The cultural and creative sector in East Africa is a sleeping giant. Experts argue that the sector can thrive when given a little push in the right direction.
Hivos East Africa’s interest in this sector emerges from the right to free expression. While the sector has the power to stimulate economic growth and social justice, it also has the ability to bolster freedom of expression by giving artists and creatives, opportunities to question dominant structures in society, propose alternatives and bring about change.
Our pioneering program, Resource of Open Minds (R.O.O.M) supports a new generation of artists from all creative disciplines to promote critical content and lead the resistance to the shrinking civic space in East Africa.
To this end, Hivos East Africa is offering a limited number of creative and cultural content production grants of up to Euro 15,000 each, for artists working in the production of audio-visual, independent and conscious work. The grants are divided in the below categories:
- Film
- Fashion
- Creative Design
- Music Production
- Online Content Creation
- Photography
- Virtual Reality and Gaming
- Media
Why apply
Grantees will receive training and expert advice on business management, content monetization and content creation. In addition to this, Hivos East Africa will organize various linking and learning sessions where grantees will interact and share experiences, challenges and lessons with their peers and experts from around Africa.
Are you eligible?
The call is open to artists, artistic collectives, creative hubs and content creators working on creative and cultural content production in East Africa. Applicants must be based in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
Recipients will be determined on the basis of their artistic imagination and their ability to produce independent and conscious work that challenges or questions norms in society. Hivos East Africa seeks to support artists who demonstrate a serious commitment to the field, who are professionally active or employed in the field.
Is your work eligible?
The content or work should show alternative viewpoints on big issues affecting society that challenges or question certain norms. Further, it should also enhance public debate through enabling alternative viewpoints to mainstream societal narratives. The proposal should not exceed Euro 15,000 and should be completed within a period of 3-6 months.
What’s the timeline?
- Application period: 24 March- 30 April 2019
- Application deadline: 30 April 2019 at 11:59pm EAT
- Application period: 24 March- 30 April 2019
- Application deadline: 30 April 2019 at 11:59pm EAT
- Application period: 24 March- 30 April 2019
- Application deadline: 30 April 2019 at 11:59pm EAT
- Application period: 24 March- 30 April 2019
- Application deadline: 30 April 2019 at 11:59pm EAT
- Application period: 24 March- 30 April 2019
- Application deadline: 30 April 2019 at 11:59pm EAT
- Application period: 24 March- 30 April 2019
- Application deadline: 30 April 2019 at 11:59pm EAT
Virtual reality and gaming grants:
- Application period: 24 March- 30 April 2019
- Application deadline: 30 April 2019 at 11:59pm EAT
Feedback and announcement
Recipients will be notified after the application review process is complete. All grant funds must be used to further the artist’s creative endeavors. Recipients will be asked to provide an accounting of the use of funds.
Information sessions
How to Apply:
Send an application (not more than 4 pages) with the following information:
- Name of the entity.
- Start and estimated end date of the project.
- Short description of your work including a brief description of activities that will be undertaken using this grant.
- The requested amount.
- One example of a previous creative work that you/ your organization have produced that provides alternative points of view on big issues affecting society and that challenges or questions a certain norm in society.
- Organisation registration documents.
All applications should be in English and should not be longer than 4 pages long. Applications must be submitted to GrantsEA@hivos.org with the subject line that corresponds to the relevant grant. More information on how to apply can be found here.
