Open call: Spaces of Culture proposals for Sub-Saharan Africa projects

Key information:

• Application deadline: 8 June 2025, by 23:59 CEST.
• Region: Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Eligible applicants: Cultural and civil society organisations, EUNIC members, and EU Delegations seeking to initiate or strengthen Africa-Europe collaboration in the cultural sector.

Partnership requirements: Each application must include a minimum of:

• Three key local cultural and/or civil society partners.
• Three full EUNIC members.
• Involvement from EU Delegation(s).
• Funding available: Up to €50 000 (about $56 300) per project.
• Implementation period: 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2026.

How to apply

Applicants are required to submit the following documents:

• Completed application form.
• Balanced budget (in euros).
• Letters of support from all project partners.

All documents must be submitted in English to [email protected] by Sunday, 8 June 2025. Only complete applications submitted using the official templates before the deadline will be considered. Applicants will receive confirmation upon receipt of their submission.

Important: Please download all application files locally before completing them.

Who can apply?

Projects must be submitted by consortia consisting of at least:

• Three full EUNIC members (exceptions may apply in countries with limited EUNIC presence).
• Three key local cultural and/or civil society partners.
• EU Delegation(s).

This call is designed to broaden the base of local organisations engaging with European partners and to encourage greater participation from EUNIC members across the continent.

What kind of projects will be funded?

Eligible projects must align with the principles of cultural relations, moving beyond the simple promotion of European culture. Proposals should demonstrate mutual listening, shared learning, joint capacity-building, and co-creation.

The call welcomes innovative and contemporary approaches in areas such as:

• Arts and creative industries
• Digital innovation
• Education
• Gender equality
• Heritage
• Human rights
• Social inclusion
• Sustainability
• Tourism
• Youth engagement
• Freedom of expression (particularly in fragile contexts)

All proposals should aim to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and prioritise cultural access for:

• Young people.
• Persons with disabilities.
• Rural or marginalised communities.
• Populations in environmentally or socially fragile situations.

Funding details:

Applicants may request up to €50 000 in funding. At least 5% co-funding of the requested grant must be contributed by project partners or third parties (excluding EU Delegations). For example, a request for €50 000 must be matched with a minimum of €2 500 from other sources.

Grants will be disbursed in two tranches:

• 80% pre-payment before project implementation.
• 20% upon completion of the project.

Selection process:

An independent jury comprising four experts from both Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe will assess all eligible proposals. Selection will be based on the following criteria:

• Relevance to the local context.
• Innovation and creativity.
• Structure and quality of the partnership.
• Anticipated impact.
• Alignment with the UN SDGs.
• Feasibility and cost-effectiveness
• Environmental sustainability.

Key dates:

• 3 March 2025: Call officially launched.
• March–June 2025: Information webinars for applicants (recordings available online).
• 8 June 2025: Application deadline.
• 1 July 2025: Selection of proposals.
• July–August 2025: Contracting phase.
• 1 September 2025: Project implementation begins.
• 31 August 2026: Project implementation ends.
• September to October 2026: Reporting and evaluation.

For further details, please consult the official call documents or contact: Robert Kieft: [email protected] and Thoriso Moseneke: [email protected].

About the programme

Spaces of Culture is a new initiative modelled on the European Spaces of Culture programme, and focuses specifically on fostering cultural collaboration in Sub-Saharan Africa. Launched as part of the Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture, an initiative supported by the European Commission, the programme seeks to promote mutual learning, dialogue and co-creation between African and European cultural professionals.

This call supports equal partnerships and locally owned projects that reflect local contexts and needs, while embodying the principles of fair cooperation and the Team Europe approach.

View the original call here.