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New Zealand women won the right to vote on 19 September 1893. Visit the Ministry's NZHistory website to learn about more about the early suffragists and what they fought for and reflect on women’s rights today.
Suffrage Day
Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage is calling for applications from historians, researchers and non-fiction writers to produce stories about their communities. The Whiria Te Mahara New Zealand History Grant offers successful applicants up to $12,000 to to support history research and writing. Applications close on 15 October.
One month remaining to apply for the Whiria Te Mahara New Zealand History Grants
A government culture and heritage fund has provided a $16.5 million dollar boost to two cultural institutions in Te Waipounamu, the South Island: the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch and the Forrester Art Gallery in Oamaru. Image shows the foyer of the new Canterbury Museum with the blue whale skeleton suspended from the ceiling.
Regional culture and heritage fund provides $16.5m for South Island cultural institutions
Kismet, in association with Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC), Firefly Films, Caravan Carpark Films and Kingston Productions are proud to release the trailer for the highly anticipated local feature film Uproar - which will have its nationwide cinema release on October 5, hot on the heels of its selection and screening at the revered Toronto International Film Festival this September.
Trailer Unveiled For Aotearoa Feature Film Uproar
Join us at the National Library of NZ in person or online to hear archivist and author Jared Davidson discuss his latest book, 'Blood and Dirt: Prison Labour and the Making of New Zealand' and the role prisoners have played in the development of modern New Zealand. Takes place on Wednesday 4 October at 12.10pm.
Public History talk - Prison labour and the making of New Zealand
Read a new Ministry report assessing the impact of the cultural recovery funding which supported 54 creative spaces. Cover image is of Jokani Coe performing in 'There is a Mountain inside my head' with Jolt. Photo taken by Charlie Rose, image courtesy of The Arts Centre.
Creative Spaces – impact of cultural recovery funding
NZ On Air’s Where Are The Audiences? research for 2023 shows audiences want their content when they want it – and that means on demand. The latest results from the series survey Where Are The Audiences? reveal audience behaviour in 2023, and how this compares to the 2021 survey, as well as the ongoing trend since the research began in 2014.
Strong growth in on demand viewing – latest audience trends from NZ On Air research
Following its triumphant premiere in 2019, the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s acclaimed Hansel & Gretel returns for Christmas 2023. Loughlan Prior, with Claire Cowan and Kate Hawley, has created a magical world of memorable characters. Touring nationwide from 26 October to 09 December, learn more on the Royal New Zealand Ballet's website.
Book now for the RNZB's Hansel & Gretel production
Following significant fono, talanoa, and engagement with the Pacific Arts community, Creative NZ are proud to share their Pacific Arts Strategy 2023-2028. This new strategy lays out their support for Pacific Arts over the next five years and is inspired by navigational stars across the skies of Aotearoa and Oceania. It is a vital, vibrant part of their wider strategic direction. Key features include an overarching vision, three key outcomes, and six priority areas for action – all of which are based on Kaupapa Pasifika values and principles. Read more on Creative NZ's website.
Creative New Zealand's Pacific Arts Strategy 2023-2028

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Home Funding Arts and Culture COVID Recovery Programme Other initiatives

Other initiatives

Arts 

Creative New Zealand received $25 million to support the creative sector through their Emergency Response Package. $16 million to ensure the retention of critical arts infrastructure, keeping arts institutions open and retain staff.  

The Royal New Zealand Ballet received $2.031 million over three years. 

Creatives in Schools 

Creatives in Schools supports artists and creative practitioners to partner with schools and kura to share their specialist skills and knowledge with students. 
 
Budget 2019 provided an initial $7.16m funding for 304 creative projects in New Zealand schools and kura from 2020 to 2023. Budget 2020 provided an additional $4m which expanded the number of allowed projects to 510. Schools and creatives can jointly apply for up to $17,000 per project. 

This initiative is delivered by the Ministry of Education working in partnership with Manatū Taonga and Creative New Zealand. More information is available on the Ministry of Education website. 

Creative Careers Service 

The Creative Careers Service pilot was co-designed by the Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry for Culture and Heritage in response to the economic impacts of COVID-19 on the creative industry. The service aims to assist people in the creative sector to develop business skills and plan for financial stability. It was implemented in the Auckland, Waikato, and Nelson regions in 2020.

Creative Careers Service (Work and Income)

Creative Careers Process Evaluation (Ministry of Social Development)

Music 

New Music Fund 

The New Music Fund boosted NZ On Air’s New Music programmes by $7.178 million over two years to support the production of new music. The New Music Fund has been delivered by NZ On Air and the  NZ Music Commission. 

Funding boosts are still in effect. For more details, see the music funding information on the NZ On Air website. 

NZ Music Month and Outward Sound Make Good Funds 

A total of $1.4 million was available for both the NZ Music Month Make Good Fund and the Outward Sound Make Good Fund. These funds helped 60 New Zealand artists and music businesses recoup lost income and costs incurred as a result of COVID-19 cancellations in 2020. This funding was delivered by the NZ Music Commission.  

Music Venue Infrastructure Fund 

This fund provided $3 million to upgrade music venues across Aotearoa to ensure safe environments for audiences, workers and artists. The fund supported 85 venues across over 26 towns and cities in Aotearoa New Zealand. Grants were up to $50,000 per venue. 

See the list of venues that received on the NZ Music Commission website. 

Aotearoa Music Touring Programme

The programme gave $5 million over two years for New Zealand artists to perform original live music on tour in Aotearoa. Seventy-six artists and businesses were awarded funding to tour Aotearoa. 

Heritage 

Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga received $11.3 million over four years to address existing cost pressures and enable it to continue its vision of heritage being valued, respected and preserved for present and future generations. $250,000 went towards investigating the seismic upgrade and refurbishment of Turnbull House. 

Te Papa Tongarewa received $18 million to remain open to the public and continue to connect treasured collections and taonga to New Zealanders. 

The Antarctic Heritage Trust received $1.4 million to continue its heritage conservation work in Antarctica and continue to inspire young explorers in New Zealand. 

The Waitangi National Trust received $4 million to ensure that the Waitangi Treaty Grounds are open to the public. 

Audiovisual collection digitisation 

Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision, National Library and Archives New Zealand received investment for the digitisation of high-risk audiovisual collections. 
 
$10 million was provided over four years for operations, with $3 million each year continuing in outyears for the three institutions. Further capital funding of $32.9 million over four years will support building the required capability, including procuring a vendor to digitise at-risk magnetic collections, managed in partnership between the institutions. 

Museum Hardship Fund 

The Museum Hardship Fund makes $4 million available through multiple funding rounds over three years. The contestable grants are administered by Te Papa National Service Te Paerangi. 

The fund is open to any non-profit, community-run or volunteer museum, whare taonga or gallery of small to medium size, or whānau and hapū through the relevant iwi organisation. The original $2 million allocated in Budget 2020 was boosted by $1 million as part of the Delta package in September 2021, and another $1 million in Budget 2022. See the list of recipients on Te Papa’s website. 

Mātauranga Māori 

Mātauranga Māori Te Awe Kōtuku  

The Mātauranga Māori Te Awe Kōtuku programme was provided $20 million over two years to fund 18 diverse initiatives which are supporting iwi, hapū, whānau and Māori communities to safeguard at-risk mātauranga from the ongoing threat of COVID-19. 

Read more about these initiatives in te reo Māori or English. 

Te Matatini support 

Te Matatini received $2.43 million to assist with their 2020/2021 kapa haka programme. This included $2 million to support the national 2021 Te Matatini Herenga Waka Herenga Tangata Festival, and $430K to reimburse rohe (regions) for unrecoverable costs associated with 2020 competitions which were affected by COVID-19. 

Pasifika 

Pasifika Festivals Initiative 

Pasifika festivals received $12 million of funding over three years to recover from the impacts of COVID-19.  
 
This initiative was administered by Creative New Zealand. It was developed and co-designed with Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Pacific Peoples using a joint approach based on Kaupapa Pasifika and Teu Le Va cultural concepts. 

Fale Malae establishment 

The Fale Malae Trust received $10 million to support the establishment of a New Zealand Fale Malae, with the first step being to progress detailed planning and consent work at a location in the Wellington CBD.  

Screen 

Screen Production Recovery Fund 

The Screen Production Recovery Fund was available to productions already invested in by the New Zealand Film Commission or NZ On Air that were affected by COVID-19 restrictions. 

The fund was established with $23.4 million and was increased with extensions announced as part of the Delta Relief Fund in September 2021. As part of the Omicron support package, a further $15 million was provided to extend the Screen Production Recovery Fund until at least 31 January 2023. 

Te Puna Kairangi Premium Productions for International Audiences Fund 

$50 million was made available for the New Zealand screen sector to tell our stories to international audiences. Funding was delivered by Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga New Zealand Film Commission, Irirangi Te Motu NZ On Air and Te Māngai Pāho. It was developed in partnership with Manatū Taonga.  

Updated on 18th September 2023