The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC), supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, has unveiled the key features of the second cycle of its "North Africa Cultural Programme" (NACP) for the years 2024-2027. This new cycle was introduced during a press conference held on Tuesday at the Swiss Embassy in Tunis. The NACP in its 2nd Cycle is a four-year initiative (2024-2027) dedicated to artistic institutions, spaces, and associations in five North African countries: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt. It comprises two support mechanisms: the National Fund for Cultural Opportunities (FNOC) and the Regional Competitive Creativity Fund (RCCF). The FNOC programme focuses on providing support to artistic and cultural institutions and spaces in each of the five targeted North African countries, offering assistance in institutional and programmatic domains. The Regional Competitive Creativity Fund (RCCF) supports collaboration projects established through partnerships involving at le ast one entity based in North Africa and one or more entities present on the African continent and/or in the Arab region. During its first cycle (2019-2023), the NACP awarded 40 grants, supporting 28 organisations at the institutional and programmatic levels, and 12 collaborative projects in North Africa. The programme also offered professional and technical support, meeting spaces, as well as a digital platform providing information, resources, and progress tracking for supported entities and projects. The NACP originated from an international tender issued by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, secured by AFAC in mid-2018. It aligns with the aspirations of both AFAC and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, addressing recommendations from various sectoral studies, meetings, and discussions groups. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse