Creative Spaces

Ngā wāhi Auaha
Creative Spaces initiative

Mā te ahurea me te toiora e tautīnei ake
Culture and art will uplift those in need

He kupu motuhake te tautīnei mō te tautāwhi ā-ringa i tētahi e mate ana. I konei, kua riro mā te ahurea me ngā toi tēnei tangata e tautīnei ake ā-hinengaro, ā-wairua anō hoki. 

The word tautīnei specifically means to physically support or hold up one who is in need. In this instance, it is culture and the arts that is uplifting the person emotionally and spiritually.

Te pakiwaitara o te Tahua
The funding story 

Creative expression enriches people emotionally and spiritually. It uplifts those in need, and supports people’s wellbeing. 

Manatū Taonga is funding organisations to enrich the lives of those in need through creative activities. With this, comes employment opportunities for creative professionals and more avenues for creative expression. 

Mō te kaupapa o Wāhi Auaha
About the Creative Spaces initiative 

The Creative Spaces initiative is part of Te Tahua Whakahaumaru Creative Arts Recovery and Employment (CARE) Fund. It aims to: 

• increase participation in creative activities for people experiencing barriers to participation
• create employment for creative professionals. 

Manatū Taonga is seeking applications from creative spaces, that is organisations or groups whose primary purpose is to provide access to art-making activities and creative expression for people who experience barriers to participation. 

Barriers to participation include intellectual or physical disabilities, neurological conditions, mental illness, age-related vulnerability (seniors or youth), cultural or social isolation or poverty. 

Organisations with a different primary purpose (such as providing housing or presenting cultural content for the general public), which also provide art-making activities or creative expression for people who experience barriers to participation, are not eligible to apply. 

Second Funding Round

This is the second and final funding round. The first funding round closed in March 2021, and this second and final funding round, closes on Tuesday 1 June. The funding criteria are the same for both rounds. 

Funding Available

Creative spaces can apply for funding for new roles or additional hours for existing roles to expand the organisation’s services beyond its existing client base. 

Creative spaces can receive up to $150,000 a year for three years, for a total of up to $450,000 in total over the three years. 

Additional, separate funding will be available for training and development – look out for more information coming soon about this.

Support from Arts Access Aotearoa

Manatū Taonga has partnered with Arts Access Aotearoa to provide support to creative spaces with their applications and work with funded creative spaces to share best practice and help them source longer-term sustainable funding. 

Creative spaces can contact Arts Access Aotearoa directly at [email protected].

Mō te wāhanga tuatahi
About round one 

Round one closed on Wednesday 24 March 2021. View a list of funding recipients.

Mō te wāhanga tuarua
About round two 

Round two is aimed at creative spaces that did not apply or were not successful in the first funding round. The funding criteria are the same as they were in round one. 

• Application guide  (PDF 162 KB)
• Application form  (Word 338 KB)
• Budget template  (Excel 71 KB)
• Example funding agreement (PDF 338 KB)
• Questions and answers

Creative spaces can contact Arts Access Aotearoa at [email protected] for support with their application.

An organisation can apply for funding in round two for a funding option they did not apply for in round one, or submit an improved application that was unsuccessful in round one. Please note that an organisation cannot receive more than $150,000 a year in total (for a total of up to $450,000 over the three years) from the Creative Spaces initiative. An organisation cannot apply again in round two for a funding option that was successful in round one. 

Mō Te Tahua Whakahaumaru
About Creative Arts Recovery and Employment (CARE) Fund

The Creative Spaces initiative is part of Te Ahurea me te Toiora Culture and Wellbeing funding stream within Te Tahua Whakahaumaru Creative Arts Recovery and Employment (CARE) Fund.  

Like other CARE Fund initiatives, investment in Creative Spaces will increase access and participation in cultural activities, as well as creating employment and skill development opportunities. 

The CARE Fund is part of the Arts and Culture COVID Recovery Programme led by Manatū Taonga.

More information

• Te Tahua Whakahaumaru | Creative Arts Recovery and Employment Fund overview
• Arts and Culture COVID Recovery Programme  

Whakapā mai ki a mātou
Contact us 

Creative spaces with questions about eligibility or needing support to apply should contact Arts Access Aotearoa directly at [email protected]. 

For other queries, please contact the Manatū Taonga team at [email protected].