CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
2nd LEWO AFRICA BOOT CAMP

LEWO AFRICA PROGRAM
Leadership & Empowerment for Women in Africa

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

2nd LEWO AFRICA BOOT CAMP
100% ONLINE – Continental Edition

As part of ACF Academy, the Fonds Africain pour la Culture (ACF), in partnership with the Institut Kôrè des Arts et Métiers (IKAM), is launching the 2nd edition of the LEWO Africa program, in a fully digital format, for women professionals in the arts and culture across the African continent and its diaspora.

Following a first in-person edition held in Ségou (Mali) in March 2023, which brought together 15 laureates from ten countries, the ACF is launching this second cohort to broaden the program’s reach and engage a greater number of women cultural leaders, with no restriction on host region.

This initiative is part of the ACF’s vision for the sustainable and inclusive development of African cultural and creative industries (CCI) and the economic and social empowerment of women in the sector.

Objectives of the Call

This call aims to select thirty (30) young women active in the CCI sector in Africa and the diaspora to take part in the 2nd LEWO Africa Boot Camp, held online over 5 days and followed by 6 months of individualized mentoring, in collaboration with the Institut Kôrè des Arts et Métiers (IKAM).

More specifically, it aims to :

Stimulate and strengthen the competitiveness of women professionals in the arts and culture sector;
Equip participants with skills in leadership, cultural management, administrative and financial management, personal branding, digital marketing, and emotional and/or artificial intelligence;
Create a peer co-creation space to address the challenges facing their cultural structures;
Provide 6 months of individualized post-Boot Camp support (coaching and mentoring);
Contribute to the economic and social empowerment of women in the African cultural sector.

General conditions of eligibility

Target Group and Eligibility Criteria

The ACF is launching this call for applications for women entrepreneurs, managers, and cultural professionals who meet the following criteria :

Be a woman active in the cultural and creative sector (an established structure, collective, or project under development) ;
Demonstrate a minimum level of professional experience in the cultural field ;
Be from one of the regions of Africa (West, Central, North, Southern, East) or the African diaspora ;
Have a stable internet connection allowing participation in live sessions ;
Be available for the entire 5 days of the Boot Camp as well as for the post-camp follow-up (6 months) ;
Have proficiency in French or English, the working languages of the Fonds Africain pour la Culture (ACF).

Selection will be based on the application file, with attention to balance between the regions and artistic disciplines represented.

Terms of Participation

The Boot Camp takes place in a fully digital format (videoconferencing platform and collaborative tools): no coverage of transport, accommodation, or meals is required. The ACF ensures coordination, access to digital tools, and the 6-month post-camp follow-up (individualized coaching and mentoring), in collaboration with the Institut Kôrè des Arts et Métiers (IKAM).

Application Procedure

Interested persons must send their complete application file by email to the Fonds Africain pour la Culture (ACF). Applicants must submit their complete file no later than October 16, 2026 to the following address: candidatures@africanculturefund.net with a copy to applications@africanculturefund.net.

The application file, written in French or English, must include:

A duly completed application form (download here) ;
An updated CV ;
A cover letter expressing interest in the program ;
A copy of an identity document ;
A presentation file of the structure, collective, or cultural project led by the applicant.

Application Selection Procedure

The selection procedure comprises five (5) steps :

Registration and filing of applications ;
Administrative review of applications ;
Evaluation by an independent selection committee (jury) ;
Validation of the list of selected applicants ;
Publication of results.

Applications will be evaluated by an independent selection committee made up of experts and professionals from the cultural sector, familiar with the realities of the cultural and creative industries on the continent.

Application Evaluation Criteria

The selection committee evaluates applications based on four (4) criteria:

The applicant’s motivation and commitment ;
Quality, originality, and relevance of the project or cultural structure led ;
Professional background and experience in the cultural sector ;
Geographic and disciplinary balance of the cohort.

Key Dates:

Launch of the call for applications: September 15, 2026 ;
Closing of applications and pre-selection: October 16, 2026 ;
Final selection and confirmation of beneficiaries: November 2, 2026 ;
Boot Camp (100% online): from December 14 to 18, 2026 ;
Start of post-camp follow-up: from January 4, 2027.

Contacts

Fonds Africain pour la Culture (ACF)

Moussa Boubacar DIARRA – Program Manager, ACF Academy:
academy@africanculturefund.net
Gabdo OUATTARA – Communications Officer: communication@africanculturefund.net

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS2nd LEWO AFRICA BOOT CAMP