The Portuguese-speaking African Countries (PALOP) and Timor-Leste are the beneficiaries of a €19 million monetary fund made available through the “Pro-culture” project, a European Union initiative supported by the Camões Center and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
Project Overview
The five-year project runs from 2019 to 2023 and is managed by Centro Camões in partnership with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and the Alliance Française. The information was announced in Luanda by the president of the Camões Center – Portuguese Cultural Center, Luís Faro Ramos.
Funding and Focus Areas
The €19 million fund is applied directly across the following cultural areas:
- Music — scholarships and development programmes
- Literature — with emphasis on children’s and young adult works
- Theatre — included under the broader cultural mandate
Scholarships for undergraduate and master’s degrees in areas taught by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation are already under way.
The Diversity Clause
The programme includes a dedicated “Diversity” clause designed to incorporate cultural initiatives beyond music, literature, and theatre. This strand is managed by the Alliance Française and provides:
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Fund per country | €100,000 |
| Managing partner | Alliance Française |
| Purpose | Support cultural initiatives outside the core three areas |
PALOP artists interested in participating in areas outside those already selected should submit their proposals to the Camões – Portuguese Cultural Center for review and approval.
Goals and Impact
The project aims to reconcile culture with development, empowering cultural agents in each participating country to access international markets with greater competitiveness.
Key outcomes to date include:
- 800 new jobs created in the cultural sector across PALOP countries and East Timor
- Greater local ownership of the project in each participating country
- Increased access to international cultural markets for artists and cultural professionals
As Luís Faro Ramos stated: “We want each of the countries concerned to take ownership of the project because we are talking about a unique initiative that is able to reconcile culture and development.”