Funding | Arts Board | Visual arts, craft/object art 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.
Common questions
What do I put in my budget?
For specific budget advice for your artform and funding programme, refer to our budget guidelines for visual arts, craft/object art.
For generic budget advice, e.g. how to treat GST, please refer to the Application Workbook supplement (PDF, 308KB)
Which funding programme is right for my project?
Thinking about exactly what you would spend any funding received on will help you decide on the most appropriate programme. For instance, if you require funds for fees to attend a conference, it is likely to be Creative and Professional Development; if you request funds to purchase materials to make art work, apply under New Work, and if you want assistance towards a publication, it is probably best submitted under Presentation, Promotion and Audience Development.
How much money should I apply for?
At this stage, for the most part, we do not have caps on specific amounts that can be requested. However it is important that you be realistic and specify exactly what you require the money for. Itemise all projected expenses and forms of income, including any voluntary work/donations, or any sponsorship you have received, and include relevant written quotes in your budget. It can also be useful to look at the website for examples of grants we have awarded in the past.
For calculating equivalent full-time wages in the New Work category, we suggest $2,000 per month for emerging artists and $4,000 per month for established artists. The recommended guide for assistance for individual professional development travel is $4000 - $8000. The lower end of the range is for short-term travel to attend an event (e.g. a conference) and the upper end of the range is for longer-term travel with a more expansive itinerary. Applications for travel associated with a sustained and structured project with an organisational partner (e.g. curatorial internship in a gallery) will not necessarily be bound by this benchmark range of figures.
The Screen Innovation Production Fund, a partnership between Creative New Zealand and the New Zealand Film Commission, has some caps in place for funding. Applicants should consult the Adviser of the Fund for information on these.
What information do I need to provide when submitting a publication application?
Outline critical approach - Priority will be given to publications that include an element of critical discourse. Include evidence of the writers involved and submit a sample of their writing as support material.
Print specifications - It is important to provide information on the format and design to show the quality of the publication. Include printing quotes which confirm the size of the print run.
Distribution strategy - It is essential to provide a plan showing how, and to whom, the proposed print-run number of publications will be distributed, both nationally and internationally The plan should include a profile of your target audience and any potential new audiences.
Publishing partner - Priority will be given to projects that have a publishing partner, be it a gallery or commercial publisher. This offsets the cost of the production and distribution, and also demonstrates both a demand and audience for the publication. Please provide evidence of the partner's involvement in the project, in the form of a letter confirming interest and financial commitment.
Budget - If the publication is available for sale it is important to include an estimate of expected sales of the publication for the first 12 months. Investment from publishing partners should be included in the income section of your budget if applicable.
Can I apply for funds from two different categories?
You have the option of requesting support for different aspects of the same project as two separate applications under two funding programmes, or group them under one programme and itemise the separate costs. If this is something that affects you we recommend discussing your application further with a member of the Programmes Team.
Am I eligible to apply in the February round for funds to pay for my exhibition, which is scheduled to open in April?
Creative New Zealand does not fund retrospectively, that is, reimburse you for expenses incurred for projects, which start, or are substantially progressed, before the grant decisions are made. It is worth remembering when you are planning your project that there is a three-month assessment period between the closing date of applications and the notification of the grants. Although the project should not be completed before this time, we appreciate that you will be preparing for and working on the project during this time. For instance, you could submit an application for the February round for funding towards a publication, scheduled for release after May, even if the exhibition is scheduled to take place in April.
Would I be eligible to apply for a grant to present an exhibition overseas?
Projects that contribute in a fundamental way to the development of New Zealand art, that is, art by New Zealanders and/or for New Zealand audiences, are the priority of Creative New Zealand. You are, therefore, eligible for funding if you are a New Zealand artist working overseas. An overseas art gallery requesting funding for an exhibition with a New Zealand art component is also eligible. Funding projects for non-New Zealanders and/or non-Zealand audiences are of a lesser priority.
What if I have a project, which needs funding, but it falls in between the two funding rounds?
Unfortunately, Creative New Zealand does not have discretionary funding, so it would be wise to plan ahead as much as possible and remember that it will be three months before you will know whether your application is successful, or not.
What if my application is late? Can I send support material in after I have sent my application?
Applications, which arrive after the closing date, will not be considered. It would be in your best interest to send your entire application, including all support material, by the deadline. Due to the sheer volume of applications, we cannot guarantee to match up support material with your application, if it arrives separately.
Also, remember to send two copies of everything and label all material carefully with your name and the project name. We do not return any support material, except for photographs, slides, CDs or videos and only if you enclose a stamped addressed envelope or courier package with your application. We cannot guarantee the safe return of support material, so please do not send originals.
Who assesses my application?
Your application is firstly given to the Visual Arts Adviser for comment and then copies are circulated to all Practitioner Assessment Committee members for evaluation before the meeting. The committee members meet to view all support material and discuss the applications. They make recommendations of grants to the Arts Board, which makes the final decisions. Committee members are considered to be experts in their field and hold a two-year term - four funding rounds. We try to have a balance of practising artists, curators, educators, writers, critics who have knowledge of the North and South Island environment. We do accept nominations for these positions. The Arts Board members, who chair the Committee meeting, are political appointments and serve a three-year term.
My project seemed to meet the criteria and I fulfilled all the requirements, but I still didn't receive a grant. Why not?
Hundreds of applications are received each round and the budget is unable to support them all. Creative New Zealand assesses the applications by general criteria, such as on their artistic merit, and by particular criteria for each funding programme, as described in the Funding Guide. There may not be a specific reason why your project didn't receive funding and it is often a reflection on the limited funds available, rather than on the quality of your project.
Can I re-apply in the next funding round?
You cannot re-submit the identical application. If you are interested in re-applying with a similar concept, you should contact the Programme Administrator to discuss its potential for re-vision and re-structuring.
