Funding | Te Waka Toi | Experiencing Māori Arts

Experiencing Māori Arts funding programme

Under this programme, Te Waka Toi supports projects that provide opportunities to experience Māori arts. We want to provide opportunities for artists to present their art, and for diverse audiences to participate in Māori arts.
"Experiencing Māori arts" refers to both the artists (as presenters) and audiences (as participants). If you're not sure if this is the right funding programme to apply to, please go back to our Te Waka Toi Funding page.

Types of activities we fund

• participation in festivals
• activities promoting Māori arts
• publications and recordings in English about kaupapa Māori
• presentations or exhibitions
• tours of Māori arts.

Please note: applicants for publications or recordings should read the publishing and recording guidelines.

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, go to our FAQs.

1: Good project planning

A strong application will provide a thorough project plan. Please refer to the Application Workbook supplement (PDF, 308KB)

2: Specific programme criteria

A strong application will provide evidence of:

• how the project will provide opportunities for artists to present their art
• how the project will provide opportunities for diverse audiences to experience Māori arts
• the artistic merit of the work
• involvement of experienced arts practitioner/s
• the project's potential to develop artform/s*
• opportunities for artists to share their knowledge and skills with others*
• opportunities for artists to develop their skills
• the project's potential to involve young audiences.*

* Please note: factors with an asterisk will not necessarily apply to all projects.

Budget notes

A stong application will provide a detailed, realistic budget. Please refer to the Te Waka Toi FAQs.

Support material

For general advice on gathering and presenting your support material go to the Application Workbook supplement.

If you're applying for funding to record music, please send five copies of good-quality demo tapes.

If you're a visual artist applying for funding to create new work or to exhibit work, please send five copies of good-quality photos or scanned images.

If you're applying for funding to write a work, please send five copies of up to 10 pages of written work. In the case of publishers, two copies of the complete manuscript are sufficient.

Please also supply two copies of recent letters of recommendation/support from kaumātua in your community or iwi runanga.