Players in the Rwandan creative industry have been invited to apply for the Ignite Culture, a facility that is funded by the European Union to uplift the creative sector. Rwanda will be part of 13 other Eastern Africa countries to benefit from the initiative.The fund is part of the global culture programme implemented by Heva, the European Union among other partners. Selected players will be eligible for funds varying between 30,000 and 180, 000 Euros. According to organizers, proposals will be received effective August 11 until September 15. Through this funding, they will help successful applicants develop programmes and projects to grow their own ventures, and do cultural work as well as support within their target communities. It will also go a long way towards making their efforts more sustainable. Alongside supporting creative and cultural workers to grow their businesses, enter and adapt to expanded and digital marketplaces, and upgrade their workspaces and collaborations, the facility will support efforts around building skills, and developing ways to enable better working environments for creative businesses, reads part of a communique issued by the EU delegation in Rwanda. Part of the eligibility criteria will require creative talents who have registered operational businesses (for at least 12 months). The statement also added, lead applicants may apply with co-applicants from another African country, (including those outside Eastern Africa), or from an EU state. Eligible value chains include cultural and natural heritage, performance and celebration, cultural infrastructure, visual arts and crafts, and books. Applicants who are eligible are from Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
