any major changes in the implementation of the project’s activities, as well as of any changes in the approved budget.

When implementing the project, all partners are obliged to follow all communication requirements as set out in an agreement to be signed with. All partners of selected projects are expected to communicate about the project and its results. Specific communication guidelines will be designed to that end.

The EUNIC team will follow and guide where necessary all teams starting, implementing, and evaluating their projects. All teams are expected to follow a specially designed monitoring and evaluation and reporting methodology, which will help both the project partners and EUNIC in compiling data, information, and results. It is therefore important to keep EUNIC updated about activities taking place within the projects, as well as developments in partnerships.

The EUNIC team will also host regular exchanges with all implementing partners, both collectively in live and online Spaces Labs towards community building and to discuss common themes and developments, and individually to discuss developments and challenges of the projects and partnerships. Implementing partners are expected to participate in such meetings.

How to Apply 

The following documents need to be submit-
ted:

• Application form completed in English (see template)
• Estimated balanced budget completed in English and drawn up in EUR (see template)
• Support letters from all identified project partners (see template)

➢ Find all relevant documents for your application in this Google Drive.

Please submit the complete application package by Sunday, 8 June 2025 to space-sofculture@eunicglobal.eu. Note that only complete applications sent to the email address above before the deadline will be considered. All applicants will receive confirmation when the application has been received.

Support from EUNIC
Please do not hesitate to reach out the team at the EUNIC office in Brussels if you have any questions about the call or the application process, by contacting Robert Kieft via robert.kieft@eunicglobal.eu.

We encourage you to start working on your application as early as possible to be able to resolve any potential issues in time. Please also consult the Frequently Asked Questions for any question you may have about the call, criteria, or the application process.

Webinars will be organised to inform interested parties about the call and application process. These webinars will be listed on the EUNIC website.

As part of the wider programme. EUNIC will organise online Labs as well as live meetings, to which project participants will be invited to dive into the collaborative process further, create community among the project teams, and share practical pointers and guidelines for implementing the project.

 

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