Lubumbashi Biennale turns to crowdfunding after international funding dries up

The Picha Art and Research Center in Lubumbashi, DRC, has launched a GoFundMe appeal seeking €10,000 to stage the ninth Lubumbashi Biennale in October 2026. Over €6,000 had been raised as of 19 August 2026, The Art Newspaper reported. Co-founder Sammy Baloji called DRC arts funding "fragile" and financing Picha "an everyday challenge," as international backing from French and Belgian cultural agencies has shrunk.