Research report #3: Rethinking Africa-Europe cultural relations: Toward an AU–EU cultural cooperation fit for the future

From January to November 2025, culture Solutions experts Elise Cuny, Damien Helly, and Linda Mbeki conducted a joint research project with the South African Cultural Observatory, examining trends shaping cultural relations between Africa and Europe. The research was supported by the Africa-Europe Foundation as part of the AEF’s multiannual strategic research programme implemented in partnership with leading think tanks and research institutes. This report is one of two deliverables from the project.

The research report focuses on the policy frameworks guiding Africa–Europe cultural cooperation and the development of cultural and creative industries (CCIs) on the African continent, with particular attention to Sub-Saharan Africa. It provides a unique analysis of EU funding programmes supporting cultural cooperation and CCIs from 2019 to the present, assessing the impact of the Global Gateway strategy, as well as the emergence of the Africa–Europe Partnerships for Culture and the application of the Team Europe approach in the cultural field.

The report also explores new approaches to financing cultural cooperation and proposes innovative ways to support CCIs in alignment with EU priorities. In parallel, the South African Cultural Observatory applied a foresight methodology to identify the skills needed by creatives to foster job creation and youth employment, particularly in light of ongoing transformations in cultural cooperation. Preliminary findings are presented in Gaylard, J., Joffe, Mtotywa, M., A., Pearse, N., Shelver, A., Vitshima, S. (2025) Creative Futures: A Preliminary Exploration of Youth Perceptions on Cultural Cooperation and its Potential in Africa and Europe.