Make connections

Aotearoa Digital Arts Network (ADA)

Find out about how the Aotearoa Digital Arts Network facilitates networking for artists and arts practitioners in the digital arts.
The ADA Network | Aotearoa Digital Arts

Community arts

Find further connections in community arts through the support and networks section of the Creative New Zealand Community Arts Toolkit.
Support and Networks Community Arts Toolkit | Creative New Zealand

Local Government

Check out your council site to find out about opportunities available for artists and arts practitioners in your local community.
Council websites and maps | Local Government New Zealand

Toi Māori Aotearoa

Toi Māori Aotearoa is an independent Māori arts organisation that cares for the interests of Māori art and artists at a local, national and international level for the benefit of Māori people.
Toi Māori Aotearoa

Performing Arts Network New Zealand (PANNZ)

Find out about how PANNZ supports the New Zealand professional performing arts sector.
Performing Arts Network of New Zealand

Regional Arts Network Aotearoa (RANA)

The Regional Arts Network of Aotearoa is a group of arts organisations that operate across Aotearoa. These regional arts organisations (or RAOs) are non-profit entities that provide strategic direction and support for the development of arts, culture and heritage. Learn more about how RANA operates as a connected network to support shared goals.
Our members | RANA

Tautai Pacific Arts Trust

Tautai has supported Pacific visual artists since the 1980s. It showcases Pacific artists and arts practitioners and encourages volunteers to support the sector.
Tautai

As part of their work to build stronger collective advocacy for arts, culture, creativity and ngā toi, Creative New Zealand creates resources for advocates. Use these tools to support your advocacy, discover key advocacy research, and read about storytelling campaigns.
Advocacy tools and research | Creative New Zealand

View this Creative New Zealand (CNZ) guide for arts advocates about how to create a future where artists and creativity thrive, so all New Zealanders flourish. Share this Creative New Zealand guide to promoting community art with your local council.
A guide for arts advocates | Creative New Zealand

Share this Creative New Zealand guide to promoting art in your community with your local council.
Ngā taonga toi: ngā taonga pāpori āke āke | Arts and culture: part of your community’s future | Creative New Zealand

Use the Fact Finder digital tool to discover useful insights about the value of art, culture, creativity and ngā toi in our lives, according to national and international research.
Fact finder | Creative New Zealand

Arts Access Aotearoa | Putanga Toi ki Aotearoa (AAA)

AAA’s purpose is to increase access to the arts for people who experience barriers to participation as artists, performers, audience members and visitors to galleries and museums. It does this by working in the disability, mental health and deaf communities, and through a network of community arts organisations called Creative Spaces. Use the AAA directory to find organisations that provide a range of arts activities, including classes and workshops, advice and information, exhibitions and performances in regions across Aotearoa.
Community arts organisations | Arts Access Aotearoa

Join a network that encourages festivals, artists, performing arts companies, literary organisations, museums, galleries, venues and producers to improve access for deaf and disabled audiences.
Arts for All Network | Arts Access Aotearoa

Arts Makers Aotearoa

Join Arts Makers Aotearoa which is an arts advocacy group by makers for makers.
Arts Makers Aotearoa

Centre for New Zealand Music Trust: SOUNZ

Sounz mission is to make the music of Aotearoa New Zealand accessible to all.
Sounz

Composers Association of New Zealand (CANZ)

CANZ represents New Zealand’s composition community on matters of national and international importance.
Composers Association of New Zealand

Dance Aotearoa New Zealand

DANZ is about and for people in dance.
Dance Aotearoa New Zealand

Publishers Association of New Zealand (PANZ)

PANZ represents trade, educational, scholarly and digital publishers across Aotearoa New Zealand.
Publishers Association of New Zealand

Music Managers Forum Aotearoa

A collective voice for music managers and self-managed artists, both signed and independent.
Music Managers Forum Aotearoa

Museums Aotearoa – The voice of museums and galleries

A group that advocates for museums and galleries.
Museums Aotearoa

New Zealand Games Developers Association (NZDGA)

The New Zealand Game Developers Association supports the growth of game development in Aotearoa and supports the artists and art practitioners working in the sector.
NZDGA

New Zealand Music Commission

Access support for artists and arts practitioners in the music industry.
New Zealand Music Commission

New Zealand Poetry Society (NZPS)

Supporting and promoting poets and poetry in New Zealand.
New Zealand Poetry Society

Playmarket New Zealand

Playmarket supports all New Zealand playwrights and theatremakers.
Playmarket

The Entertainment Venues Association of New Zealand (EVANZ)

EVANZ is the voice of the New Zealand entertainment venues industry and covers over 120 sites nationwide.
EVANZ

The New Zealand Society of Authors (NZSA)

NZSA supports the rights of a wide range of writers, illustrators and industry professionals at every stage of their careers. From journalists to comic artists, scriptwriters to bloggers, novelists to game writers and translators to poets, NZSA members come from many disciplines.
New Zealand Society of Authors

The New Zealand Writers Guild (NZWG)

The New Zealand Writers Guild - Puni Taatuhi o Aotearoa is a professional association of screen script writers.
NZ Writers Guild

Collective advocacy

As your networks build around a shared purpose you might also consider developing a shared language and understanding. This is becoming an expectation of funding organisations. Read this article for more insights.
Singing with a shared voice | Creative Waikato

Develop your own next steps and collaborate with others to continue to grow your career. Consider what is on top for you, and who you can go to for support in the following areas:

• Networks and networking
• Advocates and advocacy

Social media can be a tool for marketing your art form globally. Ask other artists and arts practitioners what platforms they use and tips they can share with you. Regardless of the social media platform you choose, be consistent with the regularity of your posts, whether it is daily, weekly or monthly. Start with one platform to get it right and then add more platforms.

Creating content

Ideas for posting as an artist or arts practitioner: 

• Something you viewed at an art event.
• Share when you first knew you wanted to be an artist/arts practitioner.
• Share a timeline of your art form.
• Share a technique that changed your style.
• Share your first break in your career.
• Survey your audience for possible content ideas.
• Interview your mentor.
• Interview a contemporary artist or arts practitioner.
• Create a poll to get feedback from your audience on an issue.
• Share some dos and don’ts for emerging artists.
• Answer questions asked by your audience.
• Discuss mistakes and add solutions.
• Share your process of creating.
• Post a “Day in my life”.
• Post a tutorial.
• Share community art projects in your area.
• Share what you do to inspire yourself when you are unable to create.
• Run a competition to name a piece of your art form.

Digital Boost

Digital Boost is a Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE) initiative that offers a free self-directed online learning platform to help you grow your business using the digital world.

Sign up to Digital Boost to help you grow your business using the digital world.
Digital Boost | Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

The Digital Boost online learning topics and resources include:

• Create a website
  Creating a website will allow you to promote and market your art form. Before you start, check out the websites of other artists and arts practitioners to get a feel for what appeals to you and discuss any tips they can share.

• Create a digital storefront
  Learn how to create a digital storefront or improve one you already have on Digital Boost. Topics include eCommerce, search engine optimisation and content creation.

• Digital tools
  Discover the digital communication, collaboration, design and booking tools behind some of the world’s most successful businesses.

• Digital marketing
  Learn how to leverage social media, email marketing and Google to attract new customers and retain existing ones.

Seek advice

What's next?