Culture Moves Salone launches 3rd Mobility Fund call to boost cultural exchange across Africa

The Culture Moves Salone programme has officially launched the third call of its Mobility Fund, offering new opportunities for Sierra Leonean cultural and creative professionals to expand their work across Africa and strengthen the country’s creative ecosystem.

Funded by the European Union and managed by the EU Delegation to Sierra Leone, Culture Moves Salone supports the development of Sierra Leone’s cultural and creative sectors by fostering skills, collaboration, and access to regional and international markets. The Mobility Fund is a key component of this effort, providing targeted financial support for artists, cultural organisations, and creative businesses to engage in professional exchanges and capacity-building activities. 

A new phase: scaling impact through Fund 3

The newly launched Fund 3 call represents a second-stage opportunity designed to build on earlier mobility experiences. It targets professionals and organisations that have already developed projects or partnerships and are ready to scale them up, deepen collaborations, and strengthen long-term impact.

Open from 27 May to 30 June 2026, this call will award 4 to 6 grants of up to 285,000 SLE (approximately €10,000), supporting more ambitious and structured initiatives. 

Fund 3 focuses on reinforcing the sustainability and professionalisation of Sierra Leone’s cultural actors. It offers flexible support for a wide range of activities, including:

• Creative production and dissemination, such as exhibitions, performances or festivals
• Partnership-building and co-creation across African countries
• Skills development and knowledge exchange, including workshops, residencies and peer learning
• Organisational capacity-building, including equipment and operational support for cultural organisations
• Mobility within Africa, both outbound and inbound, to foster long-term networks and collaboration

In addition to funding projects, the call encourages applicants to consolidate relationships and learning outcomes from previous mobility experiences supported under earlier calls. 

Who can apply?

The call is open to cultural and creative professionals based in Sierra Leone, including:

• Individual artists and creatives
• Cultural organisations and collectives
• Public cultural institutions
• Creative businesses and entrepreneurs

Applicants must be at least 18 years old and able to demonstrate residence in Sierra Leone. 

All cultural and creative sectors are eligible, spanning fields such as music, film, visual arts, design, literature, cultural heritage, performing arts, and more.

Expected impact

Projects supported under Fund 3 are expected to:

• Strengthen cultural production and creative output in Sierra Leone
• Enhance sustainability and professional capacity of cultural actors
• Foster lasting partnerships at national and regional levels
• Increase visibility of Sierra Leonean culture across Africa
• Improve access to new audiences and markets

Practical details

Selected beneficiaries will receive 80% of the grant upfront, with the remaining 20% released upon completion and submission of project outcomes. 

To apply, applicants must submit an online application form along with a short CV or portfolio.