Funding for artists and practitioners at the early stage of their career, to develop new work, new skills and to share their mahi with their communities.
On this page:
- Overview
- Funding rounds
- Who can apply
- Get advice before you apply
- What can be funded
- How to apply
- How your application is assessed
Overview
Amount
Up to $10,000
Artforms
Funding rounds
Early Career Fund 2026 - Round 1
Opens: 27 January 2026
Closes: 1.00 PM (NZ time) on Thursday, 5 March 2026
For activities taking place between: 17 June 2026 - 17 September 2027
Results due: 17 June 2026
Who can apply
Artists and practitioners of any age who are:
- at the early stage of their career, and are
- New Zealand citizens or Permanent Residents
You do not need a track record to apply.
You can apply as:
- an individual, or
- a group of collaborators
If you’ve previously received an Early Career Fund grant, consider whether the Creative Fellowship Fund or Creative Impact Fund might now be a better fit for supporting the next stage of your artistic development.
Creative Fellowship Fund
Creative Impact Fund
As part of our funding priorities, we seek to support a diverse group of early career artists, including applicants who are new to the process or who have not previously received funding from Creative New Zealand.
Who cannot apply
Arts organisations, groups, and established artists cannot apply to this fund, which includes applying on behalf of an early career artist or applying to deliver activities such as mentoring to early career artists.
Get advice before you apply
Talk to a Practice Adviser if you are new to our funding opportunities.
Check that:
- your artform can be funded
- your activities can be funded
- your application will make a good fit for this funding programme
- you know what to include in your application
Get accessibility support
If our systems are not accessible for you, we will help you 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 making an application.
What can be funded
You can request up to $10,000 to:
- create, present, or distribute your work
- gain knowledge and new skills
- pay a mentor
Include a mentor
We encourage people applying to the Ngā toi Māori funding pool to include a mentor in their project.
Read more about our funding pools.
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.
Submissions close at 1.00 PM on the closing date (New Zealand standard time).
Register or sign in to the CNZ Portal.
Get help using the CNZ Portal.
Prepare answers to the application questions
- What do you want to learn, create, or develop in your artistic practice through this funding?
- Why is this the right moment in your artistic development to undertake these activities?
- How will these activities contribute to the growth of your artistic practice?
- What future opportunities or pathways do you anticipate this work will open for you?
Prepare support material
Attach an artistic CV, samples of your work, or other material to support your application.
If you have a mentor, we recommend you include a letter of support from them.
Read more about support material, and which file formats can be attached to your application.
No budget needed for the application
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.
Read more about creating a budget.
How your application is assessed
Assessment criteria
We look at whether the activities described in your proposal:
- allow you to learn, create and share as an early career artist
- are important for you to do now at this early stage of your career
- help grow your practice
- allow you to take risks and develop new ideas
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 artform peer assessors.
Ngā toi Māori funding pool
Your application is assessed by Ngā toi Māori peer assessors.
Pacific arts funding pool
Your application is assessed by Pacific arts peer assessors.
Read more about choosing a funding pool.
Who makes the funding decisions
Creative New Zealand staff make the funding decisions, which are reviewed and approved by Creative New Zealand’s Senior Leadership team.
We aim to fund a diverse range of emerging Aotearoa artists and practitioners.
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