24 Nov 2015
An initiative to provide business and marketing training for artists and arts organisations and to increase arts participation in the Waikato will be undertaken with funding from Creative New Zealand.
The two-year regional arts pilot starting this year will provide training and resources for artists and arts organisations to increase their skills in audience development, marketing and promotion, business development, strategic planning and governance, and in presenting touring work.
“Creative New Zealand initiated the pilot as the Arts Council wanted to explore how to improve our service to areas outside the main centres. It was also concerned that fewer funding applications are being received from the Waikato despite its relative size and population,” said Creative New Zealand Chief Executive Stephen Wainwright.
“Subsequent research in 2014 also found that arts participation at 46% was significantly lower than the New Zealand average of 58%.”
The pilot aims to help increase access to performances and exhibitions, provide opportunities for people to be directly involved in the arts, and raise awareness of the funding and resources provided by Creative New Zealand.
The skills training will be offered by Creative Waikato which has also been contracted to research and publish a Māori Arts Discussion Paper.
The development of Māori arts is seen as a unique opportunity for the region and the paper is an opportunity to consult with iwi, Māori artists and arts organisations, local authorities and other interested organisations on how that could be achieved.
“In 2014 Creative Waikato commissioned the Waikato Creative Infrastructure Plan which identified the arts infrastructure priority projects in the Waikato region over the next 20-30 years. The lack of infrastructure supporting the Māori arts sector was identified as a critical gap,” said Creative Waikato Chief Executive Sarah Nathan.
“This next phase of research will focus on Māori arts to clearly articulate where the biggest opportunities are. The goal is to join the dots between community conversations and key stakeholders and create a clear pathway that will progress the success of Māori arts in the region.”
Once completed, the paper will made be available to local and regional authorities and other organisations with an interest in the arts as well as the region’s social and economic development.
Creative New Zealand will invest $120,000 in the capability building programme over two financial years and $35,000 in the Māori Arts Discussion paper in the 2015/16 financial year.
Other pilot initiatives
As part of the pilot Creative New Zealand is also increasing funding for the Creative Communities Scheme (CCS) for the region’s district councils by 20% per annum for two years. This funding will be ring-fenced for applications that support arts development, eg for increasing collaboration between community arts organisations.
Creative New Zealand will also provide funding of $60,000 over two years to a new Waikato orchestra entity. Supported by Trust Waikato the three organisations that run the Opus, Trust Waikato Symphony and United Youth Orchestras have created Orchestras Central with a single governance body and set of administrators. The aim is to improve coordination while allowing the orchestras to focus on playing for and serving their specific communities.
Notes to editors:
- Research by Colmar Brunton found that 46% of respondents in Waikato had participated in at least one arts event in the last 12 months. The research was commissioned by Creative New Zealand as part of the triennial New Zealanders and the arts research.
- CCS is a national scheme which funds local arts projects and is administered by local authorities.
Media enquiries to:
Sarah Nathan
Chief Executive
Creative Waikato
sarah@creativewaikato.co.nz
021 2792338
CATEGORIES: Audience development Latest news and blog
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