UK–Nigeria Season of Culture 2028: Expression of Interest for Artists, Creative Businesses, Organisations and Cultural Institutions
The UK–Nigeria Season of Culture 2028 is inviting expressions of interest from artists, creative businesses, cultural organisations, and institutions across the United Kingdom and Nigeria. Delivered by the British Council and Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, the initiative runs from June to December 2028 with legacy activities extending into 2029.
Overview
The UK–Nigeria Season of Culture 2028 is a bilateral cultural initiative designed to strengthen long-term creative relationships between the United Kingdom and Nigeria. The main Season will take place from June to December 2028, with legacy activities continuing into 2029. This open call serves as an initial opportunity to gather creative ideas, build professional networks, and identify potential collaborations before the main programme begins.
Organised around five main focus areas—cultural heritage and identity, market access and mutual growth, creative collaboration and partnerships, new artistic commissions, and research, policy, and knowledge exchange—the initiative aims to foster deep connections between creative communities in both countries.
Eligibility
The call is open to participants within the cultural and creative sectors of both the UK and Nigeria. Eligible applicants include:
- Individual artists
- Creative businesses
- Cultural organisations
- Cultural institutions
- Creative-sector organisations and other relevant practitioners
Participation is open to all artforms and creative disciplines, ranging from music, film, visual arts, and fashion to literature, digital creativity, theatre, dance, architecture, gaming, gastronomy, craft, and creative technology.
Benefits
While this current phase is not a funding application or grant scheme, successful engagement offers participants several advantages:
- Opportunities to develop UK–Nigeria creative partnerships and international professional networks.
- A platform to explore new markets, audiences, and collaborative creative projects.
- Chances to contribute ideas to a major international cultural programme and explore new artistic commissions.
- Opportunities for knowledge exchange and strengthening international visibility and long-term institutional relationships.
How to Apply
Interested participants must submit an Expression of Interest spanning no more than two pages. Submissions should cover four essential areas: your professional background, your project or collaboration idea, the relevant focus area, and your current partnership status with a UK or Nigerian counterpart.
Completed responses should be sent via email to [email protected].
Deadline
The deadline to submit expressions of interest is 14 September 2026.