Expansion of oversubscribed arts fund proposed

The committee today agreed to allocate about $400,000 in funding to 26 organisations and events with most - $330,000 - allocated to:

• Newtown Festival
• Katherine Mansfield Birthplace Society
• Taki Rua Productions
• Fringe Festival
• Young and Hungry Arts Trust
• New Zealand Portrait Gallery.

A further $69,000 has been allocated to another 20 organisations and initiatives for one-off projects (see tables). 

Most committee members agreed the Council’s Arts and Culture Fund is seriously oversubscribed and that an increase in the size of the fund should be considered as part of the 2016-17 Annual Plan deliberations.

The decisions followed submissions by a number of delegations to today’s committee meeting – most argued that the recommended funding allocations fell short of what was needed.

Some $870,000 in funding was collectively sought by almost 60 organisations for both project and annual funding.

"Mayor Celia Wade-Brown says the Arts and Culture Fund is heavily oversubscribed. She successfully moved that the Council consider an increase in the fund as part of the Annual Plan deliberations. “All of the organisations that applied to us make hugely important contributions to Wellington’s Creative Capital status.

These groups not only make the city compellingly attractive to Wellingtonians but they also enhance the Capital’s reputation both nationally and internationally.

She says the Council has steadily increased funding for the arts and creative sector in general – with a significant funding increase for the New Zealand Festival in the 2015 Long-term Plan an example. “But it’s important to review the level of funding for the groups that were the subject of today’s decisions.”

Committee Chair Councillor Jo Coughlan says all of the organisations that have secured three-year funding arrangements make critical contributions that provide opportunities for the city’s arts communities. “These organisations are critical to Wellington. They are considered a feature of Wellington’s unique sense of place.” 

It is a real priority for this Council to put more focus on this funding – and to strengthen our Creative Capital status. We need to work hard to protect that status and to look at the prioritisation of these applications.”

And the Council’s Arts Portfolio Leader, Councillor Ray Ahipene-Mercer, says the grants acknowledge the Council’s essential role in keeping arts, music and literature vibrant in the Capital. “This is money well-spent – it’s about keeping the city’s creative infrastructure healthy and thriving.”

Cr Ahipene-Mercer says he is disappointed that the Council can’t provide more arts and culture funding. “This fund is massively oversubscribed – and personally I think the Council should be increasing the size of this fund by $1 million or $2 million.”

Arts and Culture Funding - three-year funding (from 1 July 2016)

Arts and Culture Fund, March 2016 Funding round