22 Mar 2019
We are signalling a change to Creative New Zealand’s grants programme, and how this may affect anyone considering applying for funding after the current Arts Grants round closes on 29 March 2019.
What's happening
As part of an overall review of all Creative New Zealand’s investment/funding, we have looked at the purpose and design of our Arts Grants and Quick Response Grants to ensure they align with our Investment Strategy Te Ara Whakamua 2018–2023
As a result, we have revised the purpose of the grants programme to make it clearer to applicants what our investment is designed to deliver.
We intend to consolidate Arts Grants and Quick Response Grants into a single programme: Arts Grants.
The Arts Council will be asked to formally approve the change in April. In the meantime, the Council has endorsed the general direction, i.e. a change to the purpose and design of the programme. These changes will take effect from 1 July 2019, with the first of the new rounds offered in the second half of this year.
What this means
This means we will not be offering the mid-year Quick Response round in 2019 in order to allow us to put the infrastructure in place for the revised Arts Grants programme.
We are signalling this direction now to give you adequate notice to plan ahead. If you were planning to seek funding for a project to be delivered between June and October this year, you should consider applying to the Arts Grants round that closes on 29 March 2019.
Benefits of the revised programme
As well as better alignment with our Investment Strategy, the Arts Grants programme will be simplified and we intend to increase the maximum grant amounts available. We also intend to provide individuals, groups and organisations with a successful track record of receiving grants, the ability to propose activity over a 12 month period. This will allow them to make longer-term plans, giving more security and lessening administration.
The new purpose of the revised Arts Grants programme is to enable:
- more sustainable careers for individual artists
- the development of arts practice
- innovation in New Zealand arts
- access and participation of diverse communities in high-quality arts experiences.
What this will look like
Currently, Creative New Zealand offers Quick Response funding three times a year (up to $7,500) and Arts Grants funding twice a year (up to $65,000).
We intend to bring these two programmes together under one umbrella simply called Arts Grants. There will be two streams: grants up to $10,000 and grants between $10,000 and $75,000, which means an increase to the amounts applicants can apply for. There will also be an annual funding round offering grants up to $150,000, which would be introduced in 2020.
The proposed consolidated Arts Grants programme would comprise:
- two rounds per annum for proposals up to $10,000 (currently $7,500) and between $10,000 and $75,000 (currently $65,000), with closing dates likely to be in March & September
- one round per annum offering grants up to $150,000 for a 12 month period (mid-year)
The decision-making time would remain the same: five weeks for proposals under $10,000, and nine weeks for proposals over $10,000.
Together these changes will contribute to increased sustainability of arts practice and less bureaucracy (i.e. less time spent doing proposals).
Cath Cardiff explained the changes in an interview on Standing Room Only, Radio New Zealand
Next steps
We will confirm final decisions and next steps, including closing dates, following the April 2019 Arts Council meeting.
In the meantime, you can read the FAQs (pdf) and if you have questions ask funding@creativenz.govt.nz
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