Funding | Arts Board | Dance
Once you've read the relevant information in this section, you'll need to start preparing your application. For detailed guidelines on how to put an application and budget together, please refer to the Application Workbook and the Dance Applications FAQs.
The printed funding guide is available for order or download on this site.
Please note that your project is unlikely to be funded if you have little or no record of achievement in your artform/area of expertise.
If your project focuses on local arts development or arts participation in the community it may be more appropriate to apply to the Creative Communities Scheme.
The project funding environment is extremely competitive. In the 2006 calendar year, the Arts Board received 81 dance applications and was able to fund 25 (31%) of them. Grants ranged from $3000 to $125,000.
Three key questions
- Are you eligible? (See Step 1)
- Are you in the most appropriate section of this guide? (See Step 2 and Step 3)
- Do you know the closing date for project funding applications?
25 July 2008 (for projects beginning after 25 October 2008)
Sector priorities
After extensive consultation with the contemporary dance sector, Creative New Zealand published Moving to the Future: Ngā Whakanekeneke atu ki te Ao o Apōpō in 2002. A strategy for the development of professional contemporary dance in New Zealand, Moving to the Future has four objectives with associated priorities. The objectives are:
- to strengthen the creative development and professional practice of individual dancers and choreographers, including activity that results in more sustainable employment for professional dancers and choreographers
- to strengthen and make more visible the contribution of Māori contemporary dance to the sector
- to maintain existing audiences and develop new audiences for New Zealand-made professional contemporary dance
- to support and develop structures for the growth, promotion and presentation of professional contemporary dance in New Zealand, including activity that connects dance practitioners with marketing and management expertise.
Strong project applications will clearly demonstrate an ability to deliver to at least one of the activities identified above.
Copies of Moving to the Future are available from our publications page.
Arts Board funding programmes
The Arts Board has three funding programmes and each programme has a different aim. The funding programmes and their aims are:
Creative and Professional Development - to support artists and other arts practitioners to develop their skills, experience, knowledge and networks; and to support the creation of original work (separate from a production outcome)
New Work - to support the presentation of original New Zealand work
Presentation, Promotion and Audience Development - to support the presentation and promotion of New Zealand work, and to develop audiences and markets for New Zealand work.
Each application to the Arts Board must be made under one of these programmes. To decide which programme to apply to, first identify the aim of your project.
What's the aim of your project?
If your project meets more than one of the aims below, identify the one description that fits best and then apply under that programme. Is your project's aim:
- the creation of opportunities for artists or other arts practitioners to experiment, develop concepts, develop skills, extend professional knowledge and/or expand networks? Go to Creative and Professional Development funding programme
- the creation (through to completion) of original works? Go to New Work funding programme
- the presentation, promotion or distribution of New Zealand work, or the development of audiences for New Zealand work? Go to Presentation, Promotion and Audience Development funding programme.
Please note: applications where the artists or arts practitioners have little or no record of achievement in their artform/area of expertise are unlikely to be funded.
Support material for all programmes
For general advice on gathering and presenting your support material go to the Application Workbook supplement (PDF, 308KB)
It's important that all dance applicants provide five copies of a VHS video or DVD showing up to 10 minutes of recent or relevant work. All videos/DVDs should include at least one unedited section of "live" footage from performance and rehearsal. Footage that's underlit or poorly shot will limit appreciation of your work. Please include with your application a listing of the contents for the supplied video/DVD, including the name and duration of each work and the names of the choreographer, dancers and composer.
In addition, each funding programme has specific support material requirements.
Does your project involve ...?
Arts education for young people
We don't fund arts education resources, activities or projects focussed on the delivery of national education curriculum outcomes and/or qualification requirements.
Some support may be available for projects that will deliver high-quality arts outcomes for both the young people and professional artists involved.
Interdisciplinary practice
For projects engaging with practices across a range of artforms and demonstrating the creative interconnection of different disciplines, you should apply to the artform that your project most relates to. Please discuss your proposal with the Assistant Arts Adviser.
New media, web and/or moving image
In general, these projects are not treated as separate artforms. That's because all of the artforms covered in this guide regularly incorporate new media, moving image and web-based genres. Additional information is provided in the new media section.
Creative and Professional Development funding programme
Under this programme, the Arts Board supports dance practitioners to develop concepts and dance works, and gain skills, experience and artform knowledge. This includes projects that focus on concept development, research, experimentation and professional interactions with peers.
Types of activities we fund
- workshops to develop a production concept
- masterclasses, seminars and wānanga
- mentoring
- creative and professional development residencies
- costs towards travel relating to an established dancer's or choreographer's professional development (either within New Zealand or overseas).
Residencies
Dance practitioners may apply for project funding to undertake an overseas residency. Applications seeking funding for a local residency must be made by the host organisation.
Please note: residencies within educational institutions need to demonstrate clearly how the activity of the resident choreographer will be distinct from the ongoing educational programme of the institution.
International residencies
The website of the International Association of Residential Arts Centers www.resartis.org lists a wide range of international residency opportunities, many of which are available to New Zealand artists. Individual artists may apply for project funding support to undertake a residency at an overseas institution.
Please note: individuals who have been an artist-in-residence as part of Creative New Zealand's international residency programme within the previous 12 months are not eligible to apply.
Mentoring
Support may be provided for established dance practitioners (the mentor) to mentor less experienced practitioners (the protégé). Mentoring may involve providing feedback on a specific project, helping with skill development and/or building an understanding and knowledge of the professional dance sector. Support usually takes the form of a fee for the mentor plus reasonable expenses (e.g. telephone calls, transport). Proposals are accepted from the protégé and must include the name of the intended mentor, written evidence of their consent and ability to act as a mentor, the specific area of knowledge to be focussed on, and an outline of the intended mentoring process and programme.
Awards and fellowships
Tup Lang Choreographic Award
Interest from a bequest, made in 1999 by Mrs Lang's estate, contributes each year to this award, which is for the promotion and encouragement of choreography in New Zealand contemporary dance. Choreographers or contemporary dance groups applying to the July round are automatically considered for the award. Priority will be given to proposals involving the work of emerging choreographers.
Review of residencies, fellowships and special opportunities
Types of activities we can't fund
If you haven't already checked whether your project is eligible for funding, please work your way through Step 1: Can I apply?
Assessment criteria
Your application will be assessed against the following criteria. To read about the application assessment process, please go to our FAQs.
1: Good project planning
A strong application will provide a thorough project plan and a detailed, realistic budget. Please refer to the Application Workbook supplement (PDF, 308KB)
2: Contribution to artists' and/or artform development
A strong application will provide evidence of:
- artistic excellence
- artistic innovation
- involvement of experienced arts practitioner/s
- the project's potential to reference New Zealand culture
- the project's potential to foster increased understanding of Māori arts, in partnership with tāngata whenua*
- the project's potential to foster interactions between communities and professional artists*
- the project's potential to foster debate on arts practice in New Zealand.*
* Please note: factors with an asterisk will not necessarily apply to all projects.
3: Opportunities for artists
A strong application will provide evidence of:
- opportunities for dance practitioners to develop their skills
- opportunities for dance practitioners to experiment and explore new directions in their work*
- opportunities for Māori artists and non-Māori artists to work in partnership.*
* Please note: factors with an asterisk will not necessarily apply to all projects.
Budget notes
The following budget information is specific to this funding programme and artform. For more help with your budget see our budget advice for your artform. For generic budget advice see the Application Workbook (PDF, 308KB)
Support material
As well as the general support material for all funding programmes outlined at the top of this page, applications from emerging or new choreographers to develop or workshop new choreographic material should include written references and/or letters of support for their project from established dance practitioners.
For advice on what to put in your project plan see the Application Workbook supplement (PDF, 308KB) For more help with your budget go to your artform FAQs. Also don't hesitate to contact staff.
New Work funding programme
Under this programme, the Arts Board supports dance practitioners, artists, organisations and dance companies to rehearse and present original New Zealand dance.
Projects funded under this programme must result in a New Zealand dance work premiering before a New Zealand audience.
Types of activities we fund
- direct support for dance practitioners and organisations to rehearse and present a premiere production to a New Zealand audience.
Awards
Tup Lang Choreographic Award
Interest from a bequest, made in 1999 by Mrs Lang's estate, contributes each year to this award, which aims to promote and encourage choreography in New Zealand contemporary dance. Choreographers or contemporary dance groups applying to the July round are automatically considered for the award. Priority will be given to proposals involving the work of emerging choreographers.
Types of activities we can't fund
If you haven't already checked whether your project is eligible for funding, please work your way through Step 1: Can I apply?
Please note: development workshops and concept development proposals separate from the premiere season should be submitted under the Creative and Professional Development funding programme. Proposals to remount or present a previously performed work should be submitted to the Presentation, Promotion and Audience Development funding programme.
Assessment criteria
Your application will be assessed against the following criteria. To read about the application assessment process, please go to our FAQs.
1: Good project planning
A strong application will provide a thorough project plan and a detailed, realistic budget. Please refer to the Application Workbook (PDF, 308KB)
We also want your project plan to provide:
- identification (e.g. names and CVs) of the key dancers and crew involved in the project
- confirmed venue and intended dates of the planned production
- identification of the work's target audience (i.e. numbers, audience characteristics etc).
In the case of works to be performed free, we require detailed information on the intended benefits for all participants, including the performers and the audiences.
2: Contribution to artists' and/or artform development
A strong application will provide evidence of:
- artistic excellence
- artistic innovation
- involvement of experienced arts practitioner/s
- the project's potential to stretch boundaries within and across artforms*
- the project's potential to reference New Zealand culture*
- the project's potential to foster increased understanding of Māori arts, in partnership with tāngata whenua*
- the project's potential to foster debate on arts practice in New Zealand.*
* Please note: factors with an asterisk will not necessarily apply to all projects.
3: Opportunities for artists
A strong application will provide evidence of:
- opportunities for artists to create or complete a new body of work
- opportunities for Māori artists and non-Māori artists to work in partnership.*
* Please note: factors with an asterisk will not necessarily apply to all projects.
4: Opportunities for audiences
A strong application will provide evidence of:
- opportunities for audiences to experience new New Zealand work
- opportunities for audiences to experience Māori arts, in partnership with tāngata whenua*
- the project's potential to involve young audiences.*
* Please note: factors with an asterisk will not necessarily apply to all projects.
Budget notes
The following budget information is specific to this funding programme and artform. For more help with your budget see our budget advice for your artform. For generic budget advice see the Application Workbook supplement (PDF, 308KB)
We recommend that your budget includes between $4000 and $6000 to make a quality DVD recording of the premiere production.
Presentation, Promotion and Audience Development funding programme
Under this programme, the Arts Board supports projects that present and promote dance works by New Zealand practitioners. We also support projects that develop and extend current and new audiences and markets for New Zealand dance and dance practitioners.
Types of activities we fund
- local tours of New Zealand dance works that have been successfully premiered
- remounts of previous productions
- overseas works presented by New Zealand practitioners for a New Zealand audience
- airfares and freight assistance for a New Zealand company presenting a previously produced New Zealand work overseas
- projects that aim to build local and international audiences for New Zealand dance.
Touring
Support for international touring will be limited to travel and freight costs.
To be eligible to apply for a grant to tour a production, the application must show evidence that:
- the touring company has clearly identified its likely audience(s), and has a sound marketing and promotional plan to access these audience(s) in the centres to be toured
- the touring company will retain the services of an experienced, credible producer who will take responsibility for the management and promotion of the tour
- there is demand for the production in the area(s) to be toured (e.g. by presentation fees paid by a local festival, group or society; by venues reducing usual hirage costs; and/or by local groups sharing the financial cost of presenting the work in their area)
- the production will be appropriate to the selected venue(s).
Arts festivals
Applications from festivals presenting dance, or whose primary focus is dance, will be assessed by the Dance Assessment Committee.
Applications from eligible multi-artform festivals will be assessed by the Festivals Assessment Committee (see eligibility criteria).
Please note: multi-artform festivals funded through the Festivals Assessment Committee are unlikely to receive support for additional components of their programmes through artform assessment committees.
Types of activities we can't fund
If you haven't already checked whether your project is eligible for funding, please work your way through Step 1: Can I apply? In addition, we can't fund projects that are:
- self-publishing activities
- overseas organisations presenting in New Zealand
- overseas trips for non-professional arts groups
- contests and competitions, unless there is a significant focus on accessing new audiences
- activities demonstrating little evidence of demand (e.g. box-office income, fees from venues or presenters) unless they are part of a strategic programme for reaching new audiences or markets.
Assessment criteria
Your application will be assessed against the following criteria. To read about the application assessment process, please go to our FAQs.
1: Good project planning
A strong application will provide a thorough project plan and a detailed, realistic budget. Please refer to the Application Workbook supplement (PDF, 308KB)
We also want your project plan to provide:
- identification of the work's target audience (i.e. numbers, audience characteristics etc)
- identification of market development opportunities*
- a thorough marketing plan specific to the project*
- identification of a credible, experienced producer to co-ordinate and manage the production and/or tour
- confirmed itineraries and venues, in the case of a tour.*
In the case of works to be performed free, we require detailed information on the intended benefits for all participants, including the performers and the audiences.
* Please note: factors with an asterisk will not necessarily apply to all projects.
2: Contribution to artists' and/or artform development
A strong application will provide evidence of:
- artistic merit of the work to be presented or toured
- involvement of experienced dance practitioner/s
- the project's potential to develop new audiences
- the project's potential to develop sustainable markets for New Zealand dance
- the project's potential to foster interactions between communities and dance professionals*
- the project's potential to reference New Zealand culture*
- the project's potential to foster increased understanding of Māori arts, in partnership with tāngata whenua*
- the project's potential to foster debate on arts practice in New Zealand.*
* Please note: factors with an asterisk will not necessarily apply to all projects.
3: Opportunities for artists
A strong application will provide evidence of:
- opportunities for New Zealand dance practitioners to advance their careers and build their profiles
- opportunities for Māori artists and non-Māori artists to work in partnership.*
* Please note: factors with an asterisk will not necessarily apply to all projects.
4: Opportunities for audiences and markets
A strong application will provide evidence of:
- opportunities to experience and understand new and innovative New Zealand work nationally and internationally
- opportunities to experience artistically significant work
- the project's potential to reach audiences that reflect New Zealand's cultural diversity
- the project's potential to reach communities that have limited opportunities to experience professional arts
- opportunities to experience Māori arts in partnership with tāngata whenua*
- the project's potential to involve young audiences.*
* Please note: factors with an asterisk will not necessarily apply to all projects.
Budget notes
The following budget information is specific to this funding programme and artform. For more help with your budget see our budget advice for your artform. For generic budget advice see the Application Workbook supplement (PDF, 308KB)
Please show as income: projected ticket prices, anticipated box-office revenue, and any sponsorship or other support that has been secured and/or is planned.
Support for international touring will be limited to travel and freight costs.
Support material
As well as the support material listed at the start of this page, applications to tour or remount a production must include:
- reviews or other critical reaction to a previous production (no more than five pages)
- written confirmation from the artists involved in the project, stating their availability.
For more information
If you have finished reading all about the funding programme you intend to apply to, you can start preparing your application. For general guidelines on how to put an application together, see our Application Workbook supplement (PDF, 308KB) For specific advice on how to make an application under your artform, go to your artform FAQ page.
Also, don't hesitate to contact staff.
Contact
For further information please contact:
Helaina Keeley
Email: helainak@creativenz.govt.nz
Tel: (04) 498 0702
