Transforming Sudan – Creative Spaces for Artists from Sudan

Sudanese artists and cultural practitioners face significant obstacles in realizing their projects due to the political and economic challenges in Sudan. The NEXT LEVEL project aimed to create new spaces for art, culture, and social exchange in Sudan. Through a creative hub, a funding initiative, and a mobile cultural trailer, it opened diverse opportunities to promote art and culture across various regions of the country. As the project comes to an end in late 2024, its associated activities will also conclude, closing an initiative that has provided vital impulses and enriched Sudan's cultural landscape in a lasting way.

The NEXT LEVEL Production Fund offered Sudanese artists financial support for innovative projects that contribute to societal discourse. In 2024, the fund operated under the theme “Beyond Transformation – Reclaiming Narratives” and supported projects by selected artists.

The project NEXT LEVEL – Jeenak brought diverse cultural formats—such as exhibitions, theater, concerts, and discussion rounds—beyond Khartoum's borders into rural areas and urban centers of Sudan via a mobile cultural trailer. The NEXT LEVEL – Art Tech Hub created much-needed protected spaces for artists and activists in Sudan. The hub in Khartoum provided an open, participatory environment where creatives could network, execute high-quality projects, and work with modern technology. Artists participated in workshops and training programs.

Complementing this effort, another hub was opened in Al-Fashir, alongside the Women’s Hub and the Music Hub in Khartoum. These initiatives specifically targeted different audiences to ensure diverse access to creative resources.
Unfortunately, the hubs had to close after the outbreak of war on April 15, 2023, resulting in the loss of these crucial spaces for collaboration and creation.

Despite the challenging political and economic circumstances, NEXT LEVEL successfully established new creative spaces, initiated meaningful dialogues, and promoted artistic diversity. While the project concludes in 2024, it leaves behind a lasting legacy in Sudan’s cultural scene. The impulses and networks it has created will hopefully continue to strengthen the country’s cultural landscape and amplify the voices of Sudanese artists on the global stage.