Call for applications: Ignite Culture grants for creatives in Eastern Africa

This new grant is part of the global ACP-EU Culture Programme, which is funded by the European Union (EU) and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states. Launched in 2019 and with a budget of €40m ($49m) for the period of 2019-24, the ACP-EU Culture Programme seeks to promote entrepreneurship as well as cultural and technological innovation, especially among young people in African, Caribbean and Pacific countries.

Ignite Culture will be available during three annual granting cycles from 2021 to 2023. Applicants can request up to €180 000. 

Through the grant, successful applicants will receive funding to develop programmes and projects to grow their own ventures and do cultural work within their target communities. 

Eligibility

The following countries are eligible to apply:

• Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

The financial support should be directed towards the following activities:

• Increased and improved production of creative and cultural goods and services.
• Skills building.
• Upgrading infrastructure, hardware and software.
• Improved access to financing and a supportive policy and business environment.
• Expanding access to local, regional and international markets.
• Improving visibility for creative and cultural practitioners and their work throughout the Eastern Africa region.

Eligible creative and cultural industry value chains will include: 

• Cultural and natural heritage.
• Performance and celebration.
• Cultural infrastructure.
• Visual arts and crafts.
• Books and press.
• Audio-visual and interactive media.
• Design and creative services.
• Creative and cultural education .
• Intangible cultural heritage.

Requirements

Applicants should submit the following documents:

• A company profile.
• Your organisation’s project history.
• Your project budget.

Note:

• The lead applicant organisation must be registered, domiciled and operational in at least one of the 14 target countries, with the director(s) resident in the country. 
• The lead applicant may have a co-applicant from any other African or EU member state country. 
• The lead applicant organisation must demonstrate that a minimum of 51% ownership (by shareholding/directorship) is held by citizens of any one of the 14 eligible countries of the Eastern Africa region. 
• The lead applicant organisation must demonstrate that it has been operating for at least one year. 
• The lead applicant organisation must have valid financial statements and/or audited accounts for a minimum of one year after January 2018. 
• The lead applicant organisation must have directly implemented at least one project in the creative and cultural sector, for at least 50% of the amount of the grant requested, at any time between January 2018 and March 2021.

View more guidelines here.

How to apply

Applicants are advised to create an account here to access the application form.

The application process is ongoing.

For more information, send an email to igniteculture@hevafund.com.

View the original call here.