Find out who and what we fund, and our terms and conditions of funding
Who we fund
The people and groups we support through our contestable funding are:
- artists and arts practitioners at all stages of their career who are New Zealand citizens or Permanent Residents
- New Zealand-based arts organisations and groups
- international arts organisations, if the funding directly benefits New Zealand arts and artists
If you’re an organisation already funded through the Toi Tōtara Haemata and Toi Uru Kahikatea investment programmes:
- your organisation can only apply for the New Leaders Programme and the Residencies, Internships and Fellowships Fund
- your part time, permanent employees (up to and including 20 hours per week) can apply to the Development Fund for Artists and Practitioners for development activities that benefit their artistic work outside of their employment with your organisation
We can’t consider your application you if you, your organisation, or key members of your team are in breach of the conditions set out in your current Creative New Zealand funding agreement.
The outcomes we are after
We use our funding to help achieve our long-term goals, which we call strategic outcomes.
When we fund an artist, arts organisation, or arts activity, it must achieve one of these strategic outcomes:
- high-quality New Zealand art is developed
- New Zealand arts gain international success
- New Zealanders experience high-quality arts
- New Zealanders participate in the arts
- New Zealand's arts sector is resilient
You can find out more about our strategic outcomes in our Creative New Zealand Interim Investment Intentions 2023-2025, Te Hā o ngā Toi – Māori Arts Strategy 2019-2024 and Pacific Arts Strategy 2023-2028.
The artforms we support
Creative New Zealand aims to ensure our investment complements that of other agencies. To make best use of our resources we focus on supporting these artforms:
- Craft and Object art
- Dance
- Literature
- Music and Opera
- Nga toi Māori, including customary Māori arts
- Pacific arts, including Pacific heritage arts
- Theatre
- Visual arts
- Multidisciplinary arts, which involve two or more of the artforms above
We are unable to fund all creative practices and distribution channels. We do not fund:
- fashion design, game design, commercial design, or architecture
- film, screen, or content for television and radio. However, we can fund recordings, documentaries and archival projects about New Zealand arts, artists and the artforms we support
Terms and conditions of funding
When you make an application to Creative New Zealand, you must read, understand, and agree to our Terms and Conditions for the use of Creative New Zealand Contestable Grant Funding. The terms and conditions explain what you can do with the funding. They also explain what to do when you have finished using the funding.
Read the Terms and Conditions for the use of Creative New Zealand Contestable Grant Funding
If you want help to understand the terms and conditions, speak with one of our advisers.
What we don't fund
We do not support some activities supported by other funders:
- music audio and visual recording with the main purpose of distribution via retail or online platforms. These applications should be directed to NZ On Air or where Te Reo Māori is a focus, Te Māngai Pāho
- narrative-based feature and short films, television content, film and screen scriptwriting, film festivals, and film and screen skills development activities. These applications should be directed to the New Zealand Film Commission, NZ On Air and where Te Reo Māori is a focus, Te Māngai Pāho
- documentary films that have already received funding from the New Zealand Film Commission
- costs already funded by Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand National Services Te Paerangi
- touring activity that has already received touring support from Tour-Makers
We do not support activities and operational costs that are the core business of a:
- Tertiary Education Organisation (TEO)
- Territorial Authority (TA)
- Council Controlled Organisation (CCO) such as public galleries and museums
- commercial or dealer gallery
We do not fund some costs, including:
- the costs of renovating or buying buildings or restoring marae
- attending early learning, school, tertiary, or formal courses of study in New Zealand (except through the Development Fund for Artists and Practitioners).
- developing or delivering education resources and activities that are part of a course of study in New Zealand
- cash prizes
- international artist and production costs for activity that does not directly benefit New Zealand arts and artists
Our contestable funds do not support activities that have received funding from any other Creative New Zealand fund or opportunity for the same purpose, including the Creative Communities Scheme.
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