Activities we fund

Creative New Zealand funds artists, arts practitioners and arts organisations across a range of different activities within the arts.

Activities funded through contestable funding

Creative New Zealand funds activities that will deliver the results we are seeking. Some activities have specific eligibility criteria. These are listed below, with further detail and our funding priorities listed in the Funding and Programmes Guide 2013.

Artform publications

Our main focus will be to support publications that have a tailored distribution strategy, co-publishing partnerships, and come from independent publishers or galleries that have previous experience producing and distributing artform publications.

Audience development

Applications for audience development funding should seek to increase or diversify audiences for artwork, for example in literature, through literary festivals, literary tours, and journals, reviews and literary magazines that widen the artform's audience.

Bringing international artists to New Zealand

You can only apply for funding to bring international artists to New Zealand if their visit will have direct creative development or professional development benefits for New Zealand artists, practitioners or arts organisations – for example, if they will be providing workshops or masterclasses, or helping New Zealand artists to develop their work. You cannot apply if the main focus of the artist’s visit will be to perform, exhibit or develop their own work.

Commissions

Commissions should result in works that are ready for an initial public presentation (performances, exhibitions, manuscripts).

Community arts

Creative New Zealand is interested in projects that:

create opportunities for local communities to engage with and participate in the arts
contribute to the maintaining and transmitting of cultural traditions
provide a creative focus for communities to explore issues and aspirations.

For a community arts project to be eligible for a Quick Response Grant or Arts Grant:

the communities or defined groups of interest who are involved in the project must be clearly identified in the application form and project proposal
the funding applied for must contribute to arts-based or arts-related activities – for example, community singing or storytelling.

These are examples of community arts activities that can be supported:

the collaboration of an artist with a community or with diverse community groups to achieve artistic and social outcomes (Community Cultural Development)
an established professional practitioner sharing knowledge and skills with recreational and/or heritage arts groups of regional or national significance.

If you have received a Quick Response Grant or Arts Grant, you cannot receive funding from the Creative Communities Scheme for the same project.

Collaborations

You can apply to do collaborative projects involving other arts practitioners and artforms.

Creation of new work

You can apply for funding to create new work, or research new work.

Critical dialogue and discourse

You can apply for funding for creating critical discourse in the arts, for example through public programmes, symposia and publications.

Development of work

You can apply for funding to develop new work or to further develop existing projects.

Distribution of work

You can apply for funding to tour high-quality work both nationally and internationally.

Film and moving-image art

Creative New Zealand provides funding through the Media Arts artform category to support the development of moving-image and media arts practice. If your project is a narrative short or feature film, you should contact the Film Commission to discuss funding options. We can support documentaries or archival projects that focus on a particular artform or artist to a maximum of $30,000. You should apply under the heading of the relevant artform or cultural arts practice.

International professional development or postgraduate study

Creative New Zealand can contribute up to a maximum of 80% of the total costs, to a maximum of NZ$12,000, for international professional development or international postgraduate study. You must provide evidence that comparable opportunities for professional development or postgraduate study are not available in New Zealand.
International professional development is also available to filmmakers whose film has previously received funding through either the Screen Innovation Production Fund or the Independent Filmmakers Fund and who have been invited to attend a non A-list international festival. You must include details on the opportunities that the invitation will provide in your application.

Mentoring

Only recipients of mentoring can apply for contestable funding for a mentoring project, not the mentor. We can support mentoring applications to a maximum of $5,000.

Presentation of work

You can apply for funding to present work, for example in exhibitions, gigs, shows, publications.

Research

You can apply for funding to support research, either towards the creation of work, critical discourse, or to develop and enhance an artist's practice or the understanding of an artform.

Residencies

Only host organisations can apply for domestic residencies for New Zealand artists. If the residency will be within an educational institution, the application needs to show clearly how the resident artist’s activity will be distinct from the institution’s ongoing educational programme.

Residencies overseas for New Zealand artists

Creative New Zealand has established partnerships with a number of overseas institutions to host residencies for New Zealand artists. Find an opportunity
You can also apply for funding for residencies at overseas institutions with which Creative New Zealand has no formal partnership. The International Association of Residential Arts Centres, at www.resartis.org, lists a wide range of international residency opportunities, many of which are available to New Zealand artists.

Professional development

Creative New Zealand funds the creation of and participation in professional development opportunities for artists, practitioners and arts organisations. Creative New Zealand also runs development and capability building programmes, which you may also be eligible for. Find out more in Developing the arts.

Touring - domestic

Creative New Zealand defines “touring” as involving three or more consecutive performances, presentations or exhibitions in different locations.

If you are proposing to tour a previously presented production, exhibition, gig or published writer, your application must provide evidence that

the tour initiator will have the services of an experienced and credible producer, curator or tour manager with responsibility for overseeing delivery of the tour and the the ability of the host venues to successfully deliver the presentation
there is audience demand – for example by showing:
- that presentation fees will be paid by a local festival, gallery or venue
- previous audience demand for the type of work
- that local groups will share the cost of presenting the work in the area

the production, exhibition or gig will be appropriate to the selected venue
the tour initiator has:
- identified its likely audiences
- a sound marketing and promotional plan to reach these audiences

Focus of funding for domestic touring by artform

Visual arts and craft/object

crating and freighting the touring work within New Zealand
generic marketing and promotion expenses for the tour
publishing catalogues

Performing arts (theatre, dance and music) – Funding is available for touring to venues, except for those supported through Creative New Zealand’s Regional Touring Fund. It is available for:

travel, accommodation and fees for the artists and practitioners
freighting of sets, props, costumes and equipment
generic marketing and promotion expenses for the tour

You’ll need to show how box-office income or other income generated from the tour will contribute to the other costs of the tour.

Literature

travel, accommodation and fees of touring writers
generic marketing and promotion expenses for the tour

Touring/exhibition - international

Funding is available for the international touring and exhibiting of distinctive, high-quality international-ready art by New Zealand artists and practitioners.

Funding will contribute towards:

the international travel and freight costs (including travel and freight insurance) for the New Zealand artists, practitioners, productions and/or artworks

up to $10,000 towards proven costs associated with presenting the work internationally – for example, translating and printing a catalogue, remount costs, and materials used in creating site-specific work

For your project to be eligible the host or presenter who has extended the invitation must contribute towards the landed costs of the project.

Examples of a host’s or presenter’s contributions would be:

artist and practitioner fees
accommodation expenses
venue hire and promotion expenses

Your application must also show evidence of demand for the work – for example, a letter from the presenter confirming the presentation, or the payment of artist and practitioner fees, box-office or sales revenue.

Creative New Zealand also supports international touring through the International Touring Fund. Special conditions apply. For more information about this fund, please refer to you specific artform guide.

Websites

Contestable funding can support projects that create, promote or distribute quality New Zealand artwork through a website, or engage in artform development and art criticism through a website. Requests for support can be towards the development of a new website or the maintenance of an established website.