Funding | Arts Board | Dance FAQ
This section provides an informal guide to making an application for funding from the Arts Board of Creative New Zealand. It needs to be read alongside the information in the Funding section of this site.
What do I put in my budget?
For specific budget advice for your artform and funding programme, refer to our budget guidelines for dance applications.
For generic budget advice, e.g. how to treat GST, please refer to the Application Workbook supplement (PDF, 380KB)
Is there a best time to apply for funding?
The best time is when your project is ready. Don't just put in an application because there's a funding deadline looming - the committee is looking for a well-developed proposal.
What programme should I apply under?
If you're planning a new work, it's worth taking it in several stages. You can apply under the Creative and Professional Development programme for funding for a workshop - this means you can get your group together for 2 to 3 weeks, test out ideas, get feedback from other dance professionals and decide how you want to further develop the work.
Then you can apply under New Work for premiere production funding. If the work is successful and you want to take it on tour (after some more fine-tuning) you can also apply under Presentation, Promotion and Audience Development.
Who looks at my application?
The arts advisor reads it to check eligibility and make some notes. The application and the advisor's notes are then circulated to members of the Dance Committee. Members of the Dance Committee each get copies of all eligible dance applications several weeks before they meet. They read them and do a preliminary ranking and then meet to discuss the applications and agree a set of recommendations. The Arts Board then meets to make final funding decisions based on recommendations received from all the art form committees i.e. dance, theatre, music, visual arts, literature and craft/object art).
Is there a formula for a successful application?
First you and your project need to meet the applicant and project eligibilities outlined in Step 1: Can I apply? To have a chance of success, you will need to convince the dance committee that you have a coherent, well thought through project and the ability to carry it through. When agreeing their recommendations the Dance Committee will consider the artistic side of your project as well as the feasibility of your business and organisational plans. Final decisions depend on the amount of funds available and the quality of other applications under consideration at the time.
Do I need to use art-speak in my application?
No, the best applications are expressed in your own language.
How much should I ask for?
The best guide for assessing the appropriate level to ask for is to look back at recent grants for similar sorts of projects. All grant decisions are published and the lists are available on our Recent Grants page.
Will you pay for the whole project or should I have other backing as well?
We may provide a substantial proportion of a creative development proposal (eg a workshop), but we do not usually fund an entire production. You should have in your application other sources of income - box-office, sponsorship and in-kind support, local council backing etc. Identify clearly what each organisation is being asked to contribute, eg rehearsal space, marketing support.
For appearances at overseas festivals we are only able to offer assistance with airfares and freight expenses. Productions that have not successfully toured within New Zealand are unlikely to be able to be supported to tour overseas.
What support material should I include?
It should be relevant and recent. You need to build up a convincing picture of your artistic work and strengths as an artist - through reviews, images, videos etc. If you are providing video or DVD material showing work it is a good idea (and a professional courtesy) to include in the application a listing of the contents of the recording – including the title of each recorded work and the names of the choreographer(s), dancers and composer(s) involved.
How do I put together a professional development application?
You should be clear as to what courses, classes, opportunities, you intend pursuing and why you have selected them. Your proposed programme of study and how this will assist both your development and the development of professional contemporary dance in New Zealand should be the central focus of the application.
For overseas professional development projects (eg to attend a master class) Creative New Zealand will only contribute to fares and course fees up to $3,000 for a shorter (10 day to fortnight) course and up to $8,000 for a longer stint.
Please note that an applicant with less than 3 years of experience as a professional dance practitioner in New Zealand is unlikely to be able to supportted to undertake a professional development project.
If I want to mount a production, how much attention do I need to give to marketing?
The audience is obviously a key factor for any production. You need to indicate the type of audience you are targeting and how you expect to market the production to them - a marketing plan is important. You will need to show that the venue is appropriate for this audience and for the work. You will also need to budget on at least a 40% house - below this and there are real questions about whether the work should be mounted at all.
What about the separate funding from Te Waka Toi and the Pacific Islands Arts Committee?
Te Waka Toi is one of the two boards under the umbrella of the Arts Council. It currently has about $1,000,000 per annum to allocate and a number of its grants are supporting performing arts activities. In general Te Waka Toi focuses on projects "by Maori (artists) and for Maori (audiences)" so a lot of artists who identify themselves as Tangata Whenua apply to the Arts Board instead, because they are creating and presenting for the general public.
There is also the Pacific Islands Arts Committee, which operates along similar lines and allocates about $300,000 in grants per annum.
Case study
You have workshopped some new choreographic ideas and received a lot of positive feedback at your work-in-progress showing. You are getting ready to roll into production. You have retained the workshop team of dancers and musicians and added to this creative team people who are keen to produce, design and market the production.
To give your application for funding the best possible chance you will need to:
- send in five copies of a video or DVD recording of the workshop
- write up the main points of any feedback received and how you intend to respond to suggestions made by your dance peers at the work-in progress showing
- provide background information on the experience of the key members of the creative team
- note the venue booking you have pencilled in - and comment on the appropriateness of the venue to the work and its audience
- provide a detailed budget (see above)
- provide a marketing plan that identifies the audience for the work and how you propose winning them to the performance season.
