Call for Applications: Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture: Medium-Sized Festival Grants

Deadline: 08-Sep-2026

The Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture: West Africa initiative provides grants of up to €50,000 to medium-sized festivals in eligible West African countries to strengthen cultural collaboration, international partnerships, and festival-sector development. Funded by the European Union and implemented by the Goethe-Institut, the programme supports festivals working in cinema, music, literature, performing arts, visual arts, heritage, and audiovisual and animation sectors.

What Is the Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture Programme?

The Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture: West Africa initiative is designed to strengthen connections between West African and European cultural sectors.

The programme focuses on the internationalization and organizational development of medium-sized festivals in West Africa. It encourages festivals to build long-term partnerships, collaborate across borders, increase professional mobility, and create opportunities for artists and cultural professionals.

The initiative also promotes inclusive and environmentally responsible cultural programming.

Why It Matters

The programme can help West African festivals strengthen their international position while creating new opportunities for artists and cultural professionals.

It aims to:

• Increase cooperation between West African and European festivals.
• Support international cultural partnerships.
• Encourage artistic collaboration and co-production.
• Improve festival organizational capacity.
• Increase artist and cultural professional mobility.
• Develop international marketing strategies.
• Strengthen local, regional, and intercontinental cultural networks.
• Promote gender equality and accessibility.
• Encourage environmentally sustainable festival practices.

Funding Available

Each selected organization can receive a grant of up to €50,000.

Funding is disbursed in instalments based on:

• Achievement of agreed milestones.
• Financial reviews.
• Project implementation and reporting requirements.

The grant can cover a range of eligible project-related expenses.

What Can the Grant Fund?

Eligible costs may include:

• Project staff.
• Festival and event organization.
• Co-production activities.
• Artist fees.
• Travel and accommodation.
• Outreach and communication.
• Accessibility adaptations.
• Environmental sustainability measures.
• Professional mobility.
• Short-term training.
• Participation in international events.
• Networking and partnership-building activities.

The proposed costs must be directly connected to the approved project and fall within the eligible project period.

Cultural Fields Covered

The programme supports medium-sized festivals operating in the following cultural and creative sectors:

• Cinema
• Audiovisual and Animation
• Heritage
• Literature
• Music
• Performing Arts
• Visual Arts

Festivals should demonstrate meaningful activity within one or more of these eligible fields.

Festival Clusters and European Partnerships

An important feature of the initiative is its emphasis on festival clusters.

A cluster can consist of seven medium-sized festivals coordinated by a major festival working within the same artistic field.

These networks are intended to support:

• Capacity building.
• Professional networking.
• Artist mobility.
• Knowledge exchange.
• Regional cooperation.
• International partnerships.
• Collaboration with European festivals.

Applicants should therefore consider how their festival can contribute to and benefit from wider networks rather than operating as an isolated initiative.

Priority Activities

Priority is given to proposals that create meaningful international and regional collaboration.

Examples include:

• Collaborative artistic projects.
• Co-productions between festivals or cultural organizations.
• Festival touring initiatives.
• Professional mobility programmes.
• International networking activities.
• Partnerships between West African and European festivals.
• Development of international marketing concepts.
• Capacity-building activities.
• Joint cultural programming.

Strong proposals should demonstrate how these activities can generate sustainable relationships beyond the funded project.

Inclusion and Gender Equality

Applicants must incorporate measures that promote inclusive participation.

The programme specifically encourages:

• 50% participation by women as a target.
• Participation of people with disabilities.
• Accessibility measures for cultural activities.
• Inclusive professional and artistic opportunities.

Applicants should explain how inclusion will be integrated into project design, implementation, participation, and monitoring.

Environmental Sustainability

Environmental responsibility is another important component of the programme.

Applicants should consider measures such as:

• Reducing waste.
• Improving resource efficiency.
• Encouraging sustainable mobility.
• Reducing unnecessary travel where appropriate.
• Using environmentally responsible event practices.
• Incorporating sustainability into festival operations.

Environmental measures should be practical and relevant to the proposed activities.

Who Is Eligible?

Applicants must meet the programme’s organizational and geographical requirements.

Eligible applicants must:

• Be legal entities.
• Be registered in one of the 15 eligible West African countries.
• Operate in an eligible cultural or creative field.
• Organize a medium-sized festival.
• Have the organizational capacity to implement the proposed project.
• Demonstrate relevant cultural activities and partnerships.

Eligible organizational forms may include:

• Public organizations.
• Private organizations.
• Non-profit organizations.
• Foundations.
• Collectives with appropriate legal status.

Only one application per organization is permitted.

Eligible West African Countries

The programme is restricted to organizations legally registered in the designated eligible West African countries.

Applicants should confirm that their country is included in the current programme list before preparing an application.

Ineligible Costs

The grant cannot normally be used for expenses that are unrelated to the approved project or that fall outside the programme’s financial rules.

Ineligible costs include:

• Debt repayment.
• Purchase of land.
• Purchase of buildings.
• Currency exchange losses.
• Seed funding for new businesses.
• Fundraising costs.
• Unrelated operational expenses.
• Salary top-ups.
• Costs incurred outside the project period.
• Alcohol purchases.

Applicants should ensure that their budget clearly separates eligible project expenses from any costs that must be financed through other sources.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted through the Goethe Application Portal (GAP).

Step 1: Confirm Organizational Eligibility

Verify that your organization:

1. Is legally registered.
2. Is based in an eligible West African country.
3. Operates an eligible festival.
4. Works within an eligible cultural field.
5. Has the organizational and financial capacity to manage the grant.

Step 2: Develop the Festival Profile

Prepare a clear profile of the festival, including:

• Festival history.
• Artistic focus.
• Audience reach.
• Previous activities.
• Organizational structure.
• Previous partnerships.
• International experience.

Step 3: Define the International Strategy

Explain how the proposed project will strengthen cooperation between West African and European cultural sectors.

The strategy should clearly identify:

Current position → international opportunity → proposed activities → expected cultural impact.

Step 4: Develop the Networking Plan

Describe existing and planned relationships with:

• West African festivals.
• European festivals.
• Artists.
• Cultural professionals.
• Cultural organizations.
• International networks.

If participating in a festival cluster, explain the organization’s role and expected contribution.

Step 5: Address Cross-Cutting Measures

Include practical measures relating to:

• Gender equality.
• Participation of women.
• Disability inclusion.
• Accessibility.
• Environmental sustainability.

These should be integrated into the project rather than presented as separate statements.

Step 6: Prepare the Detailed Budget

Create a detailed budget covering all proposed eligible activities.

Ensure that:

• Costs are realistic.
• Each expense is linked to an activity.
• Ineligible expenses are excluded.
• Project costs fall within the eligible period.
• Funding requirements are clearly explained.

Step 7: Gather Supporting Documents

Applicants may need to provide documents including:

• Legal registration documents.
• Organizational information.
• Financial statements.
• Bank statements.
• Tax-compliance documentation.
• Financial eligibility declaration.
• Festival profile and strategy documents.
• Other documents requested through the application portal.

Step 8: Submit Through the Goethe Application Portal

Complete the application through GAP and review all information before submission.

Only one application should be submitted per organization.

Tips for a Strong Application

Applicants should focus on demonstrating measurable international and regional impact.

A strong proposal should:

• Present a clear internationalization strategy.
• Identify credible West African and European partners.
• Explain the value of proposed collaborations.
• Demonstrate previous festival experience.
• Include realistic mobility and networking activities.
• Set measurable project milestones.
• Include a well-structured budget.
• Address the 50% women-participation target.
• Include meaningful disability-access measures.
• Integrate environmental sustainability.
• Demonstrate long-term benefits beyond the grant period.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid:

• Applying without confirming legal eligibility.
• Submitting more than one application.
• Proposing activities outside the eligible cultural fields.
• Treating international partnerships as informal or undefined relationships.
• Failing to provide evidence of international demand or networking potential.
• Including ineligible expenses in the project budget.
• Ignoring gender, disability, or environmental requirements.
• Providing weak supporting financial documentation.
• Failing to connect proposed activities with measurable outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture: West Africa programme?

It is a Goethe-Institut initiative funded by the European Union that supports cultural cooperation, internationalization, and organizational development among medium-sized festivals in West Africa.

How much funding is available?

Each selected organization can receive up to €50,000.

Which festivals can apply?

Medium-sized festivals working in Cinema, Audiovisual and Animation, Heritage, Literature, Music, Performing Arts, or Visual Arts can apply if they meet the programme’s eligibility requirements.

Can the grant support international travel?

Yes. Travel and accommodation connected to eligible project activities can be supported.

Does the programme support European partnerships?

Yes. Developing partnerships and collaboration between West African and European festivals is a central objective of the programme.

Is there a gender and inclusion requirement?

Yes. Applicants are expected to include measures promoting women’s participation, with a 50% participation target, as well as participation by people with disabilities and appropriate accessibility measures.

Where must applications be submitted?

Applications must be submitted through the Goethe Application Portal (GAP) with the required organizational, festival, strategic, financial, and supporting documentation.

Conclusion

The Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture: West Africa programme offers medium-sized West African festivals an opportunity to secure up to €50,000 for international collaboration, co-production, mobility, networking, professional development, and organizational strengthening.

The strongest applications will demonstrate a credible international strategy, meaningful partnerships with European and regional cultural actors, measurable outcomes, sound financial planning, and strong commitments to gender equality, disability inclusion, and environmental sustainability. For eligible festivals seeking to expand their international networks and strengthen their long-term cultural impact, the programme provides substantial support for building sustainable Africa-Europe cultural cooperation.

For more information, visit Goethe-Institut.