Africalia, that's
25 years of creativity
for the world
of tomorrow
In 2025, we are celebrating 25 years of
cultural cooperation
reimagined narratives
shared creativity
artistic inspiration
Since 2000, Africalia has been working to promote the cultural sector and highlight the undeniable value of culture in strengthening sustainable human development. Take a look back at the key moments in our 25 years of activity.
Africalia is established on December 4th, 2000. Eddy Boutmans, then Secretary of State for Development Cooperation, recognises he potential of culture to stimulate social growth. He wishes to integrate a cultural dimension into Belgian development cooperation. On the basis of calls for projects, Africalia supports projects on the entire African continent. Initially, the organisation receives funding from the National Lottery, then from 2004 onwards from the Directorate-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid (DGD).
From November 1st to 3rd, Africalia organises a conference in Bamako, Mali. More than 80 cultural experts from across Africa gather to discuss the needs of the cultural sector and international cooperation. The ‘Bamako Encounters’ thereby contribute to the debate on sustainable collaboration between Africa and Europe in the field of culture.
Africalia kicks off the ‘African Season ‘03’ at the Centre for Fine Arts in Brussels. For almost a year, the organisation offers shows, exhibitions, and other cultural events focused on contemporary African and Afro-descendant artistic expression in several Belgian cities. The ‘Caravane d’Africalia’, for example, brings theatre, dance, and cinema to a wide audience, while the ‘Transferts’ exhibition presents the works of contemporary artists from Africa.
A few months after the Bamako Encounters, Africalia publishes its first official book: ‘African Cultural Dynamics’. The book brings together the contributions from the experts present at the conference. It is the start of Africalia’s publishing activities, which have since included books, films, and exhibitions. Among these publications are the ‘Africalia Editions’ series of photo books showcasing the work of African photographers, as well as comic books, such as ‘Paul Panda Farnana, une vie oubliée’, which recounts a significant chapter in Congolese-Belgian history.
October 20th, 2005, UNESCO adopts the ‘Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions’. The Convention recognises the link between cultural and sustainable development. Africalia welcomes its adoption as a true victory for culture and artists. In 2016, Africalia becomes an observer member of the Convention. Since then, the organisation actively participates in discussions at UNESCO regarding its implementation.
Up until 2006, Africalia supports around 100 projects across Africa each year. From 2007 onwards, the organisation opts for a more sustainable approach/strong>, by collaborating with a limited number of fixed partners over the medium term. The first multiannual programme runs from 2009 to 2011 and supports 34 partners in 5 countries: Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. The 2012-2014 programme will subsequently be extended to Rwanda and Senegal.
With the launch of ‘Je danse donc je suis’, Africalia takes the lead on a programme funded by the European Union. The three-year artistic course is designed to introduce young people to choreographic expression. Two associated training centres, CDC La Termitière in Ouagadougou and Donko Seko in Bamako, coach them towards professional excellence. At the same time, the ‘Cinetoile’ programme takes shape. On the initiative of Africalia and funded by the EU, a network of cinema organisations from eight African countries brings film screenings to difficult-to-access areas.
In the 2017-2021 multiannual programme, Africalia includes Belgium as a target country for the first time. The organisation now collaborates on a structural basis with Belgian cultural institutions. Its aim is to enhance the visibility of African and Afro-descendant cultures in Belgium and to contribute to global citizenship education.
Convinced of the economic potential of culture, Africalia integrates a new target group into its programmes: cultural and creative entrepreneurs. In collaboration with Danish Embassy in Burkina Faso, the organisation launches for the first time a programme aimed at supporting creative entrepreneurship: the intensive training course B-FASO CREATIVE. The successful initiative inspires other similar support programmes for entrepreneurs, such as Afrique Créative, MOZALISI-KIN, and Koola Kampala.
Enabel and Africalia sign a framework agreement, marking their shared commitment to collaborating on culture and development. Enabel has called on Africalia’s expertise for projects in Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic and Guinea, as well as for the pan-African Prix AWA initiative, celebrating female entrepreneurs across the continent. Today, Africalia works alongside Enabel in Burkina Faso and Burundi. In the DRC, it is the main implementing partner of the Jeunesse Créative programme, which aims to promote access to culture for young people.
The Afrique Créative programme kicks off. Financed by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and implemented by Africalia in collaboration with a consortium of expert partner organisations, the programme aims to accelerate cultural entrepreneurs to boost the growth of their businesses. After two successful editions, Africalia wraps up the third edition of Afrique Créative in 2025 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Africalia launches the ‘Creativity Is Life’ scholarships. 50 artists, mostly young talents, receive a grant to carry out their artistic projects during the crisis period, in a ‘creative residency at home’. In this way, Africalia continues to support artistic creation. Through mobility grants in particular, the organisation continues to respond today to the pressing needs of the sector and helps to facilitate cultural mobility on the African continent.
With the Projet d’Appui Sectoriel aux Acteurs Culturels et Créatifs au Burundi, PASACC-BU, Africalia is leading an EU funded project for the fourth time. Following the ‘Nzorama’ programme, which ran with EU support from 2014 to 2017, Africalia is now expanding its geographical scope of action in a more targeted manner to Burundi. PASACC-BU aims to strengthen economic and social progress, create employment opportunities and improve access to culture in Burundi. The project is completed in March 2024.
Following the 2017-2021 multiannual programme, Africalia begins its fifth multiannual programme in 2022. Under the current programme, Africalia is active in Belgium, Burkina Faso, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, and Uganda. Its activities in Zimbabwe, also one of the target countries of the 2022-2026 programme, are being gradually scaled back and come to an end in 2024.
In December 2025, Africalia celebrates its 25th anniversary. Throughout the jubilee year, its partners in Africa are organising events to mark the occasion. In December, Africalia will conclude the year of celebrations with a special closing event in Brussels.
In December 2025, Africalia will close its anniversary year with a flourish in Brussels. Discover the program.
Creativity is life
Culture and creativity are essential components of sustainable human development. They are key drivers of the African continent’s future economy.
AFRICALIA actively implements this vision by empowering creators and creative organizations, fostering collaboration, providing support for growth, and connecting them to a broader network.
Through these efforts, AFRICALIA is dedicated to showcasing the transformative power of culture and creativity to drive economic innovation and social progress across Africa.
December 4: Key people, highlights
Thursday, December 4, by invitation, Africalia welcomes key people who have contributed to its mission over the years for a VIP day, where they can discuss the highlights of the organization and its impact on the development of the cultural sector.
December 5: reflections and discussions
On December 5th, you are welcome to join us for a day filled with discussions, reflections, and exchanges on cultural cooperation. Africalia is organizing roundtables and inviting experts for keynote presentations on XXX, XXX, XXX.
Throughout the year, Africalia and its partners organize events to celebrate 25 years of international cultural cooperation and support for the creative industries. Discover our activities in various African countries, in Belgium, and online!
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Throughout the year, Africalia and its partners organize events to celebrate 25 years of international cultural cooperation and support for the creative industries. Discover our activities in various African countries, in Belgium, and online!
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Press article
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
Press article
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Africalia's 25th anniversary means 25 years of shared creativity! Share with us your fondest memories of Africalia's work. Your stories will be collected in a digital guestbook. This way, we give a voice to all the people who have contributed to our mission over the past 25 years.
