New Mirrors – Strengthening arts and culture media for Aotearoa New Zealand.

New Mirrors is a companion study to the Visibility Matters – Kia kitea ngā toi e te marea research, released in June 2023. The report and recommendations are based on insights from 52 interviews with arts and media professionals including editors, journalists, artists, publicists and commissioners; and has been supported by a media advisory rōpū.

The report focuses on addressing the current national deficit in arts and culture media coverage by focusing on three key areas:

• Telling stronger stories – investing in both media and in publicity and communications roles within the cultural sectors.

• Building a media landscape that reflects Aotearoa New Zealand – investing in developing culturally supportive media organisations that can confidently report on a range of different worldviews and lived experiences — with a particular focus on our regions where media needs the greatest growth.

• Deepening understanding between our media and cultural ecologies – investing in more informed and collaborative working relationships across these two sectors, rebuilding the trust that has been eroded over the years — which in turn has contributed to the erosion of arts and culture coverage.

The recommendations proposed in the report are based on both international research and wide-ranging dialogue with people working across the wider media and arts and culture sectors. They are:

• Creating a specialised fund for arts and culture media projects – increasing our ability to tell stronger stories and build a media landscape that reflects Aotearoa.
• Creating an ‘Arts Media Centre’ - an independent body that connects our media and creative sectors – to deepen understanding between our media and cultural ecologies, as well as increasing our ability to tell stronger stories.