On 15 December 2010 we published an article about the Arts Council of New Zealand (Creative New Zealand)’s proposals to introduce changes to the criteria and the pattern of ‘multi-year’ funding provided to arts organizations.
On 1 September the council announced the results of its review and the consequent funding decisions.
For Wellington, the most critical matter was how the Vector Wellington Orchestra fared.
Happily, through what we gather were some pretty intense negotiating sessions, the orchestra’s funding has been left untouched for 2012 and 2013, at $365.000 per annum, the same as at present. The council has also agreed to a review of the entire orchestral sector to be carried out by the Ministry of Culture and Heritage, perhaps with the involvement of an overseas expert.
Here is the introductory part of the Council’s press release:
Creative New Zealand has committed funding through two new complementary programmes as it implements a major overhaul of its multi-year funding for the arts.
The funding was made by the Arts Board and Te Waka Toi as the new programmes replace the previous Recurrent Funding, Arts Investment, and Sector Investment programmes.
Over the next three years more than $50 million will be invested in 72 arts organisations, ranging from the Auckland Theatre Company to Dunedin’s Blue Oyster Gallery. In 2012, overall investment in the same organisations will increase by approximately $2 million to $22 million, up from $19.7 million in 2011.
“The majority of funding will be delivered through long term contracts that will give arts organisations security to plan for the future. These forward looking investments give confidence that pivotal art organisations are well placed to respond to contemporary New Zealand,” said Creative New Zealand Chief Executive Stephen Wainwright.
“Investment in Māori and Pacific arts organisations has increased by 20 percent. This will enable organisations like Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust, Tawata Productions and Toi Māori Aotearoa to delight growing audiences for Māori and Pacific work.”
Creative New Zealand is also broadening access to the arts with funding for Arts Access Aotearoa which works to improve access to arts for all New Zealanders, including people with disabilities. For the first time multi-year funding is also being provided to Touch Compass, a contemporary dance company that combines dancers with and without disabilities; and Massive Theatre Company which produces work from the stories of Aucklanders in their teens and early twenties.
“We’re also pleased to support the new New Zealand Dance Advancement Trust which is being funded over two years to deliver a programme of contemporary dance so New Zealanders can see work by some of the country’s best dancers and choreographers.
“In addition to supporting new and emerging arts organisations, Creative New Zealand is also funding those which have a strong record of arts delivery and are key to the arts in this country. The majority of our investment continues to be in the critical network of theatres, contemporary art galleries, orchestras, service organisations, festivals, publishers and chamber music organisations throughout the country,” he said.
Creative New Zealand is offering $500,000 a year in incentive funding for initiatives where organisations are working together, for example to develop and present new New Zealand work or to provide internships for emerging artists and arts practitioners.
The schedule of grants
(the amounts are totals over, variously, one, two or three years and must thus be adjusted to see the annual figures)
Dance and performing arts
Toi Tōtara Haemata: All funding is for 2012-2014, unless noted otherwise.
Black Grace, $1.62 million;
DANZ Dance Aotearoa New Zealand, $973,500;
Touch Compass, $666,000, 2012-2013
Toi Uru Kahikatea: All funding is for 2012-2013, unless noted otherwise
Atamira Dance Collective Charitable Trust, $665,000;
Footnote Dance Company, $740,000;
Kahurangi New Zealand Māori Dance Trust, $599,280;
New Zealand Dance Advancement Trust $1 million;
Okareka Dance Company Limited, $200,000, 2012;
Pacific Dance New Zealand, $100,000, 2012;
Touch Compass, $25,000 (bridging until end of 2011)
Literature
Toi Tōtara Haemata:
New Zealand Book Council, $512,000, 2012-2013
Toi Uru Kahikatea: All funding is for 2012, unless noted otherwise
Auckland University Press, $47,000;
Auckland Writers and Readers Festival Charitable Trust,$88,339;
Bridget Williams Books Ltd, 23,000;
Michael King Writers Studio Trust, $69,000;
New Zealand Society of Authors, $66,385;
Penguin Group NZ, $17,500;
Random House NZ Limited, $36,000;
University of Otago College of Education, $18,428, 2013;
Victoria University Press, $26,000
Multi-artform
All funding is for 2012-2013, unless noted otherwise
Toi Tōtara Haemata: Arts Access Aotearoa, $558,000;
Auckland Festival Trust, $700,000;
New Zealand International Arts Festival, $1.551 million, 2012-2014;
Toi Māori Aotearoa, $1.5525 million
Toi Uru Kahikatea: All funding is for 2012-2013, unless noted otherwise
Arts on Tour NZ Trust, $434,000;
Dunedin Fringe Arts Trust, $25,000, 2012;
Otago Festival of the Arts, $90,000;
Southern Lakes Arts Festival Trust, $96,000
Music
Toi Tōtara Haemata: All funding is for 2012-2014, unless noted otherwise.
Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, $4.2 million, 2012-2013;
Chamber Music New Zealand, $2.304 million;
NBR New Zealand Opera, $7.425 million;
New Zealand String Quartet, $780,000
Toi Uru Kahikatea: All funding is for 2012-2013, unless noted otherwise
Audio Foundation, $ 103,600, 2012;
Centre for New Zealand Music (SOUNZ), $172,500, 2012;
Choirs Aotearoa New Zealand, $520,000;
Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, $1.5 million;
New Zealand Choral Federation, $300,000;
New Zealand Trio Foundation, $280,000;
Southern Sinfonia, $630,000;
Strike Percussion, $89,500, 2012;
Vector Wellington Orchestra, $730,000
Theatre
Toi Tōtara Haemata: All funding is for 2012-2014, unless noted otherwise
Auckland Theatre Company, $2.79 million;
BATS Theatre, $885,000;
Capital E, $810,000, 2012-2013;
Centrepoint Theatre, $1.37 million;
Massive Company, $410,000, 2012-2013;
Playmarket, $996,000;
Taki Rua Productions, $1.26 million;
The Court Theatre, $1.784 million, 2012-2013
Toi Uru Kahikatea: All funding is for the period 2012-2013, unless noted otherwise
Circa + TACT, $1.186 million;
Downstage Theatre Trust, $650,000;
Fortune Theatre, $900,000;
Indian Ink Theatre Company, $206,992, 2012;
PROMPT Incorporated, $67,494;
Red Leap Charitable Trust, $178,927, 2012;
Silo Theatre Trust, 320,000, 2012;
Tawata Productions, $386,280;
The Shakespeare Globe Centre NZ, $100,000;
Young and Hungry Arts Trust, $172,500
Wider Visual Arts including craft/object, media arts and Inter-arts
Toi Tōtara Haemata: All funding is for 2012-2014, unless noted otherwise.
Artspace Aotearoa, $918,000;
Objectspace, $801,000;
Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust, $574,000, 2012-2013;
The Physics Room, $750,000
Toi Uru Kahikatea: All funding is for 2012-2013, unless noted otherwise
Art and Industry Biennial Trust, $217,990;
Artists Alliance, $89,920, 2012;
Asia New Zealand Foundation, $32,250;
Blue Oyster Arts Trust, $95,855, 2012;
Dunedin Public Art Gallery, $164,615;
Enjoy Public Art Gallery, $86,990, 2012;
eyeCONTACT, $50,000, 2012;
Intercreate Trust, $50,000, 2012;
McCahon House Trust, $54,000;
The Big Idea – Te Aria Nui Charitable Trust, $60,000
Comments by Wellington grant recipients
Wellington Orchestra
Vector Wellington Orchestra has escaped a threatened funding cut that would have trimmed more than $200,000 from its annual budget and reduced it to community orchestra status.
Creative New Zealand announced yesterday that the orchestra would continue to receive its current level of funding for the next two years.
The decision comes at the end of a review of arts sector funding initiated by Creative New Zealand in 2010.
The VWO raised questions about the review process amid concern that its major funding body was aiming for a predetermined result.
“If the cut had gone ahead there would have been devastating effects on the Wellington arts sector, and the orchestral sector in New Zealand”, said VWO General Manager Diana Marsh. “Besides presenting our own concerts, other Wellington arts bodies rely on us to provide a professional orchestra for opera, ballet and choir performances in Wellington,” Marsh says.
“This is a great win. Wellington got in behind the orchestra in a big way, and we are now in a stronger position for the future.”
There will be a review of the entire orchestral sector next year, but it will be carried out by the Ministry of Culture and Heritage.
VWO board chair, Alick Shaw said “We proposed this review to CNZ in our first meeting after they announced the new funding arrangements. It took far too long for them to accept that this type of investigation was needed and we all endured a year of needless conflict and compromised relationships within the sector. That should never have happened.
“This review is the critical element of our agreement with CNZ, not just for the VWO but for all of the regional orchestras as it secured our funding in the interim. Most importantly we will all be consulted in developing terms of reference and membership of the panel. This will ensure an open process and an informed outcome.
“Everyone should understand that our board and management did not over-react. The fight back was crucial in securing our future. Our continued funding has resulted from an agreement between the VWO and CNZ, not just a change of heart. We are grateful to all our members and friends for their support”.
Downstage acknowledges the result
Downstage Theatre Trust is pleased to have been offered on-going funding by Creative New Zealand (CNZ) as part of CNZ’s Arts Development Investment (Toi Uru Kahikatea) Programme.
CNZ is offering an increase in our funding and a return to a multi-year commitment. This is an endorsement of the significant operational changes we have undertaken since 2008, and the commitment shown by our core supporters. In that time Downstage has moved from a traditional producing company to a collaborative presenting partner, working with New Zealand’s talented independent theatre sector to bring high-quality New Zealand theatre to Wellington and national audiences. We aim to support the professional growth of local theatre practitioners through a commitment to providing paid employment, supporting audience development, and underwriting the financial risk involved in presenting New Zealand theatre works.
A specific allocation of funding for audience development initiatives will help Downstage to achieve our vision of building an appreciation and following for distinctive New Zealand work.
The funding offered does not enable Downstage to fulfil all our ambitions at present, however, we are actively seeking additional sponsors for our innovative programmes. We are also building support from regular donations; there’s more about our BackDownstage programme on our websitewww.downstage.co.nz
The offer of Toi Uru Kahikatea funding is a positive step in Downstage’s development as a 21st century arts organisation, as we move towards our 50th anniversary.