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Creative New Zealand reflects on the power of the arts and the impact creative expression can have on our individual and collective wellbeing. Turn to your creative skills. Take comfort from them. Share them if you think it would help others.
He waka eke noa – we are all in this together
In 'Together We Make A Nation', Dalal, Ola, Yibeth and Neary, four women of refugee backgrounds, invite us into their homes and share with us their stories. From being forced to flee their home countries, to adjusting to their new lives as NZ citizens, each woman reflects on their journey so far, and their hopes for the future. View this recently funded NZ On Air documentary.
Together we make a nation
Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Grant Robertson has announced he is calling for applications to the fourth round of the Regional Culture and Heritage Fund (RCHF). The round opened on 07 March 2019. Applications close at 5pm on Thursday 18 April 2019. Decisions will likely be announced in June/July 2019.
RCHF Round Four is now open
The Big Idea website honours the work of Zulfirman Syah. A victim of the shooting at the Linwood Mosque in Christchurch, Zulfirman is due to exhibit this and other works at the Auckland Art Fair in May with Indonesian art agency Redbase Foundation. Zulfirman’s is just one story, but each matters in understanding our strong diversity as a country today and in coming to terms with this tragedy as Zulfirman’s recovery will be long.
Artist in terrorist attacks
Do you want to see an outstanding disabled artist recognised? How about an inclusive project celebrating community arts or a leader providing access to the arts for people in New Zealand? Nominations to this year’s Te Putanga Toi Arts Access Awards, presented annually by Arts Access Aotearoa, close on Monday 8 April 2019.
Te Putanga Toi Arts Access Awards 2019 call for nominations
Deeper insights into the life and times of Helen Kelly and Te Rauparaha are among the New Zealand stories to be revealed through this year’s annual New Zealand History Awards, Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage Chief Historian Neill Atkinson said today.
Annual history awards reveal New Zealand’s stories
A new book, Here we are, read us: Women, disability and writing, creatively explores the sometimes complicated and often neglected relationship between writing and disability. This little book with big ideas features eight diverse, well-known and emerging women writers. They are: Tusiata Avia, Steff Green, Helen Vivienne Fletcher, Charlotte Simmonds, Michele Leggott, Trish Harris, Te Awhina Arahanga and Robin Hyde (the only non-living writer).
Crip the Lit launches “little book with big ideas”
Grammy Award-winning American mezzo-soprano Susan Graham will perform for the first time with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in Wellington and Auckland in March.
NZSO goes out of this world with The Planets and opera star Susan Graham
This year in 2019, New Zealand will mark 250 years since the first meetings between Māori and Europeans during James Cook and the Endeavour's 1769 voyage to Aotearoa New Zealand. A national commemoration, Tuia – Encounters 250, will acknowledge this pivotal moment in our nation’s history as well as the exceptional feats of Pacific voyagers who reached and settled in Aotearoa many years earlier.
Tuia – Encounters 250

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Pukeahu National War Memorial Park

Pukeahu National War Memorial Park commemorates more than 30,000 New Zealanders who died in conflict and honours all who have served.

National Erebus Memorial

With the 40th anniversary of the Erebus accident to be marked in 2019, the New Zealand government is initiating a project to construct a national memorial. Erebus remains one of New Zealand's worst civil accidents in terms of loss of life, the scale of loss shocked the nation. 

Christchurch Recovery Strategy

Manatū Taonga – Ministry for Culture & Heritage is working to renew greater Christchurch’s unique identity and its vitality expressed through sport, recreation, art, history, heritage and traditions.

28th (Māori) Battalion company histories

Histories of A, B and D Companies of the 28th Māori Battalion are being undertaken.

Public Media Advisory Group

The Ministry is the Secretariat for the Ministerial Advisory Group established by Hon Clare Curran, Minister for Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media. The Advisory Group will be advising the Minister on the establishment of a Public Media Funding Commission, and on the allocation of public media funding.

Tuia – Encounters 250

In 2019, Aotearoa New Zealand will acknowledge 250 years since the first onshore meetings between Māori and Europeans. Tuia – Encounters 250 (Tuia 250) is the national commemoration that recognises this milestone in our history.

Tohu Whenua

Discover, experience and enjoy the places that have shaped New Zealand and created our stories. Whether you’re a New Zealander or a visitor, you can gain a deeper understanding of who we were and who we are today by visiting Tohu Whenua sites. The Tohu Whenua programme combines culture and heritage with beautiful natural settings.

First World War Centenary Projects

Our historians are developing a series of projects to commemorate the centennial of the First World War.

Te Tai Treaty Settlement Stories

Te Tai Treaty Settlement Stories will produce a comprehensive account of the recent history of Treaty of Waitangi settlements from all perspectives.

Updated on 23rd January 2019