Read the full annual report as a pdf copy.
Taken from the Chief Executive's report for 2016/17
Arts, culture, heritage, media and sports are part of our everyday lives, yet they lift us out of the everyday. They express who we are individually and collectively. Engagement with our heritage tells us where we’ve come from and informs where we are going. Cultural expression is central to a vibrant, healthy society. Cultural expression also reflects and reinforces what it means to be a New Zealander, helping to build connection and cohesion. This is incredibly important.
We connect people from all walks of life to our culture and heritage and bring our past to life in many ways. The Ministry’s websites had more than 10 million hits, with our comprehensive encyclopedia Te Ara recording 5,971,813 and NZHistory recording 3,659,220 for the 2016/17 year. The Walking with an Anzac schools resource, through the WW100 programme, has seen 800 school visits and 5,900 factsheets downloaded by teachers. Grants of $10.827 million from the Regional Culture and Heritage Fund have gone to support cultural institutions throughout the country and the newly established Heritage EQUIP fund, $12 million over four years, is supporting heritage building owners to earthquake strengthen them. Further afield the Cultural Diplomacy International Programme, backing New Zealand’s reputation and identity internationally, saw support for the Venice Biennale and the Indian Ink theatre company’s tour of India. These achievements show we have a great deal to be proud of.
The creative sector also makes a major contribution to New Zealand’s economic growth and sustainable prosperity. Every year the sector contributes billions of dollars to the economy and supports thousands of jobs across the country. Our creative industries build talent and skills and produce high value and weightless products for export.
Figures from NZ On Air show the steady increase in New Zealand screen content continues with 13,126 hours broadcast. And the majority of New Zealanders who believe NZ On Air supports television content important to New Zealanders has risen from 75 per cent to 78 per cent. More people went to our New Zealand movies with attendance up from 4 million in 2015/16 to 4.7 million.
Creative New Zealand has increased the number of community arts grants made through the Creative Communities Scheme from 1,725 to 1,806 and attendance at events it supports has increased from 1,250,415 to 1,286,665. Both the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Royal New Zealand Ballet have extended their reach to more centres throughout the country.
Updated on 1st November 2019