General

Culture at Work Africa has launched its Second Call for Proposals on 17 January 2019 to support innovative on-the-ground projects aiming at developing safe and neutral spaces for intercultural dialogue and to promote active citizenship and intercommunity relations. Since it was launched, some questions –in English and French- have been received to ask details of this call, such as which countries are eligible or if there are any essential changes to this second call. All the questions received, and their answers, have been compiled and they are now available in a new FAQs section of the Culture at Work Africa website. The Call is open until 15 April 2019, at 12:00 (GMT). Culture at Work Africa is co-funded by the European Union and implemented by a consortium led by Interarts.

Culture at Work Africa has launched its Second Call for Proposals on 15 January 2019 to support innovative on-the-ground projects aiming at developing safe and neutral spaces for intercultural dialogue and to promote active citizenship and intercommunity relations.

The Call for Proposals contains two lots and is open to organisations legally registered in one of the following African countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

The Call is open until 15 April 2019, at 12:00 (GMT), last deadline to submit applications.

Link to the call

The Culture at Work Africa Project Steering Committee has evaluated the 253 applications received under the 1st Call for proposals launched by Culture at Work Africa. Applications were submitted from Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

The final evaluation took place during the Project Steering Committee meeting on 29 October, 2018, in Brussels, Belgium.

The evaluation results are herewith published:

  1. Of the 253 applications, 114 projects proposals were not eligible since they did not comply with the Call’s guidelines and/or its formal requirements.
  2. 139 applications were assessed as eligible and were graded according to the evaluation criteria: 95 scored a mark under the threshold of 75/100, and, consequently, were not admitted to the final phase of the evaluation; 44 scored a mark equal to or higher than 75/100, and were therefore admitted to the final phase of the evaluation.
  3. In compliance with the evaluation criteria and the financial provision available, 15 applications have been selected for the award of a grant.
  4. A further 5 applications have been included in a reserve list: applications in this reserve list might eventually be awarded a grant, ONLY if any of the 15 grantees is not able to sign the contract and/or implement the awarded project within three months following the publication and communication of the results.

Culture at Work Africa reserves the right not to award all available funds if the grantees are not capable of implementing their projects according to the selection criteria and the guidelines of the 1st Call.

Download the list of not eligible applications here.
Download the list of admitted projects here.
Download the list of awarded projects here.
Download the reserve list here.

Photo credits: by One zone Studio on Unsplash.

The 1st Call for proposals of the ‘Culture at Work Africa – Promoting the Public Value of Culture for Social Cohesion and Urban Development’ project closed on 21 September 2018, with a total of 253 applications received from 15 African countries: 44 proposals from Benin, 26 from Kenya, 23 from Democratic Republic of Congo, 22 from Burkina Faso, 20 from Cameroun, 19 from Senegal, 15 from Nigeria, 14 from Côte d’Ivoire, 12 from Uganda, 12 from Zimbabwe, 12 from Mali, 11 from Togo, 7 from Niger, 6 from Tanzania and 3 from Rwanda.

The project proposals address a wide variety of themes related to culture thus testifying to the diversity and richness of cultural expressions in Africa. Some of the main themes include intercultural dialogue, transfer of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural practices, as well as social inclusion of children, young people and women through artistic activities such as theatre, music, visual arts, cinema, etc. Moreover, projects submitted under Lot 2 seek to strengthen the professional capacities of artists and cultural professionals in networking, cultural mediation and intercultural dialogue. Finally, regional cooperation is an important dimension of a number of proposals; over 80 applicants foresee to carry out their activities in more than one African country.

The evaluation process is now taking place and the results are expected to be announced by the beginning of November. Stakeholders who have not been able to submit an application, are invited to follow the information on our website and social media: Culture at Work Africa will launch a second Call for proposals in December 2018.

Photo credits: by Kamryn Hinojos on Unsplash.

On 21 September 2018 the first Call for proposals of the ‘Culture at Work Africa – Promoting the Public Value of Culture for Social Cohesion and Urban Development’ project was successfully closed. A total of 253 applications was received from 15 African countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The high number of applications is a success which testifies to a thriving and professional cultural sector in Africa.

The call supports innovative on-the-ground projects aiming at developing safe and neutral spaces for intercultural dialogue and at promoting active citizenship and intercommunity relations. The results of the evaluation process will be announced beginning of November 2018. For all those who have not been able to submit an application, please stay tuned: Culture at Work Africa will launch a second Call for proposals in December 2018.

‘Culture at Work Africa’ is a project co-funded by the European Union and implemented by Interarts, Arterial Network, the Centre for Fine Arts – BOZAR, Culture et Développement, the Regional Centre for the Living Arts in Africa – CERAV/Afrique, the Culture Fund of  the Zimbabwe Trust, the International Music Council – IMC, and the Committee on Culture of United Cities and Local Governments – UCLG.

Photo credits: by Steven Van on Unsplash.

Culture at Work Africa has launched its First Call for Proposals on 25 June 2018 to support innovative on-the-ground projects aiming at developing safe and neutral spaces for intercultural dialogue and to promote active citizenship and intercommunity relations.

The Call for Proposals contains two lots and is open to organisations legally registered in one of the following African countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The Call is open until 21 September 2018, at 12:00 (GMT), last deadline to submit applications.

Link to the call.

Video ‘How to apply’

Photo credits: singer Edith weUtonga @Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust

On June 4th, in the framework of the European Development Days 2018 (EDD2018), the Centre for Fine Arts – BOZAR (Brussels, Belgium) hosted the presentation of the project ‘Culture at Work Africa – The Public Value of Culture for Social Cohesion and Urban Development in Africa’, co-funded by the European Union. Over 50 people attended the event and had the opportunity to learn about the key features of this initiative that will support projects, from 15 African countries, that aim to develop safe and neutral spaces for the intercultural dialogue, strengthen multi-stakeholders’ national and transnational cooperation, capacity building and networking opportunities, and to promote citizenship and intercommunity relations.

Three speakers took the floor at the event. Paul Dujardin, CEO and Artistic Director of BOZAR, and member of the project consortium, opened the event by highlighting the organisation’s cooperation experience in Africa. Mercedes Giovinazzo, Director of Interarts, the lead partner of Culture at Work Africa consortium, presented the main objectives and activities of Culture at Work Africa. And, Angélique Kidjo, renowned African artist and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, emphasised the importance of such a project that will support on-the-ground projects in Africa. She also underlined that now, for Africa, it is time “to act, not to talk” and that the cultural sector in the continent should take up an active role in contributing to shape sustainable societies.

Photo credits: by Claudia Rosignoli – Interarts

The ‘Culture at Work Africa – The Public Value of Intercultural Dialogue for Social Cohesion in Urban Africa’ project was presented at the MASA 2018 Festival (10-17 March 2018, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire), an annual event organised by the cultural platform for the promotion of African Performing Arts – MASA. Arterial Network, the IMC, Culture et Développement and CERAV, partners of the “Culture at Work Africa” project, explained to the local and international media the main objectives and activities of this initiative which brings together eight African, European and international partners, and is co-funded by the European Union.

The main activities carried out by Culture at Work Africa until 2021 include: two calls for applications; training and capacity-building of cultural operators, public authorities and cultural mediators; networking and exchanges between different stakeholders; as well as awareness raising activities (campaigns, exhibitions, conferences, etc.) on the importance of culture and cultural diversity for sustainable human development in Africa.