Organizer Information
Connect & Create – Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture is a European Union-funded programme aimed at strengthening cultural ties between Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe through fair, inclusive, and sustainable cooperation. The programme is implemented by a consortium composed of the Goethe-Institut and Expertise France, in collaboration with the Institut français, with the Institut français and Expertise France taking a lead role in performing arts and music through initiatives focused on mobility, international co-production, and professional exchange. The programme supports artistic cooperation, the mobility of cultural professionals and artistic works, networking opportunities, and mutual learning between African and European cultural stakeholders.
Title & Description
Circulation of Performing Arts and Music — Grant for Artistic Dissemination
This call for projects, issued under the Connect & Create programme, supports the dissemination and circulation of African artistic productions across Africa and Europe. It aims to strengthen the visibility of African artists and artistic teams, support their integration into international professional networks, facilitate access to new audiences, expand performance and presentation opportunities, and contribute to the structuring and professionalisation of the performing arts and music sectors. Supported projects may take the form of artistic tours in Africa or Europe, or programming within festivals or major international cultural events.
Theme
Circulation and dissemination of African performing arts and music productions, through touring and festival/event programming, between Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe.
Categories
- Performing Arts
- Music
- Dance
- Theatre
- Circus Arts
- Culture
- Festival
- Mobility
Eligibility
Who can apply:
- Associations and non-profit organisations
- Private companies
- Cultural institutions
- Foundations
- Other professional cultural organisations
Applicant organisations must:
- Be established in one of the 47 eligible Sub-Saharan African countries or one of the 27 EU Member States
- Have been legally registered for at least 2 years
- Be able to provide official proof of registration
- Hold a bank account capable of receiving international transfers
- Demonstrate significant experience in the performing arts and/or music sectors
Target groups: performing arts companies, musical ensembles, Africa-based artistic collectives, production agencies, artist development/support organisations, record labels, performance venues, cultural spaces, festivals, professional markets, trade fairs, and professional networking events.
Eligible project types:
- Touring in Africa: minimum 5 confirmed performance dates across at least 3 countries, excluding the artist's/company's country of residence
- Touring in Europe: minimum 3 confirmed performance dates in one or more European countries
- Programming: festivals or cultural events (in Africa or Europe) programming at least 3 artistic teams from at least 3 different African countries; artists from the host country are not eligible
Eligible Sub-Saharan African countries span West Africa (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo), Central Africa (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, DR Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, São Tomé and Príncipe), Southern Africa (South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia), and East Africa (Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Uganda, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe), plus all 27 EU Member States.
Program Benefits & Awards
- Grant amount: EUR 15,000 minimum to EUR 39,500 maximum per selected project (total call budget: EUR 445,000)
- The grant may cover up to 70% of the total project budget; applicants must provide a minimum 30% co-financing (financial or in-kind)
- Eligible costs: international, national, and local travel (economy class or equivalent), visa costs, insurance, accommodation, per diems, and transportation of technical/stage equipment
- Disbursement: 80% upon signature of the grant agreement, 20% upon project completion following approval of narrative and financial reports
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
- Application form
- Project presentation document (free format)
- Provisional budget
- Implementation timeline
- Logical framework
- Declaration of honour regarding exclusion criteria and absence of conflicts of interest
- Applications must use the mandatory document templates provided with the call; non-compliant or incomplete applications will be deemed ineligible
- Applications must be submitted in French or English
- Use of AI tools in preparing applications is permitted, provided each application retains its originality, distinct identity, and authentic thinking
How to Apply?
Online Applications
Key Dates
- Launch of the call: 9 July 2026
- Information webinar: 16 July 2026
- Application Deadline: 30 September 2026
- Selection committee meeting: December 2026
- Announcement of results: January 2027
- Project implementation period: February–December 2027
Location
Sub-Saharan Africa/ in one or more EU countries
Additional Details
- Selection criteria include contribution to circulation of African artistic productions, artistic quality, relevance of dissemination strategy, technical/financial feasibility, quality of partnerships, expected impact on visibility and professional development, and capacity to reach new audiences
- Particular attention is given to projects that are original and context-driven, foster long-term collaborations, support younger generations, promote emerging artistic scenes, integrate environmentally sustainable approaches, and address inclusion and accessibility
- Selection process: eligibility check, assessment by independent assessors, then review by a selection committee including Expertise France, Institut français, project team, and independent experts; results communicated by email
- Contact: connectandcreate@expertisefrance.fr