EUNIC launches Spaces of Culture 2025, a call for cultural relations project proposals in Sub-Saharan Africa

EUNIC launches Spaces of Culture 2025,
a call for cultural relations project proposals in Sub-Saharan Africa

EUNIC – European Union National Institutes for Culture – have launched Spaces of Culture 2025, a call for proposals, supporting seven new cultural relations projects in Sub-Saharan Africa. The programme is an evolution of the European Spaces of Culture programme and prioritises collaboration, dialogue, and mutual learning between European and local partners.

Spaces of Culture is part of the wider Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture programme from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA), which aims to encourage cooperation between African and European artists, creators, and cultural professionals.

The call aims to support cultural relations projects in Sub-Saharan African countries, based on equal partnerships and local ownership, involving local cultural and civil society stakeholders, EUNIC members, and EU Delegations.

The deadline for submission for project proposals is 8 June 2025.

Applicants can request up to EUR 50,000. Co-funding of at least 5% of the requested grant amount is required from project partners or third parties (excluding EU Delegations). Selected projects will take place from 1 September 2025 until 31 August 2026.

The call also aims to broaden the range of local organisations collaborating with European counterparts in Sub-Saharan Africa. Project proposals must, therefore, involve a minimum of three full EUNIC members, three key local cultural and/or civil society partners, and the EU Delegation(s) in the country(ies).

Projects should embody the principles of cultural relations and go beyond the promotion of European culture(s) in Sub-Saharan Africa. Project activities should demonstrate a deeper understanding of these principles by practising mutual listening and learning, engaging in dialogue, co-creation, and joint capacity building with all members and partners involved.

The call encourages contemporary and innovative formats, related to the arts, creative industries, digitalisation, education, gender, heritage, human rights, social inclusion, sports, sustainability, tourism, youth, and more. Projects may also foster spaces of free speech and artistic expression, particularly in fragile contexts.

An independent jury of four experts from Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe with thorough knowledge of and experience in Africa-Europe cultural relations will collectively evaluate proposals against the selection criteria.

See the call for proposals document for more comprehensive information on the call’s objectives, criteria, selection process, and implementation.

Useful links

• Webpage on how to apply
• Spaces of Culture 2025 - Call for proposals
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Examples of previous projects
• Potential partnerships matchmaking form
• Information webinars

Contact

For enquiries about the programme, the call or application process, or about EUNIC, please contact:
Robert Kieft at robert.kieft@eunicglobal.eu

Thoriso Moseneke at thoriso.moseneke@eunicglobal.eu

About EUNIC

EUNIC – European Union National Institutes for Culture – is the European network of organisations engaging in cultural relations. Together with its partners, EUNIC brings to life European cultural collaboration in more than 100 countries worldwide with a network of 140 clusters, drawing on the broad experience of its members from all EU Member States and associate countries.

EUNIC advocates a prominent role of culture in international relations and is a strategic partner of the EU, actively involved in the further definition of European cultural policy. Through culture, EUNIC strives to build trust and understanding between the people of Europe and the wider world.

EUNIC’s understanding of culture includes the arts, creative industries, development cooperation, digitalisation, education, gender, heritage, human rights, language and multilingualism, social inclusion, sports, sustainability, tourism, youth, and others.

EUNIC’s work is based on the principles of cultural relations. EUNIC aims to build fair partnerships by practising mutual listening and learning and engaging in dialogue, co-creation, and joint capacity building.