Getting funded

Types of funding

What we fund

The funding process

How do decisions get made?

How decisions are made varies according to the type of grant or opportunity you are applying for.

Grants

Arts Grants applications are assessed by:

  • Creative New Zealand staff
  • external artistic assessors, and
  • members of a Strategic Assessment Panel.

Quick Response Grants are assessed by Creative New Zealand staff.


Assessment criteria

Arts Grants and Quick Response Grants are assessed and prioritised by how strongly the application:

  • can develop and present high-quality art or deliver high-quality arts experiences for audiences or participants
  • delivers to our strategic outcomes
  • delivers to our artform priorities
  • fits with the purpose of the Arts Grants and Quick Response Grants programmes

We will apply a culturally specific assessment where appropriate – for example, Mātauranga Māori for Ngā Toi Māori applications by Māori, for Māori and the world; and Kaupapa Pasifika for Pasifika arts applications.

Specific parts of your application will be assessed for:

  1. What: the idea
    Explain the central idea or kaupapa of your project. You’ll be assessed on how strong and how well-developed it is
  2. How: the process
    How will you carry out and evaluate the project, what success will look like, and how you’ll measure the project’s success. You’ll be assessed on how viable the processes you’ve explained are, and how you plan to evaluate the completed project.
  3. Who: the people
    Who is involved? You’ll be assessed on the level of ability and experience of the individuals or organisations involved in your project.
  4. The budget/Te pūtea
    How much will it cost? You’ll be assessed on the credibility and accuracy of the supporting financial information that you provide in your budget.

Creative Communities Scheme

The Creative Communities Scheme is run by the local authority or district council in your area. While Creative New Zealand funds the scheme, funding decisions are made by the local authority. Find out more about the Creative Communities Scheme.

Fellowships, awards and residencies

Creative New Zealand runs or administers a wide variety of residencies, fellowships, scholarships and awards and each is assessed differently. Information on how decisions are made in each opportunity can be found in the opportunity's application form and guidelines. To see these, search for an opportunity.

International

Creative New Zealand runs a number of opportunities for New Zealand artists, arts practitioners and arts organisations to gain international exposure and success. Assessments vary depending on the type of opportunity/programme:

Investments

Creative New Zealand invests in arts organisations through two programmes:

  • Arts Development Investments (Toi Uru Kahikatea)
  • Arts Leadership Investment (Toi Tōtara Haemata) programme

Both investment schemes are assessed by Creative New Zealand staff, specialist external assessors and an external advisory panel.

More about these investment programmes

Toi Ake

Grants for Toi Ake are assessed in the same way as Arts Grants. Both Creative New Zealand and external assessors for Toi Ake are culturally expert in Mātauranga Māori.