26 Feb 2024
Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa is thrilled to launch an arts and culture fact finder – a tool that surfaces data and insights about the value of art, culture, creativity and ngā toi Māori.
The evidence is clear – we know that arts, culture and creativity are good for us and our communities. For those of us working in the creative sector, this knowledge is deep and implicit. We know their transformational power; they inspire and challenge us, connect our whānau and families, help build stronger and more prosperous communities, and help define our identity. Making this case to others often requires evidence and data to bridge the gap.
Today, we’re launching a fact finder that brings together evidence from Aotearoa and around the world, presenting data in an easily searchable and accessible way. The tool highlights an ever-growing body of research supporting the value and benefits of arts, culture and creativity for people, whānau and communities.
The fact finder has been informed by advocates, and lets people search for publicly available data by category, artform, location and format. The data shows how investment in the arts has a wide range of benefits, including boosting our physical and mental wellbeing, strengthening social cohesion, and stimulating the economy.
“This tool can be used by anyone and provides a wealth of information and real-world data about the incredible impact of arts, culture and creativity on our individual and collective wellbeing” says Karl Chitham ONZM, Director of The Dowse Art Museum and member of Te Rōpū Mana Toi.
“This data can be used to support speeches, reports, pitches, strategies, media releases, news stories – any place where facts can help you communicate the value of arts, culture and creativity. We hope it supports advocates and artists make the case for investment in the wider sector, and to change perceptions of the importance of wellbeing”.
2024 is an important year for people who advocate for the arts. We have a new coalition government setting its agenda for the term, while local government is consulting on long-term plans. Now is the time to make the case for sustained investment in the arts, using data as the foundation.
The fact finder is just one of the tools developed by Creative New Zealand to help people advocate for the changes they want to see in the arts, culture and creative sector. Data from the fact finder supports the approaches we outline in the advocacy guide, guidance for MP engagement, and council consultation and submissions. Strong policy and decision-making are evidence-based, and data helps decision makers understand that investment in arts, culture and creativity is an investment in people and community wellbeing.
We’re launching with over 300 facts, and plan regular updates to the data set. Our initial research focussed on identifying insights from national and international sources, including websites, reports, academic papers, news article, media releases, research/literature reviews and summaries. Categories were created with reference to Creative New Zealand’s strategic documents, as well as the He Ara Waiora Living Standards Framework, and Te Whare Tapa Whā.
Check out the Fact Finder here
If you would like to suggest research for inclusion, new technical features you would like to see, or if you spot any broken links or technical errors, please email advocacy@creativenz.govt.nz
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