According to Law No. 2020/011 of 20th July 2020 regulating Artistic and Cultural Associations in Cameroon, Artistic and cultural associations shall be formed and shall carry out their activities in accordance with the Law relating to freedom of association and the provisions of this law.
An artistic organization in Cameroon is a group or entity dedicated to promoting, supporting, and facilitating artistic expression and creation, often operating as a non-profit to serve artists and communities through various activities like exhibitions, education, funding, and advocacy.
A cultural organization in Cameroon is an entity, often a non-profit, that preserves, promotes, and develops Cameroonian cultural heritage through activities like festivals, arts, language preservation, and community empowerment, with examples including the Cameroonian Cultural Network (CCN) and ethnic associations like MBOSCUDA.
Artistic and cultural associations may be organized into the following:
- Companies:
- Unions;
- Guilds;
- Federations.
Companies, unions, guilds and federations shall be formed freely and they shall acquire legal personality only when they are declared.
Groups based on a cause or objective contrary to the Constitution, laws and morality, as well as those whose goal is to undermine, in particular, territorial integrity, national unity, national integration and the republican form of the State of Cameroon shall be null and void.
Artistic and cultural associations wishing to form a group must apply to the Minister in charge of culture.
The declaration provided for in Section 28 of the law shall be made by the founders of the group to the Ministry in charge of culture. A receipt shall be issued to them once the file is complete, where the group is not null and void.
Failure by the Minister in charge of culture to respond within 2 (two) months of submission of the declaration file shall be considered as acceptance and entail acquisition of legal personality.
Rejection of the declaration shall be reasoned and immediately notified to the parties concerned by the Minister in charge of culture.
The declaration shall be valid for a ten-year period renewable under the conditions laid down by the law.
The declaration of groups shall be renewed under the same conditions in respect of form, time limits and procedure as when it was granted.