Support for organisations and groups with a long-term vision or purpose. The people involved might change and evolve but the organisation or group continues.
On this page
- Opportunities for arts organisations and groups
- What we mean by arts organisations and groups
- Additional eligibility criteria for specific organisation and group types
- Find out more
- You may also be interested in
Opportunities for arts organisations and groups
Arts organisations and groups:
- deliver ongoing or regular artistic activity
- have a long-term purpose or vision for the arts
- continue operating even if people change
- have arts outcomes as their core activity
Examples of arts organisations and groups include:
- an art gallery
- a festival
- an orchestra
- an established publishing company
Arts organisations
Arts organisations are generally legal entities such as a company, trust, registered charity or incorporated society. They may or may not have professional staff or a formal strategic plan.
Arts groups
An arts group may or may not be a legal entity or have professional staff or a formal strategic plan. Groups can include entities such as collectives, artist run spaces, or groups that deliver an ongoing programme of artistic activity.
Marae, Iwi, and Hapū
Marae, Iwi, and Hapū can apply to arts organisations and groups funds and opportunities if their requested activities meet the purpose of the fund.
Speak to a Ngā Toi Māori advisor to determine the best fund to apply to
Groups that meet the definition of both 'Arts groups' and 'Collaborators'
Some groups may fit the ‘Arts groups’ and ‘Collaborators’ definitions.
These groups can apply for one of the following:
They cannot apply to both.
Speak to an adviser to determine which fund is best for your group to apply to
Additional eligibility criteria for specific organisation and group types
The Arts Organisations & Groups (AOG) fund supports arts organisations that deliver clear benefits for New Zealand artists, arts practitioners, and communities.
Some organisations are eligible to apply for AOG funding only for non-core business arts programmes, as outlined below.
Organisations eligible to apply for non-core business programmes
The following organisations may apply for AOG funding for arts programmes that sit outside their core business:
- Tertiary Education Organisations (TEOs)
- Council-Controlled Organisations (CCOs)
- Commercial and dealer galleries
- Museums
These organisations must clearly describe:
- what their core business or primary mandate is, and
- how the proposed arts programme sits outside that core business.
International organisations
International organisations are eligible to apply for AOG funding only for arts programmes that directly benefit New Zealand arts and artists.
This includes programmes that:
- support the development, presentation, or international reach of New Zealand artists, or
- deliver meaningful outcomes for New Zealand arts communities.
Local subsidiaries of multinational arts organisations
Local subsidiaries of multinational arts organisations are eligible to apply for AOG funding and will be treated in the same way as locally owned organisations.
For these organisations, the requirement to define core versus non-core business does not apply.
Organisations that are not individually eligible
The following are not individually eligible to apply for AOG funding:
- Committees, affiliated entities, or sub-groups of organisations where resources and governance are managed centrally.
In these cases, funding requests should be made by the head organisation or submitted in partnership with the associated organisation.
Territorial Authorities
Territorial Authorities (TAs) are not eligible to apply for AOG funding.
Unlike TEOs and CCOs, Territorial Authorities have a statutory responsibility to provide arts and culture services for their communities. This places arts delivery within their core business, making it ineligible for support under current Creative New Zealand policy.
Financial information requirements
TEOs, CCOs, museums, commercial and dealer galleries, and international organisations applying for non-core business programmes are not required to provide organisation-level financial statements or forward financial projections, but must provide a budget for the non-core business arts programme they are seeking funding for.
Funding decisions are based on the costs and merit of the programme, not on wider organisational or business-unit turnover.
Find out more
Webinars
We’re hosting a series of webinars and live-chat Q+A sessions to help you understand the Arts Organisations and Groups Fund.
The webinars are us talking to you, but you’ll be able to write questions in the Q+A field. Webinars will be followed by live-chat Q+As where we’ll answer those questions and any others that come up. We’re using Microsoft Teams for these sessions.
See the webinar schedule and register to attend
Frequently asked questions
If you have a question about the Arts Organisations and Groups Fund, email koreromai@creativenz.govt.nz
Read the answers to frequently asked questions about the Arts Organisations and Groups Fund 2026
Speak with an adviser
Everything you need to know about the Arts Organisations and Groups Fund 2026 is on the Arts Organisations and Groups Fund opportunity page of our website, but if you want to talk to an adviser you can book a time.
Book a time to speak with an adviser
Resources
Expression of Interest Form
Ngā Toi Māori - Proposal Template (.DOCX 47KB)
Pacific Arts - Proposal Template (.DOCX 44KB)
General Arts - Proposal Template (.DOCX 46KB)