Creative Impact Fund

Who can apply

Artists and practitioners who are New Zealand citizens or Permanent Residents.

You can apply as:

• an individual, or
• a group of collaborators.

Who cannot apply

Arts organisations and groups cannot apply to this fund.

Get advice before you apply 

Talk to a Practice Adviser about applying to this fund.

Check that:

• you are eligible for this fund
• your activities can be funded
• you know what to include in your application 

Get accessibility support

If our systems are not accessible for you, we will help you to find an accessible way to apply.

Talk to a Practice Adviser about your access needs.

Read more about how we can support your access needs when applying for funding.

What can be funded

The Creative Impact Fund supports artists and practitioners for up to 18 months to deliver arts activities that:

• enrich audiences and communities
• deepen people's understanding and participation in the arts
• encourages the sharing of knowledge and skills

The grant can support you to:

• create artwork and present it through exhibitions, performances, or touring
• distribute artwork by publishing books, catalogues, resources, or recordings
• engage with audiences or raise awareness through research and advocacy
• share knowledge and skills through workshops, wānanga, fono, or talanoa

How much you can apply for

You can apply for up to $125,000.

Most grants will be less than $100,000.

If you apply for more than $50,000, you must show in your budget that you have revenue from other sources. This can include earned income, other grants, sponsorship or in-kind support.

Additional funding through the Creative Fellowship Fund

You can apply to the Creative Fellowship Fund and the Creative Impact Fund in the same year, but you cannot apply for the same activities.

The Creative Fellowship Fund supports you to develop your practice and your work. The Creative Impact Fund supports you to deliver activities that benefit audiences, participants and communities.

You can receive a maximum of $125,000 within a 12-month period between the Creative Fellowship Fund and the Creative Impact Fund combined.

Payment for accessibility costs

People who identify as Deaf or disabled, or experience disability or an impairment, can claim an additional payment on top of their grant. The payment is to help cover accessibility costs during the period of the grant.

Read more about claiming an accessibility payment.

How to apply 

Start your application in the CNZ Portal

The application form is available when the funding round is open. You can submit one application per funding round.

Register or sign into the CNZ Portal.

Get help using the CNZ Portal.

Prepare answers to the application questions

• What creative activities do you want to do?
• What have you been doing recently in your creative practice and how has this informed what you want to do in your creative practice now?
• What needs or opportunities have you identified for your community or audience and how will you help meet those needs?

Prepare support material

Attach your artistic CV, budget, samples of work, letters of support, or other material to support your application.

Read more about support material, and which file formats you can upload to your application.

Create a budget

You must include a detailed and viable budget in your application

For applications between $50,000 and $125,000 you must show you have income from other sources. This can include earned income, other grants or sponsorship or in-kind support.

Read more about creating a budget.

How your application is assessed

Assessment criteria

Peer assessors consider whether your proposed activities:

• have clear intent, and it is important you do them now
• provide clear benefits to your community or audience

Creative New Zealand staff consider whether:

• your activities allow you to share knowledge and skills, or create and develop impactful work, or deepen people’s appreciation and participation in the arts
• your activities will support dynamic, diverse, and resilient New Zealand arts, in line with our Interim Investment Intentions 2023-25
• your budget is thorough and includes fair pay for the people involved. If you apply for more than $50,000, we also check that you have income from other sources.

Who assesses your application

Your application is assessed by different people, depending on which funding pool you apply to.

General arts funding pool

Your application is assessed by an artform-based panel of peer assessors and Creative New Zealand staff.

Ngā toi Māori funding pool

Your application is assessed by a panel of Ngā toi Māori assessors and Creative New Zealand’s Ngā toi Māori staff.

Pacific arts funding pool

Your application is assessed by a panel of Pacific arts assessors and Creative New Zealand’s Pacific arts staff.

Read more about choosing a funding pool.

Who makes the funding decisions

The assessment panels make funding recommendations to Creative New Zealand’s Senior Leadership team who make the final funding decisions.

We aim to fund a diverse range of Aotearoa artists and practitioners.