Cultural organizations, artists, and civil society groups across Sub-Saharan Africa have a new opportunity to build meaningful partnerships with European counterparts through the Spaces of Culture 2026 program, a flagship initiative aimed at strengthening cultural relations between Africa and Europe.
Launched by the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC), the program is part of the broader Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture initiative funded by the European Union. The call seeks innovative cultural projects that encourage dialogue, co-creation, mutual learning, and long-term collaboration between African and European cultural actors.
Entering its second funding cycle, Spaces of Culture 2026 aims to support seven new cultural relations projects in countries across Sub-Saharan Africa. Selected projects can receive grants of up to €50,000, with participating organizations required to provide a minimum co-funding contribution of five percent.
According to EUNIC, the program is designed to foster “fair and equal partnerships between Africa and Europe” while ensuring local ownership and relevance remain central to project development and implementation. The initiative places strong emphasis on cultural exchange that moves beyond traditional donor-recipient relationships and instead promotes collaboration on equal terms.
"The program fosters cooperation on an equal footing between African and European artists, creators and cultural professionals,"
EUNIC states in its 2026 call for proposals. The organization adds that projects should promote "dialogue, co-creation and mutual learning" while creating lasting social impact within communities.
The program welcomes proposals across a broad range of sectors including arts, creative industries, digitalization, education, gender equality, heritage preservation, human rights, social inclusion, sustainability, tourism, sports, and youth engagement. Organisers say the diversity of themes reflects the growing role culture plays in addressing social and economic challenges.
To be eligible, projects must be developed through a triangular partnership structure. Each proposal must involve at least three local cultural or civil society organizations, at least three EUNIC member institutions or two in countries where no EUNIC cluster exists and the participation of a European Union Delegation.
The program's focus on partnership building is intended to ensure that projects are genuinely collaborative from conception through implementation. Rather than funding initiatives designed by a single organization, Spaces of Culture requires all partners to jointly develop project ideas, activities, budgets, and expected outcomes.
An independent jury composed of cultural relations experts from both Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe will evaluate submissions. Applications will be assessed based on project objectives, target groups, proposed activities, partnership quality, innovation, and long-term impact.
The initiative builds on the success of the first Spaces of Culture projects funded in 2025, which supported collaborations in countries including Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, and Togo. These projects explored themes ranging from digital creativity and youth engagement to artistic innovation and community development.
According to EUNIC, successful projects should demonstrate innovation within their local context while addressing issues that are relevant to the communities they serve. Organizers also encourage applicants to align their projects with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to inclusion, education, equality, and sustainable communities.
The application deadline for the 2026 call is June 21, with successful projects expected to begin implementation on September 1, 2026. Funded initiatives will run until August 2027, providing organizations with nearly a full year to execute their programs and strengthen Africa-Europe cultural cooperation.
As cultural diplomacy and international cooperation continue to gain importance globally, Spaces of Culture 2026 represents a significant investment in people-to-people connections. By supporting collaborative cultural initiatives, the program seeks to create opportunities for dialogue, creativity, and mutual understanding between communities across two continents.
For many cultural organizations in Sub-Saharan Africa, the initiative offers more than financial support. It provides access to international networks, new audiences, and sustainable partnerships that can continue long after individual projects have ended. In an increasingly interconnected world, such collaborations may prove essential in building stronger and more inclusive cultural ecosystems for the future.