Support material

You can add documents and other support material to your application on the 'Attachment' or 'Support Material' tab of your application form.

• You can add a maximum of five items of support material.
• Documents must be uploaded as attached files.
• Artistic material should be provided as a web-link when possible.
• If your support material is not available in electronic format you can choose to submit it in hard copy.

Our Portal User Guide has instruction on how to add documents and support material to your application. Remember to click 'Save' every time you add a piece of support material.

Attachments

You can upload documents in the following file formats: 

• .pdf
• .doc or .docx (Word)
• .xls or .xlsx (Excel)
• .png, .jpg, .jpeg (images)
• .txt.

We don’t accept documents provided via web-links to Google Docs, Google Drive, Drop-box or WeTransfer. We can only accept music, video and other file formats via a web-link.

Web-links

The preferred method for supplying artistic support material is a web-link (URL) to where your support material may be viewed or heard.

• The URL needs to be a direct link to where your material can be viewed or played online and must not require further navigation, logins, or for a file to be downloaded.
  Video platforms we recommend:  
  • YouTube – select ‘unlisted’ under ‘Visibility’  
  • Vimeo – select ‘unlisted’ on the ‘Privacy’ tab 
• We can't accept documents provided via web-links to Google Docs, Google Drive, Drop-box or WeTransfer. 
• Video and audio files must not exceed 5 minutes in length.
• If the URL requires a password to access, make sure you include the password in the ‘Name/description’ field or the body of your application.
• Be sure to regularly check that the URLs you provided are working throughout the assessment period, as we take no responsibility if the link does not work.

Hard copies

If your support material is not available online or in one of the file formats listed above then you can choose to submit it in hard copy.

• List all hardcopy support material to the ‘Application’ or ‘Support Material’ tab of the online application form and print the coversheet before submitting.
• Hard copies of support material will not be returned to you.
• Your hard copy support material must arrive at Creative New Zealand’s Auckland or Wellington office within three working days of the closing date and be accompanied by the coversheet (this is printable from the ‘Attachments’ or ‘Support Material’ tab of the online application 

Artistic support material helps our assessors understand the artistic intentions of your project and the quality of your previous work.

For some arts activities we have more detailed suggestions about the support material you should provide. Be sure to check the activity guidelines and the relevant funding programme webpage to see if there is additional guidance for your type of activity.

You should only include material that is recent, relevant and helps assessors understand the project for which you’re applying.

Depending on your artform and the nature of your project, your artistic support material might include:

• CVs or bios of the artists or practitioners involved
• images of recent work or concept drawings for new work
• a link to an artist’s website
• exhibition catalogues
• videos or audio recordings
• a sample music score, or visual representation of the score, for a new piece of music
• a sample of a script or a synopsis or treatment for a new play
• a sample manuscript or sample illustrations for a new book
• evidence of past success, such as sales or box-office figures and reviews
• a copy of a commissioning agreement for commissions of new artwork
• marketing material

Make sure that any support material you provide is clearly labelled and meets the requirements of our guidelines for adding document and support material to your application.

A good way to help our assessors have confidence in the accuracy of your budget is to provide quotes and estimates for the costs listed in the budget. It is a good idea in particular to provide quotes for larger costs.

Items for which you might provide a quote include:

• flights and travel
• freight and insurance
• accommodation
• contractors and professional services
• design, editing or printing of a publication
• materials

Make sure that any support material you provide is clearly labelled and meets the requirements of our guidelines for adding document and support material to your application.

Letters of invitation, confirmation or availability may be required for specific activities or as a requirement for certain funding programmes.

If you’re working with other artists or organisations, here in New Zealand or overseas, you should provide a letter or evidence from them that confirms their availability and contribution to your project.

If you’ve been invited or accepted to participate in a project, a residency, or to present or tour your work, here in New Zealand or overseas, a strong application would include a letter from the people who invited you. This letter should confirm the invitation and outline how they will support your project.

Make sure that any support material you provide is clearly labelled and meets the requirements of our guidelines for adding document and support material to your application.

Letters of support are an effective way to strengthen your application. You can attach up to three letters of support in your application.

Letters should be recent and specific to the project for which you are applying. 

They should be from people of standing in your arts community, including kaumatua, who can attest to the importance, relevance or quality of the project you’re proposing, and to the quality of your practice as an artist.

It’s a good idea to let the person read your application before they write the letter so they can comment on your project accurately.

Where possible, letters of support should be combined into one PDF or Word file.

Make sure that any support material you provide is clearly labelled and meets the requirements of our guidelines for adding document and support material to your application.

Planning documents help our assessors understand the quality of your planning and viability of your project.

Certain planning documents may be required for specific activities or as a requirement for certain funding programmes. Be sure to check the activity guidelines section of this site and the relevant funding programme webpage to see if there is additional guidance for your type of activity.

Depending on your artform and the nature of your project, you might include some of the following planning documents:

• a production timeline
• an itinerary
• a draft programme for a festival
• a marketing or engagement plan
• a distribution plan for publishing a book

For International activity, including touring or presenting work or attending markets or fairs, you should include:

• an international or market development plan (for advice on how to develop an international plan, please refer to our Guide to developing your international plan.

For applications to Annual Arts Grants, you should include:

• a business plan (for advice on how to develop a business plan, please refer to our Guide to developing your business plan

Make sure that any support material you provide is clearly labelled and meets the requirements of our guidelines for adding document and support material to your application.