Beyond Horizon

Deconstructing Barriers to Artistic Mobility between Africa and Europe

Dakar, Senegal — 10 April 2025

Overview

The Beyond Horizon meeting took place on 10 April 2025 in Dakar at the Wallonia–Brussels Delegation, under the auspices of the European Union, with the support of the EUNIC network and in cooperation with the Senegalese Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the City of Dakar.

Held within the framework of the DECONFINING project (2023–2026) and marking the 20th anniversary of the UNESCO 2005 Convention on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, the meeting was conceived as a space for political dialogue on cultural cooperation between Africa and Europe.

The event brought together 76 participants, including 16 speakers, representing 10 countries and 117 institutions, spanning policymakers, cultural organisations, artists, networks, and civil society actors.

Why Beyond Horizon?

Despite international commitments to cultural diversity, artistic mobility between Africa and Europe remains constrained by structural, economic, and political barriers. In 2022, the Global South accounted for only 5% of global trade in cultural services, highlighting persistent inequalities.
Beyond Horizon aimed to confront these imbalances directly, questioning inherited power structures and advocating for equitable, reciprocal cultural exchange.

As highlighted during the meeting:

“Deconfining means freeing ourselves from paternalistic visions and stereotypes.”

Key Topics and Findings

Discussions focused on the systemic challenges facing artistic mobility, including:

• Restrictive and unequal visa regimes
• Limited access to funding for African artists and organisations
• Technical capacity gaps in cultural production
• Policy frameworks misaligned with diverse cultural ecosystems

Participants also stressed the ongoing risk of extractivist cooperation models, where cultural exchange flows predominantly from Europe to Africa without equitable partnership.

Policy Directions

The meeting resulted in concrete policy directions, including:

• Simplifying visa procedures for African artists
• Increasing financial support for intercontinental cooperation
• Strengthening implementation of the UNESCO 2005 Convention
• Investing in technical training, infrastructure, and intra-African mobility

These recommendations address the European Union, African Union, national governments, territorial authorities, and civil society actors alike.

Looking Ahead

Beyond Horizon reaffirmed the urgency of translating dialogue into action. Fair artistic mobility requires sustained political commitment, long-term investment, and collaborative governance models grounded in co-creation rather than extraction.

The DECONFINING project continues to develop and advocate for concrete alternatives to existing cooperation models, contributing to more just and sustainable cultural relations between Africa and Europe.

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Written by Vydia Tamby