Development Fund for Artists and Practitioners

On this page:

• Who can apply
• What can be funded
• What to include in your application
• How to apply
• How we assess your application and make decisions
• Who to talk to

Who can apply

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

Permanent, full-time staff members of Toi Tōtara Haemata or Toi Uru Kahikatea investment organisations cannot apply. However, part time, permanent employees (up to and including 20 hours per week) can apply for development activities that benefit their artistic work outside of their employment with your organisation.

What can be funded

You can request up to $8,000 towards fees and costs associated with professional and creative development activities. 

These activities might include:

• research, training, coaching, or mentoring, or
• attending workshops, conferences, wānanga or talanoa nationally or internationally

You can apply for the cost of capital items only if they’re directly related to your development activities and provide long-term benefits to your professional or creative development.

Additional access payment

If you identify as Deaf or disabled, or experience disability or an impairment, and are awarded a grant through this fund, you can claim an additional access payment on top of your grant.

The payment is to help with the costs of meeting your access needs, such as NZSL interpreters, support people, or accessible travel. You can read more about the access payment in If you receive funding.

What to include in your application

Application questions

Provide response to the following questions:

1. What do you want to do?
2. Why is it important that you do this now?
3. What do you think the benefits will be for your practice and for your community?
4. What do you hope this may lead to?

Budget

You do not need to provide a budget with your application. If your application is successful, we will ask you to provide a budget when we offer you the grant.

How to apply 

Apply using the online application form which is available in the CNZ portal when the funding round is open.

Support making an application

If our systems are not accessible to you, speak to one of our advisers to find the best way for you to apply. 

How we assess your application and make decisions

Your application is assessed by different people, depending on which funding pool you apply to. There are three funding pools for this fund:

• General arts funding pool – an external peer assessor assesses your application and Creative New Zealand staff make the funding decisions
• Ngā toi Māori funding pool – Ngā toi Māori peer assessors assess your application and Creative New Zealand’s Ngā toi Māori staff make the funding decisions
• Pacific arts funding pool – Pacific arts peer assessors assess your application and Creative New Zealand’s Pacific arts staff make the funding decisions

You can find advice about selecting a funding pool in Making an application.

When assessing your application, our assessors consider whether your proposed activities:

• help expand your skills and knowledge
• are well-planned
• are important for you to do at this stage in your development
• benefit your practice, both creatively and professionally
• have an impact on your career

Creative New Zealand staff also look at how your proposal delivers to our Interim Investment Intentions 2023-2025. When making decisions, we aim to fund a broad and diverse range of Aotearoa artists and practitioners.

Who to talk to 

Speak to a Development adviser to discuss your application