Groundbreaking M585m EU-Africa cultural partnership
New programme flips traditional dynamics, putting African voices at the forefront of cultural exchange with Europe
MOSA MAOENG
MASERU – Lesotho’s rich cultural heritage is set to gain significant international visibility and support through a major new European Union-funded initiative, the Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture (AEPC), specifically its Southern Africa Component.
This ambitious M585 million (€30 million) programme marks a radical shift towards genuine equality and co-creation in cultural relations between Africa and Europe.
At the heart of the AEPC is an M162 million Sub-Saharan Component, designed to reshape collaboration across the continent and with Europe over 42 months. Crucially, Lesotho is a key beneficiary nation within the dedicated Southern Africa Component, focusing on “heritage narrative development” alongside Botswana, eSwatini, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, as well as exchanges with Europe.
The Sub-Saharan Component seeks to prioritise African perspectives and leadership in all programme activities. This initiative established genuine co-responsibility between African and European cultural stakeholders across decision-making, resource allocation, and creative direction.
The Sub-Saharan component specifically targets; market access expansion creating pathways for African artist to access European markets whilst strengthening intra-African cultural commerce, professional development includes comprehensive capacity building in digital marketing, sustainable networks as well as innovation in co-production.
The programme explicitly prioritises African perspectives and leadership.
“We are establishing partnerships where African cultural stakeholders drive their own internationalisation strategies whilst European partners contribute as equals in a genuine dialogue of mutual learning and respect,” emphasised Philina Wittke, Project Lead at the Goethe-Institut, a key implementing partner alongside Expertise France and Institut français.
This commitment translates into concrete methodologies that include equal decision-making, multilingual access, mandatory co-creation and gender equality.
African and European partners share authority at all levels, operations in English, French, Portuguese and local African languages will be used without hierarchy. Projects must demonstrate genuine collaboration, not one-way cultural transfer, targeting 50 percent female participation across all activities.
For Basotho artists, cultural professionals, and heritage institutions, the AEPC offers tangible pathways, Lesotho will actively participate in developing and promoting its unique heritage stories regionally and internationally, provide enhanced opportunities for artists and professionals to travel within Africa – strengthening regional networks – and to Europe for collaboration, residencies, and tours.
There will be support for cultural organisations in the country to become stronger hubs for creation, co-production, and discourse, while pathways for performing Basotho and visual artists to access wider African and European markets. Training in cultural management, digital marketing and international touring strategies for local professionals will also be provided.
The AEPC ensures comprehensive coverage by operating three complementary strands, the Sub-Saharan Component, Southern Africa Component – which focuses on heritage narrative development – and includes Lesotho, as well as the West Africa Component, that focuses on festival internationalisation and capacity building.
This structure guarantees regional specificity while preventing duplication and maximising impact.
Silas Taunyane Monyatsi, a renowned local filmmaker and actor, noted that the initiative will undoubtedly assist Lesotho artists to grow in many ways.
He said: “Primarily, there will be funding, which has been a hindrance for local artists to be productive in all forms, despite their talent and expertise. This will assist to develop the skills of the artists to a point of professionalism where their craft could be displayed on global platforms. This venture will enable them to enter the international arts arena, where they will become part of international partnerships and strategies.”
“Through initiatives like this, Lesotho art – be it visual arts, performing arts, digital art, or any other form – will be shared with the world in its diversity,” he said, adding that “this will also certainly implant self-confidence and high morale in our artists, and it shall assist the artists to become more professional and competent.”
Key benefits highlighted by the veteran actor include, critical funding, skills development and professionalism, global exposure and international integration, showcasing diversity, boosted confidence and morale as well as enhanced competence.
Monyatsi clearly sees this initiative as a transformative opportunity to overcome historical barriers and propel Lesotho’s artists and diverse art forms onto the world stage, with the programme’s significance underscored by the participation of senior officials from the European Union, the African Union, and international diplomatic missions, highlighting its strategic importance for Africa-Europe relations.
Professional photographer, Justice Kalebe, has highlighted significant barriers facing Lesotho’s creative sector, including limited funding, inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of platforms to nurture and showcase local talent. He noted that most artists operate independently without external support.
Kalebe shared his journey: “I began my photography career in 2016, using it to preserve and celebrate Basotho culture. In 2018, I hosted my first exhibition – a milestone that was both rewarding and resource-intensive.
Then in 2019, I established Lesotho’s first permanent outdoor photo exhibition in Ha Selantsi, a pioneering effort to bring culture into public spaces. These achievements reflect what’s possible when artists are empowered, but they also underscore the need for long-term support.”
He emphasized the importance of local agency: “While strategies to support artists are welcome, real transformation requires a bottom-up approach. Decisions about funding or artist selection shouldn’t be made solely in Europe. Artists in Lesotho and across Africa must actively design and deliver these programs.”
Kalebe stressed that inclusive processes foster meaningful partnerships, adding that “for storytellers like me, this opens doors to amplify and preserve our heritage for future generations.”
Filmmaker Kalosi Ramakhula acknowledged the potential of international initiatives to enhance cultural exchange and create sustainable income but cautioned, “History shows many well-intentioned projects fail to deliver tangible benefits to Lesotho’s broader arts community.”
He identified recurring issues: “Externally driven projects can inadvertently let governments off the hook for arts development. Many initiatives are managed by individuals lacking cultural insight or accountability, leading to biased selection processes. Truly talented artists are overlooked, while mediocre work is showcased as the national standard.”
Ramakhula insisted success hinges on “genuine co-creation – collaborations must transcend tokenism and avoid favoring political affiliations or foreign narratives.” He called for decolonized exchanges: “We must center authentic Basotho expressions, not those mimicking European aesthetics. Initiatives should reflect our full cultural spectrum, including rural and marginalized voices.”
Concluding, he warned: “Unless anchored in respect, authenticity, and equity, even grand proposals risk insulting rather than uplifting local talent.”
The Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture represents a landmark opportunity for Lesotho. By placing African agency and equitable partnership at its core, it promises not just cultural exchange, but the empowerment of Basotho voices on the global stage, the preservation and promotion of unique heritage, and tangible economic benefits for the nation’s vibrant creative sector.
This initiative signals a new, more respectful, and dynamic chapter in Lesotho’s cultural engagement with the world.
