UK/Nigeria Season of Culture 2028 for Artists

Deadline: 14-Sep-2026

The UK–Nigeria Season of Culture 2028 will bring together artists, creative organisations, cultural institutions, and audiences from the United Kingdom and Nigeria to develop partnerships, collaborations, exchanges, and new creative work across all artforms. The programme aims to strengthen long-term cultural relationships, open new markets, support artistic innovation, and showcase UK and Nigerian creativity to international audiences. UK–Nigeria Season of Culture 2028 – Overview The Season is designed to create meaningful and lasting connections between the creative sectors of the UK and Nigeria. It provides opportunities for artists and organisations to work together through creative collaborations, cultural exchanges, exhibitions, performances, research, professional development, and new commissions. Rather than focusing on a single artistic discipline, the Season welcomes proposals from a broad range of creative and cultural sectors. What Is the UK–Nigeria Season of Culture 2028? The UK–Nigeria Season of Culture 2028 is a bilateral cultural initiative designed to strengthen creative relationships between the two countries.

The programme aims to:

Celebrate UK and Nigerian creative talent. Build long-term cultural partnerships. Create opportunities for artists and organisations to collaborate. Applicants are not limited to traditional arts categories where their proposed activity demonstrates a meaningful connection to UK–Nigeria cultural exchange. How Can Participants Take Part? There are several ways artists and organisations can participate in the Season. Co-Producing New Work UK and Nigerian partners can collaborate to develop and produce new creative works. Presenting or Exhibiting Existing or newly developed work can be presented to audiences through exhibitions, performances, screenings, or other public platforms. Touring and Distribution Projects may involve touring creative work between the UK and Nigeria or distributing creative content to new audiences. Artist Residencies and Professional Exchanges Artists and creative professionals can participate in residencies, exchanges, and opportunities to work alongside peers and institutions in the partner country. Research and Policy Participants can contribute research, policy discussions, and knowledge-sharing activities relating to the cultural and creative sectors. Industry Events

Organisations can convene:

Conferences. Forums. Networking events. Industry showcases. Professional development events. Skills Training and Mentorship Projects can provide training, mentoring, and knowledge transfer to emerging and established creatives. Who Is Eligible? The programme welcomes applications and participation from a broad range of UK and Nigerian creative and cultural stakeholders. Diaspora-led organisations with genuine UK–Nigeria connections. Individual artists. Curators. Producers. Consortia. Cross-sector partnerships. Individual artists, curators, and producers responding to the opportunity should have a named UK or Nigerian partner or a clear plan for identifying one.

Partnership Requirement

Cross-border collaboration is an important feature of the Season. Applicants should demonstrate a genuine connection between the UK and Nigerian creative sectors.

A strong partnership should explain:

Who the UK and Nigerian partners are. What each partner will contribute. How responsibilities will be shared. Why the collaboration is valuable. How audiences in both countries will benefit. How the relationship could continue after the Season. Individual applicants without an existing partner should provide a credible plan for finding a suitable UK or Nigerian collaborator. Why the UK–Nigeria Cultural Partnership Matters The Season creates opportunities for artists and creative organisations to move beyond one-off cultural events and develop lasting professional relationships. Identify the audiences that will benefit and explain how the project can create opportunities for wider engagement or market development.

Step 6: Demonstrate Long-Term Impact

Explain how the partnership, skills, creative work, or professional relationships developed through the Season could continue after 2028. Tips for Applicants A strong proposal should make the UK–Nigeria relationship central to the project.

Consider the following:

Build a genuine partnership: Clearly explain why the UK and Nigerian partners need to work together.

Show mutual benefit: Demonstrate value for participants and audiences in both countries.

Be specific: Clearly describe activities, participants, outputs, and expected outcomes.

Highlight innovation: Explain how the project introduces new artistic, technological, cultural, or professional approaches.

Consider sustainability: Show how relationships and results can continue beyond the Season.

Think internationally: Consider how the project could create opportunities beyond the UK and Nigeria.

Include emerging talent: Where appropriate, provide opportunities for younger or emerging creative practitioners.

Demonstrate cultural relevance: Connect the project to the programme’s focus areas and wider UK–Nigeria cultural relationships.

Common Mistakes to Avoid Applicants should avoid proposals that do not demonstrate meaningful bilateral collaboration.

Common weaknesses include:

Proposing a project involving only one country. Failing to identify a meaningful partner. Treating the programme as a simple travel opportunity. Providing little explanation of mutual benefits. Focusing only on an individual event without a longer-term vision. Failing to explain audience engagement. Not connecting the project to one or more Season focus areas. Providing vague descriptions of roles and responsibilities. Overlooking opportunities for professional development and knowledge exchange. FAQ What is the UK–Nigeria Season of Culture 2028? The UK–Nigeria Season of Culture 2028 is a cultural initiative designed to connect artists, creative organisation