04 Apr 2023
Investment in arts and culture is investment in Auckland’s social, cultural and economic wellbeing.
Creative New Zealand made a submission on Auckland Council’s draft Annual Budget 2023/2024. In its submission, Creative New Zealand encouraged Council to consider the vital role arts, culture and creativity plays in Auckland, and for Council to maintain its investment in arts, culture and creativity as it considers proposed spending reductions as part of its annual budget deliberations.
There is no doubt that the pressures faced by Auckland Council in navigating Auckland’s recovery from recent severe weather events and the ongoing impact of COVID-19 are very real. It is equally true that investment in arts, culture and creativity will support Auckland’s strength and recovery from its current challenges by helping build connected, healthy and socially cohesive communities.
Creative New Zealand’s eight-page submission (linked below) centres around five key points:
- Arts, culture and creativity are vital to Auckland’s communities.
- The proposed cuts in the draft Annual Budget will have a long-term, negative impact on Auckland’s arts and culture ecosystem – with direct impacts on Auckland’s communities
- Investment in arts and culture is investment in Auckland’s social, cultural and economic wellbeing, and will help with its recovery.
- Auckland Council has a crucial role in funding arts and culture in Auckland. Creative New Zealand is already a significant investor in the region and is not able to fill the gaps created by the proposed reductions.
- Creative New Zealand supports the exploration and consideration of alternative approaches to making up Auckland Council’s budget shortfall.
Many Aucklanders agree that arts, culture and creativity are important to them and their community. We know from our research New Zealanders and the arts: Ko Aotearoa me ōna toi, that two in three Aucklanders agree that arts and culture have a vital role to play in the future of where they live. There is increasing support for Auckland Council to fund the arts in Auckland, with Aucklanders recognising the benefits of the arts to the economy and wider New Zealand society.
The 2022 research from Tātaki Auckland Unlimited shows that the creative economy in Auckland makes up five percent of Auckland’s economy and is growing at a rate that outpaces the rest of the Auckland economy.
As a co-investor in the arts in Tāmaki Makaurau, it was important to lend our voice to calls for Auckland Council to maintain its contribution and investment in Auckland’s arts and culture, for the recovery and resilience of Auckland communities.
Creative New Zealand has been working with members of the Auckland arts community to support collective advocacy by the sector. The proposed cuts have prompted powerful expressions of the role of arts, culture and creativity through submissions from advocacy organisations including WeCreate and Te Taumata Toi-a-Iwi, along with arts organisations that receive investment from both Auckland Council and Creative New Zealand. We are also aware of the significant energy artists and arts communities have put into making submissions on the draft annual budget and acknowledge the leadership of those who have provided support to artists to make their voices heard.
E raka te mauī, e raka te matau
The right hand is adept, the left hand is skilful’ meaning a community can use all the skills of its people
Read our full submission to Auckland Council (pdf. 456KB)
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