CALL FOR PROPOSALS
Mobility Grants for Individual Artists and Culture Professionals
Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture
Sub-Saharan Africa, Connect & Create
Deadline: 16 September 2026
Funded by the European Union
Implemented by Goethe-Institut, Expertise France and Institut français
1. About This Call
1.1 Sub-Saharan Africa, Connect & Create Component
The Sub-Saharan Africa, Connect & Create Component of the Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture programme is implemented by the Goethe-Institut in partnership with Expertise France and Institut français. This €8 million programme (2025–2028) promotes genuine dialogue and cooperation between African and European cultural actors, fostering peer learning exchange, co-creation, and mutual understanding.
About This Mobility Scheme
This mobility scheme primarily supports transcontinental (Africa–Africa) short-term mobility for artists and culture professionals across all sectors. European artists and organisations may also apply, provided they have an established partnership with an African artist, institution, or organisation.
Mobility of all kinds taking place between 1 January and 31 August 2027 will be supported in this Call.
The scheme aims to:
- Strengthen peer learning and professional networks across Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Enable research, co-creation, and collaborative projects that deepen artistic practice.
- Create opportunities for cultural practitioners to access new markets, audiences, and professional contexts.
- Build lasting partnerships that contribute to continental cultural cooperation.
1.2 Our Approach
We recognise that cultural innovation and professional development strengthen when artists and culture professionals engage across borders as equal partners. We prioritise peer learning exchange over traditional capacity building, positioning African practitioners as knowledge creators who shape continental cultural futures. This reflects our commitment to genuine equal-footing partnerships and challenging hierarchical development approaches.
2. Am I Eligible?
Your application is eligible if you meet ALL of the following requirements:
2.1 Personal Requirements
- You are 18 years old or older.
- You are currently based in Sub-Saharan Africa OR in the European Union.
- Your mobility is set to take place between 1 January 2027 and 31 August 2027.
- If based in the EU, you must demonstrate existing partnerships, collaborations, or previous engagement with African cultural actors.
Professional Requirements
- You are an artist or culture professional linked to artistic disciplines including: visual arts, performing arts, music, literature, film, media arts, cultural heritage, design, architecture, or fashion design.
- You have a clear mobility purpose that aligns with the programme objectives.
- You have established connections or confirmed invitations in your destination country.
Application Requirements
- You are applying as an individual (not as a group or organisation).
- You can provide confirmation of your mobility activity (invitation letter, festival registration, research approval, or official documentation).
Individual Applications Only
This grant supports individual professional mobility. If you are part of an organisation or collective, you must submit your own individual application describing your individual professional development objectives.
If your mobility depends on travelling as an ensemble or group (rather than as individuals attending the same event), this is not the right grant for you. Explore WP3 and WP1B Performing Arts grants (managed by Expertise France and Institut français), which support ensemble mobility, or ask via the GAP Portal messaging system which grant best suits your needs.
2.2 You Cannot Apply If You
- Are under 18 years old.
- Have a mobility set to take place outside 1 January 2027 – 31 August 2027.
- Are staff or immediate family members of Goethe-Institut, Expertise France, Institut français, or the European Commission.
- Are subject to EU restrictive measures.
- Have been previously excluded from EU-funded projects.
2.3 Key Dates
Application Open: 15 August 2026
Application Close: 16 September 2026
Notification: Mid-November 2026
Contracting: Mid-November – End November 2026
Mobility Implementation Window: 1 January 2027 – 31 August 2027
Maximum Grant Amount: €4,000 per mobility (before additional support)
Applications via: Goethe-Application Portal (GAP) only
2.4 Eligible Countries
Sub-Saharan Africa: All countries in Sub-Saharan Africa
European Union: All EU Member States
Sub-Saharan African Countries
East Africa: Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
West Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo.
Central Africa: Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of Congo, São Tomé and Príncipe.
Southern Africa: Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa.
Note: Countries covered by other components of the Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture programme are included for coordination purposes but may have specific arrangements.
European Union Member States
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.
3. What You Can Apply For
The grant covers up to €4,000 per mobility, made up of:
Travel: International and domestic airfare, rail, or other transport. Flights are calculated at a flat rate of €1,500 for travel within Sub-Saharan Africa and €1,000 for travel between Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe. Other travel is costed individually. Visa and insurance costs are reimbursed as actual costs.
Accommodation and subsistence: Pre-calculated lump sums, which vary by destination to reflect realistic living costs. The budget template will show the applicable rates for your destination.
On top of the €4,000 base grant, you can request:
- Family Support — childcare or family care costs.
- Disability Support — costs linked to accessibility needs.
4. How to Apply
4.1 Application Language
All applications must be submitted in English. Supporting documents in other languages must include English translations.
Language support: You are welcome to use AI translation tools to prepare your application text — please note this in the Feedback step of the form if you did.
Certified translations are required only for legal documents, such as registration certificates or official statutes, not for your application text.
4.2 Documents You Need to Prepare
Before starting, please prepare the following.
These are three distinct things — please don’t combine them:
Portfolio — files or online links with clear examples of your work, including photos or other visuals. The jury should be able to see what you do, not just read about it.
Biography — a short paragraph about you and your professional career. Keep it brief but strong: a few sentences, not a full history.
CV — a tabled breakdown of your career: roles, organisations, and dates, in table form. This is not the same as your Biography — it should read as a clear, scannable table, not a narrative document.
You will also need:
- Confirmation of your mobility activity — an invitation letter, festival registration, or other official documentation. If your mobility is festival-linked, this document must name you personally; a general registration or programme listing is not enough on its own.
- A project timeline/schedule.
- Proof of identity (passport or national ID).
- A detailed budget, using the GAP budget template.
- Optional: additional portfolio links (up to 3), and letters of support from collaborators or partners.
Should you need to apply for additional support for Family Support or Disability or Accessibility Support, you will be required to submit additional documents in support of your application.
4.3 Family Support
Amount: EUR 300 per dependent child under 18 years of age.
Acceptable supporting documents:
- Evidence demonstrating parental responsibility or legal guardianship.
- Birth certificate.
- Passport or national ID of the child.
- School registration or enrolment document showing the child’s name and family relationship to the grantee.
- Family registration document.
4.4 Disability and Accessibility Support
Amount: EUR 30 per implementation day.
Acceptable supporting documents:
- Official disability certificate or disability card.
- Documentation issued by a government authority.
- Medical certificate or report issued by a qualified health professional.
- Documentation issued by a recognised hospital, clinic, rehabilitation centre, or similar institution.
- Other reasonable evidence demonstrating disability and accessibility needs where official documentation is not available.
Equivalent forms of evidence may be accepted where official documentation is unavailable. Exceptional cases will be assessed individually.
4.5 Before You Write Anything: Keep It Short
Across the application, favour clear, short text over long narrative. A few precise sentences that say exactly what you want to achieve — and why it matters, both for you and for your community and surroundings — will serve you better than several paragraphs.
The jury reviews a large number of applications; clarity helps your application, it doesn’t limit it.
Submitting
- Complete the form online via the Goethe-Application Portal (GAP).
- Save your draft at any time — you can return to complete it later.
- Submit before the deadline.
- Once submitted, no changes are possible — please review carefully before submitting.
- No application or supporting documentation will be accepted via email.
5. Eligible Activities
Mobility grants support short-term professional exchanges that strengthen artistic understanding and practice as well as professional networks.
5.1 Eligible Activities Include
Artistic and Professional Development
- Research of cultural heritage, ecosystems, and artistic practices informing creative work.
- Co-creation or co-development in any artistic discipline with artists from other countries.
- Participation in mentorships, residencies, or structured learning programmes.
- Development and reinforcement of international professional relationships.
Cultural Exchange and Professional Networking
- Invitations to participate in residencies, exhibitions, or significant cultural events.
- Attendance or performance at professional conferences, festivals, or international events.
- Professional skills exchange, development or training.
5.2 Budget Framework
Maximum Grant Amount: €4,000 per mobility grant (before additional support).
5.3 Eligible Costs
The grant covers mobility costs structured as follows:
5.4 Travel
- International and domestic airfare, rail, or other transport.
- Flights are calculated at a flat rate of €1,500 for travel within Sub-Saharan Africa, i.e. intracontinental travel, and €1,000 for travel between Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe, i.e. intercontinental travel. All other travel can be specified by the applicant as flat rates do not apply.
- Visa and insurance costs (actual costs, refund basis).
5.5 Accommodation and Subsistence
- Pre-calculated lump sums for accommodation and per diem for different destinations and cities.
- Lump sums vary by geographic location to reflect actual living costs.
5.6 Co-funding and Budget Realism
Your budget should reflect your individual mobility needs.
All funding sources must be declared; we review budgets for realistic cost allocation and necessity. Additional funding sources will reduce the total grant amount. So, if you find your grant to be above €4,000 (excluding additional support), state your additional funding that will supplement the grant so that you are within the €4,000 grant limit.
Double funding of the same cost item is not permitted. Grant amounts may be adjusted where necessary to ensure compliance with EU funding rules and to avoid double financing.
Applications with amounts exceeding €4,000 (excluding additional support) will be excluded from evaluation.
6. Award Criteria
6.1 Artistic Quality and Innovation — 25%
- Artistic quality and relevance to continental or international audiences of performance or training project related to mobility.
- Innovation, collaboration, and experimentation with new artistic forms.
- Integration of digital approaches where appropriate.
6.2 Relevance to Programme Objectives — 25%
- Clear connection to the Sub-Saharan Africa, Connect & Create programme goals (see Introduction, Targets and Goals of Programme).
- Necessity of the mobility to achieve stated professional development objectives.
- Potential to contribute to peer learning exchange and mutual understanding between African and European contexts.
6.3 Quality of Preparation — 20%
- Thoroughness of mobility planning and timeline.
- Quality of partnerships and confirmed connections in destination country.
- Realistic budget and well-structured implementation plan.
6.4 Longer-Term Impact — 20%
- Potential to open lasting opportunities and strengthen professional networks.
- Expected career development outcomes and market access.
- Contribution to cultural ecosystem: How will the mobility benefit your broader artistic community, local cultural infrastructure, or professional peers through knowledge sharing, collaboration opportunities, or enhanced cultural sector visibility?
- Community engagement and knowledge transfer.
6.5 Technical Capacity — 10%
- Demonstrated ability to implement proposed activities.
- Track record in relevant artistic or professional field.
- Administrative capacity to meet grant requirements.
6.6 Cross-Cutting Considerations
Final selection ensures:
- Geographic Diversity: Balanced representation across eligible countries. The primary focus lies on Sub-Saharan Africa mobility support.
- Gender Equality: Target of 50% female/nonbinary participation.
- Inclusion: Priority for applicants with disabilities, from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds, or based outside major urban centres.
- Career Stage: Balance between emerging, mid-career, and established professionals.
- Linguistic Diversity: Representation across different linguistic areas.
7. Selection Process
7.1 Evaluation Stages
Stage 1: Eligibility Check
- Administrative compliance and completeness review.
- Eligibility criteria verification.
Stage 2: Technical Evaluation
- Assessment against award criteria (including ecosystem contribution).
- Budget review for cost-effectiveness and necessity.
- Risk assessment.
Stage 3: Selection Committee Review
- External expert jury evaluation.
- Geographic and demographic balance review.
- Final selection and ranking.
7.2 Selection Committee
The jury comprises:
- Cultural sector experts from Africa and Europe.
- Representatives of relevant cultural networks.
- Independent external evaluators.
- Committee composition ensures gender balance, geographic representation, sectoral expertise, and linguistic diversity.
7.3 Grant Agreement
Successful applicants sign a grant agreement specifying:
- Grant amount and payment schedule.
- Project implementation requirements.
- Reporting and monitoring obligations.
- Visibility and communication requirements.
7.4 Grant Schedule
First Payment (Pre-financing)
- 80% of the approved lump-sum grant amount upon signature of the Grant Agreement, submission of the Payment Request Form, and commencement of the mobility activity.
- Approved Family Support or Disability Support may be paid in full at this stage where all required supporting documentation and eligibility verification have been completed.
Interim Payment (if applicable)
- Additional top-up funding may be paid during implementation where eligibility verification is completed after the first payment.
Final Payment
- The remaining 20% of the lump-sum grant amount.
- Any eligible actual costs such as visa and insurance costs.
- Payable after successful completion of the mobility, submission and approval of all required reports and supporting documentation.
All payments remain subject to compliance with the Grant Agreement and programme requirements.
7.5 Reporting Requirements
- Kick-off video: Submit a short video on day 1 of your mobility.
- On-Mobility Report: Submit a progress report at a point during your mobility that makes sense for your schedule.
- Post-Mobility Report: Submit your completed comprehensive final report and all financial documentation.
7.6 Financial Reporting
Lump-sum components of the grant are not subject to financial reconciliation, provided that the approved mobility activity has been implemented.
Cost categories reimbursed on the basis of actual costs must be supported by appropriate documentation and proof of expenditure.
Any unsupported, ineligible, or overpaid amounts may be recovered in accordance with the Grant Agreement.
8. Grantee Support
Mandatory orientation workshop for successful applicants.
- Regular check-ins via GAP Portal.
- Technical assistance throughout implementation.
- Networking opportunities with other grantees.
8.1 Administrative Information
Contact Information — Programme Management:
Goethe-Institut Johannesburg
119 Jan Smuts Avenue
Johannesburg, 2194 Gauteng
South Africa
General Support: Using the chat and Mail functions of the GAP Portal.
Technical Assistance: For all GAP-related enquiries: [email protected]
8.2 Legal Framework
Governing Law: German law and EU regulations.
8.3 Data Protection
GDPR compliance mandatory.
8.4 Language
English version legally binding.
Important Notes
- Applications submitted after 16 September 2026 will not be considered.
- All application-related queries must be sent by 1 September 2026. No application-related queries will be attended to after this date. Please ensure you interact with the application in time. You will be able to complete and save the application on GAP to come back to later.
- Incomplete applications will be rejected.
- False information may lead to exclusion and grant recovery.