The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC) is an independent, non-profit NGO that funds individuals and cultural organisations in the Arab region. Since 2018, AFAC implements the North Africa Cultural Program (NACP) providing institutional and programmatic support to active arts and culture entities based in each of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, as well as for cross-border projects that promote joint artistic collaborations, distribution, and the professionalisation of arts and culture practices in the wider region.

In November 2024, I was lucky to co-facilitate a partnership building workshop for the NACP in Tunis together with Therese. Workshop objectives included strengthening collaboration among the participating organizations by building trust, aligning shared project visions, defining clear implementation plans and developing sustainable partnerships strategies. The workshop brought together eight collaboration teams, involving 17 organisations from Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Senegal, Iraq, Rwanda, and Lebanon.

Over the course of three days, participants engaged in a series of discussions, activities, and hands-on exercises that focused on key aspects of successful collaboration. Highlights included a tailor-made collaboration canvas, a structured tool designed to help participants brainstorm and plan the key components of their joint projects, and various peer to peer learning formats like case clinics, where participants presented their collaboration challenges and received personalized advice from others. 

The workshop also provided space for networking, and I left the workshop with a range of regional insights, and many new connections.

Do you have questions around building partnerships or want to know how peer learning can help your collaboration? Contact me!

BONUS CONTENT

Download the collaboration canvas that we deisgned for this workshop and try it out for developing your next partnership!

Collaboration Canvas
Collaboration Canvas (empty)
Collaboration Canvas (hand-out)