Creative New Zealand Arts Grants: National Funding for Aotearoa New Zealand Artists

Creative New Zealand is the national arts development agency for Aotearoa New Zealand, established by the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa Act 2014 to develop and promote the arts for the benefit of all New Zealanders. The agency distributes government funding to New Zealand artists and arts organisations through a range of grant programs that support creation, professional development, and the broader development of New Zealand's arts ecology.

For New Zealand visual artists, Creative New Zealand is the most important source of public arts funding available, providing grants that support everything from individual creative projects through residencies, international exchanges, and professional development activities. The agency's programs reflect a commitment to supporting the full diversity of New Zealand's arts practice, including Maori arts, Pacific arts, and the arts of other cultural communities alongside the broader New Zealand arts sector.

The Funding Programs

Creative New Zealand administers its funding through several key programs that are relevant to individual visual artists.

The Arts Grants program is the primary funding mechanism for individual artists and arts organisations, providing project-based grants that support the creation of new work, professional development, and other activities that advance artistic practice. Arts Grants are available in multiple funding rounds throughout the year, with specific deadlines published on the Creative New Zealand website.

The Quick Response Grant program provides smaller grants for activities that require a faster turnaround than the standard Arts Grants process allows. Quick Response Grants are available for activities including professional development opportunities, travel for research or professional development, and other time-sensitive activities that cannot wait for the next Arts Grants round.

The Toi Uru Kahikatea program provides multi-year investment for established arts organisations that are ready to take their practice to a new level of ambition and impact. While this program is primarily aimed at organisations rather than individual artists, it supports the broader arts infrastructure that individual artists depend on.

International programs support New Zealand artists in undertaking residencies and professional development activities outside New Zealand, recognising the importance of international engagement for the development of New Zealand art and the careers of New Zealand artists. These programs reflect Creative New Zealand's understanding that New Zealand artists benefit from engagement with the international arts community and that this engagement enriches the broader New Zealand arts ecology.

The Maori and Pacific Arts Focus

Creative New Zealand has a specific commitment to supporting Maori arts and Pacific arts, recognising the central importance of these traditions to New Zealand's cultural identity and the specific challenges facing Maori and Pacific artists in accessing mainstream arts funding and infrastructure.

The agency administers specific programs for Maori and Pacific artists and arts organisations, and it has Maori and Pacific arts specialists on its staff who can provide guidance and support to artists from these communities who are applying for funding. The commitment to Maori and Pacific arts reflects Creative New Zealand's understanding that New Zealand's arts ecology is enriched by the full diversity of its cultural traditions.

The Maori arts programs support artists working in traditional Maori art forms including weaving, carving, and other taonga tuku iho (treasured traditions), as well as contemporary Maori artists who engage with Maori culture and identity in their work. The programs reflect Creative New Zealand's commitment to supporting the vitality and development of Maori artistic traditions alongside the broader New Zealand arts sector.

The Pacific arts programs support artists from Pacific communities in New Zealand who work in traditional Pacific art forms as well as contemporary Pacific artists who engage with Pacific culture and identity in their work. New Zealand has one of the largest Pacific populations outside the Pacific Islands, and the Pacific arts programs reflect the importance of Pacific cultural traditions to New Zealand's cultural identity.

The Peer Assessment Process

Creative New Zealand uses a peer assessment process in which applications are reviewed by panels of arts professionals who evaluate them on the basis of artistic merit, the clarity and feasibility of the proposed activity, and the potential impact of the funding on the artist's practice and on New Zealand arts more broadly.

The peer assessors are practising artists and arts professionals who are selected for their expertise and their ability to assess work in the relevant artistic discipline. The peer assessment process is one of the most respected aspects of Creative New Zealand's funding model, reflecting the agency's commitment to ensuring that funding decisions are made on the basis of genuine artistic merit rather than administrative criteria.

The Application Process

Applications to Creative New Zealand are submitted through the agency's online grants management system, which provides a structured application process with clear guidance on what is required at each stage. The application requires a project description, a detailed budget, evidence of professional practice, and work samples that demonstrate the quality and character of the applicant's work.

Creative New Zealand provides extensive guidance materials on its website to help artists prepare strong applications, including detailed descriptions of each funding program, examples of successful applications, and answers to frequently asked questions. The agency also offers one-on-one support for artists who are applying for funding for the first time or who have specific questions about the application process.

The Impact of Creative New Zealand Funding

Creative New Zealand grants have supported some of the most significant visual art produced in New Zealand over the past three decades, and the agency's funding has played an important role in the development of New Zealand visual art as a distinctive and internationally recognised tradition. The agency's support for individual artists has allowed them to take creative risks, develop ambitious projects, and build the professional infrastructure that a sustained artistic career requires.

For New Zealand visual artists who are committed to their practice and who want to develop ambitious new work, Creative New Zealand is the most important and accessible source of public funding available. The agency's programs are designed to support artists at every stage of their careers, and the peer assessment process ensures that funding decisions are made on the basis of genuine artistic merit.

The Bottom Line

Creative New Zealand is Aotearoa New Zealand's most important national arts funding body, providing grants for visual artists through a peer assessment process that prioritises artistic merit and the potential impact of the funded activity on New Zealand arts. For New Zealand visual artists who want to develop ambitious creative projects, participate in residencies, or invest in professional development, Creative New Zealand's funding programs are among the most valuable and accessible opportunities available.