EU Launches €30m Initiative To Empower Artists, Promote Culture

The European Union (EU) has launched the Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture (AEPC) Nigeria Cluster to empower artists, expand creative networks and build stronger bridges between Africa and Europe.

The €30 million EU-funded project, implemented by the Goethe-Institut, will promote international collaboration opportunities for Nigerian artists, cultural organisations and creative professionals across Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe, advancing mutual exchange and co-creation.

Speaking during the  launch of the AEPC Nigeria Cluster in Lagos, Gautier Mignot, EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, stated that culture remained central to sustainable development, social cohesion and inclusive growth.

“We see culture as a driver of mutual understanding, creative innovation, and economic opportunity,” he said.

Emphasising that the launch of the initiative in Nigeria signaled the EU’s strong support for cultural cooperation between Africa and Europe, he added:

“Culture is part and parcel of our Global Gateway strategy, aiming at connecting people and creating opportunities and sustainable shared prosperity.

“The EU remains committed to deepening partnerships that amplify African voices and foster cultural diversity. Our goal is to create spaces where voices can be heard, where creative talents can grow without limits, and where stories that often remain unseen and forgotten can find themselves in the global community.”

Amb. Mignot highlighted several EU-funded cultural programmes in Africa as evidence of its commitment to promoting Africa–Europe cultural relations..“In fact, AEPC is not the only proof of our commitment.