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Arts and Culture Covid Recovery Programme

COVID-19 has presented unprecedented challenges for Aotearoa. The cultural sector has been hit particularly hard. As part of the COVID-19 Recovery Budget, the Government made a landmark investment to help ensure the sector not only survives – it adapts and thrives. 

The Arts and Culture COVID Recovery Programme announced in May 2020 included more than 25 initiatives designed to deliver short-term relief as well as longer-term support for the sector.  

Manatū Taonga led the suite of initiatives in partnership with funded agencies and sector stakeholders, to deliver the total of $495 million over four years. This included both short-term relief and emergency relief to respond to the Delta and Omicron outbreaks. 
 

Previous newsletters:

Round 3 Regeneration Fund feedback now live - 7 March 2023
Cyclone Gabrielle update - 16 February 2023
Arts and Culture Covid Recovery - 3 February 2023

Current funding opportunities

Te Tahua Whakamarohi i te Rāngai Ahurea 
Cultural Sector Regeneration Fund   

The Cultural Sector Regeneration Fund is designed to support the arts, culture and heritage sectors to recover from the impacts of COVID-19 and thrive. It will  support strategic, sector-led initiatives, that will have lasting benefits for arts, culture, and heritage in Aotearoa New Zealand.   

Cultural Sector Regeneration Fund 

Mātauranga Māori Te Awe Kōtuku programme 

The Mātauranga Māori Te Awe Kōtuku programme provides $24.5 million over three years to fund at least 18 diverse initiatives which will support iwi, hapū, whānau and Māori communities to safeguard at-risk mātauranga. 

Mātauranga Māori Te Awe Kōtuku 

Pūtea Tautoko mō ngā Huihuinga Aro Toi 
Arts and Culture Event Support Scheme 

This scheme gives arts and cultural sector event organisers the confidence to plan and deliver events right through to the end of January 2023. 

Download a one page summary of the scheme for event organisers (PDF 209KB)

Arts and Culture Event Support Scheme 

Previous funds and other initiatives

Creative Arts Recovery and Employment (CARE) Fund 

Innovation Fund

Cultural Sector Capability Fund       

Delta and Omicron response packages 

Other Initiatives 

Who got funded 

List of recipients by fund


Updated on 9th March 2023