Call for proposals: Grants for West African creative sector

The project is a joint initiative of the European Union and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states, through the establishment of the new decentralised regional mechanism intended to strengthen the competitiveness of cultural and creative industries in ACP countries.

The programme aims to support the revitalisation of the competitiveness of the cultural and creative industries (CCIs) all along the value chain (creation, production and distribution) in the 16 West African countries while supporting the development of the digital economy in West Africa by supporting cultural and creative industries actors in their digital transition.

It is implemented over a 40-month period (December 2020 to April 2024) by the Institut Français de Paris and Centre Culturel Kôrè de Ségou.

Successful applicants will be awarded a maximum of €25 000 ($28 400) per project, lasting one year. Grants are renewable at most once.

Eligibility

The call is open to artists or groups of artists, associations, NGOs, umbrella organisations of cultural organisations, foundations, cultural enterprises in the private sector, incubators, and startups, all under local law that mainly carry out their activity in the cultural and creative sector and that have legal or administrative recognition or legal existence and a tax and administrative address for at least two years in one of the 16 target countries, namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, the Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Be a cultural and artistic organisation operating in one of the 16 target countries, and having at least two (2) years of legal existence and being functional (provide proof of legal existence).
• Have directly implemented over the past two years at least one project in the cultural and creative sector, for an amount of at least 50% of the amount of the grant requested.
• Be directly responsible for the preparation and management of funded activities.
• Provide activity reports and financial statements for at least one year over the last two years (2020 or 2021) of your organisation.
• Provide your organisation’s 2022-23 action plan (a candidate cannot obtain more than two consecutive years of the funding grant for the promotion of ACP culture).
• Provide a letter of recommendation from at least one reference person recognised in the discipline practised by the artist or the organisation or a certificate of successful completion.
• Provide the version of the budget scanned and signed by the legal representative of the organisation.

NOTE: When submitting an application, candidates must provide a copy of proof of legal existence (receipt, trade register, etc.).

Eligible activities

Axis 1: Creation/production of goods and services of quality at a competitive cost and in increased quantity

• Support for cultural projects affecting areas and audiences far from the cultural offer.
• Support for live shows (dance, theatre, music, etc.), writing residencies and the creation of multimedia content (digital and video games).
• Cultural mediation projects in museums and cultural tourism sites.
• Support for the circulation of works and cultural content (travelling exhibitions, tours, etc.). 

Axis 2: Access to national, regional and international markets, circulation/distribution/promotion of ACP goods and services as widely as possible

• Support projects for traditional distribution channels (performance halls, cinemas, galleries, radio stations community, etc.) and innovative ones (digital platforms, web radio, social networks, etc.)
• Support projects for digital media and television, producing or broadcasting local cultural content (support for producers and broadcasters).

Axis 3: Improved and extended image education

• Arts education and image education activities, particularly for young audiences.

NOTE: For this call, film productions are not eligible for any other programme/project or segment already funded by other EU/OACP support mechanisms in the West African sub-region.

How to apply?

Applicants must download and complete a funding application form here and submit it online via this link. The application deadline is 17 March.

• Applications sent by any other channel will not be accepted.
• Applications can be submitted in English or French.
• Incomplete applications will not be considered.
• The applicant will receive an automatic acknowledgment email once the application has been received.
• The results will be disseminated on the consortium partners’ website and social networks (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram).

NOTE: Only selected candidates will be contacted. They must then provide all the administrative documents mentioned above, within a maximum of 10 days from the date of notification.

Duration of projects

The projects begin on the date of the signature of the contract for a period of one year. The grant may be renewed for a second year, after validation of the administrative and financial reporting of the initially funded project as well as the submission of an updated application file within the framework of the annual call (simplified procedure).

View the original call here.