Our vision
Transforming Cultural Cooperation Through Strategic Integration
AEPC represents a fundamental shift from bilateral cultural relations to multilateral ecosystem thinking. Rather than isolated projects, we've designed three components that work together as interconnected infrastructure for sustainable Africa-Europe cultural cooperation.
The Continental component establishes the foundational systems—mobility schemes enabling over 600 artists and cultural professionals to build international networks, capacity building for 50+ arts and culture spaces, and dedicated support for performing and visual arts sectors. This creates the essential infrastructure that allows cultural exchange to flourish.
Building on this foundation, the West African component addresses regional integration through six transnational festival clusters spanning 15 countries. By focusing on festivals—which naturally bring together multiple artistic sectors and attract diverse audiences—this component creates powerful platforms for both intra-African cooperation and Africa-Europe partnerships. Over 250 festival professionals and 450+ artists develop internationalisation skills that transform regional cultural landscapes.
The Southern African component addresses a different challenge: making local cultural heritage globally relevant. Through partnerships between heritage organisations and contemporary artists, this component demonstrates how traditional knowledge systems can inspire new narratives that speak to universal human experiences whilst preserving cultural authenticity.
Strategic synergies emerge through coordinated planning. Artists receiving Continental mobility grants can participate in West African festivals, which in turn might commission works inspired by Southern African heritage narratives. A handbook on gender-inclusive festivals developed in West Africa benefits all components. Visual arts capacity building aligns across Continental and West African components.
This systematic approach addresses every level of cultural cooperation: individual artist development, institutional capacity building, regional integration, international partnerships, and audience development. Rather than supporting isolated activities, AEPC creates sustainable networks that generate ongoing collaboration beyond programme timelines.
The Overarching Exchange Forum ensures strategic coordination whilst avoiding duplication. With unified project leadership based in Johannesburg maintaining conceptual coherence across all components, AEPC functions as a single programme rather than three separate initiatives.
Long-term impact comes through building cultural ecosystem capacity rather than funding individual projects. When festival workers develop internationalisation skills, when heritage organisations learn audience development strategies, when artists build cross-continental networks—these capabilities multiply throughout their careers and communities.
AEPC transforms how Africa-Europe cultural cooperation works: from aid-based approaches to partnership-based ecosystem building.
The Continental component establishes the foundational systems—mobility schemes enabling over 600 artists and cultural professionals to build international networks, capacity building for 50+ arts and culture spaces, and dedicated support for performing and visual arts sectors. This creates the essential infrastructure that allows cultural exchange to flourish.
Building on this foundation, the West African component addresses regional integration through six transnational festival clusters spanning 15 countries. By focusing on festivals—which naturally bring together multiple artistic sectors and attract diverse audiences—this component creates powerful platforms for both intra-African cooperation and Africa-Europe partnerships. Over 250 festival professionals and 450+ artists develop internationalisation skills that transform regional cultural landscapes.
The Southern African component addresses a different challenge: making local cultural heritage globally relevant. Through partnerships between heritage organisations and contemporary artists, this component demonstrates how traditional knowledge systems can inspire new narratives that speak to universal human experiences whilst preserving cultural authenticity.
Strategic synergies emerge through coordinated planning. Artists receiving Continental mobility grants can participate in West African festivals, which in turn might commission works inspired by Southern African heritage narratives. A handbook on gender-inclusive festivals developed in West Africa benefits all components. Visual arts capacity building aligns across Continental and West African components.
This systematic approach addresses every level of cultural cooperation: individual artist development, institutional capacity building, regional integration, international partnerships, and audience development. Rather than supporting isolated activities, AEPC creates sustainable networks that generate ongoing collaboration beyond programme timelines.
The Overarching Exchange Forum ensures strategic coordination whilst avoiding duplication. With unified project leadership based in Johannesburg maintaining conceptual coherence across all components, AEPC functions as a single programme rather than three separate initiatives.
Long-term impact comes through building cultural ecosystem capacity rather than funding individual projects. When festival workers develop internationalisation skills, when heritage organisations learn audience development strategies, when artists build cross-continental networks—these capabilities multiply throughout their careers and communities.
AEPC transforms how Africa-Europe cultural cooperation works: from aid-based approaches to partnership-based ecosystem building.