Creative Kōrero, Funding

Creative New Zealand increases arts sector investment by $27 million and confirms 80 arts organisations for its investment programmes

From Creative New Zealand’s newsletter on 8 August 2019

“Eighty New Zealand arts organisations are confirmed in Creative New Zealand’s Investment programmes over the next two to six years, following Arts Council approval in July this year.

This comprises 23 organisations in the Toi Tōtara Haemata (Tōtara) programme and 57 organisations in the Toi Uru Kahikatea (Kahikatea) programme.*

Due to the number of high-quality proposals received, we have decided to draw from financial reserves (largely reserves from ‘windfall’ lottery funding) to create an arts investment portfolio fit for the future needs of the arts in New Zealand – including increasing access to the arts and contributing to fairer remuneration for arts practitioners. This represents an increase of approximately $27 million into the arts sector over the next 6 years.

After significant work to set a direction that can shape and guide our work as an organisation, we’re now implementing the Investment Strategy Te Ara Whakamua 2018–23Te Hā o ngā Toi – Māori Arts Strategy 2019–2024 and the Pacific Arts Strategy 2018–2023. Aligning our Investment programme to these strategies has been a key part of this mahi.

We sought proposals from existing­­ recipients of Kahikatea and Tōtara funding in February this year, in order to achieve the outcomes identified in our Investment Strategy.

Decisions reflect our Council’s intention to position the Investment portfolio to deliver to Aotearoa’s changing arts sector and population in line with the direction set out in the Investment Strategy – particularly the three features of diversity and reach, dynamic arts and a resilient arts sector – and to reward great performance and solid plans. We made decisions based on each organisation’s alignment with the features of the Investment Strategy, and also considered alignment with Te Hā o ngā Toi and the Pacific Arts Strategy.

Toi Tōtara Haemata investment programme 2020

Toi Uru Kahikatea investment programme 2020

We have committed to funding contracts for up to six years, with a funding review after the third year for those with six-year contracts.

Any questions, please email: investments@creativenz.govt.nz

Highlights

  • Funding for Māori-led organisations will increase 39% from 2018 funding of $2.34 million to $3.24 million for 2020. Funding for Pasifika-led organisations will rise 68% from 2018 funding of $1.37 million to $2.31 million for 2020.
  • Funding for organisations delivering arts in the regions will increase by 16%, beginning with a $10.5 million investment in 2020. This represents organisations that are based in the regions, as well as those that have strong regional delivery but are based in the city centres.
  • The number of organisations working toward building a resilient arts sector has increased by 35% (approximately 20 organisations). This includes building sector capability, organisational capability, and working with new models.

* This excludes the three investment clients who did not apply because they have current contracts through to the end of 2020.

More about the 2019 investment round

In February 2019, through a Request for Proposals, we sought proposals from current recipients of Toi Uru Kahikatea and Toi Tōtara Haemata funding in order to achieve the outcomes identified in the Investment Strategy.

Organisations making proposals to the investment programmes needed to show how their proposed programmes of work deliver to the Investment Strategy’s three features of:

  • diversity and reach
  • dynamic arts
  • a resilient arts sector.

Priorities for the 2019 investment programmes funding round were:

  • providing regional access to New Zealand arts
  • supporting arts practices that reflect the diversity of New Zealand’s population
  • supporting and developing Māori-led organisations
  • supporting and developing Pasifika-led organisations
  • supporting New Zealand arts by, with and for young New Zealanders.

The 2019 investment programmes funding round (for funding commencing in January 2020) was only open to proposals from organisations that had a current funding contract for either the Tōtara or Kahikatea funding programmes. This was to allow the Arts Council to determine any gaps in delivery following the current clients’ re-calibration toward the Investment Strategy aims.

While our decisions on the Investment programmes ‘shift the dial’ significantly towards the principles of the Investment Strategy, and the funding priorities for this round, gaps remain. The Arts Council will consider the gaps in the Investment portfolio in October 2019, and will decide whether or not to open the programmes for proposals in 2020 at that time. We will publically announce the result of this decision by the end of 2019.

Over time, we expect our investment programmes will better reflect the diversity of New Zealand’s population and its arts practices. We also expect to extend the reach of our investment to make arts attendance and participation accessible to more communities.

FAQs

How many proposals were received?

We received 86 proposals.

How many organisations are now in the investment programmes?

There will be 23 organisations in the Tōtara programme and 57 organisations in the Kahikatea programme from 1 January 2020.

(This excludes the three investment clients who did not apply because they have current contracts through to the end of 2020.)

Who assessed the applications?

Assessment in terms of programme alignment and investment was very much sector-led, by a team of external assessors with artform expertise and an external panel to provide strategic input and feedback.

Forty-one peer assessors were involved in the round, between the two stages of external input. Conflicts of interest were raised and managed as part of the process.

The Investment Panel was informed by independent external assessors. In the vast majority of cases the panel recommendations are reflected in the final decisions.

Further moderation by staff and Creative New Zealand’s Chief Executive recommended some modest changes from what the panel proposed, which was provided to Council. Questions considered during moderation were published publically in the RFP, and Creative New Zealand staff made recommendations to Council based on these.

How were conflicts of interest managed during the assessment process?

The conflict of interest process was very comprehensive. A number of assessors who were originally approached and available for the round were discounted from the round due to their declared conflicts with not just the organisations but the activities suggested in the individual proposals.

How were organisations engaged with during the process?

It has been an extensive and open process. We started our first engagement with Investment organisations over a year ago. We sought and incorporated feedback from organisations on the programme design. We’ve had workshops and videos and as much kanohi ki te kanohi engagement as organisations wanted, with a view to guiding them to best position themselves with their proposals.

Following the establishment of the Investment Strategy Te Ara Whakamua 2018–2023 in 2018, the Tōtara and the Kahikatea programmes were reviewed and re-aligned to the new strategy. Organisations in the programmes at the time were invited to a series of forums held by our Arts Council Chair and our Chief Executive to describe the new strategy.

In February 2019, the Request for Proposals was published, outlining the requirements for organisations wishing to reapply. This number totalled 87 organisations. All organisations were invited to another series of briefings in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, presenting the requirements and responding to questions. The presentation was recorded and made available online to all organisations. All questions asked relating to the Request for Proposals (via email, in person, phone, etc.) were recorded and answers were published for all organisations to view.

How much is being invested in the Investment programmes?

Due to the number of high-quality proposals received, we have decided to draw from financial reserves (largely reserves from ‘windfall’ lottery funding) to create an arts investment portfolio fit for the future needs of the arts in New Zealand. This represents an increase of approximately $4.5 million into the arts sector each year over the next 3 years, and indicative funding of 4.5m each year for the three years after that. (That’s approximately $27 million in total over the next 6 years.)

How much of Creative New Zealand’s budget goes towards the Investment programme?

The investment programme represents about 60 percent of our investment in the arts sector. This is also why it’s important that the programme delivers strongly to the Investment Strategy.

Does the Tōtara programme have more mana than the Kahikatea?

We see these programmes as complementary and not a hierarchy; rather as choices about where entities choose to focus their efforts. Tōtara is not of higher status to Kahikatea; the two programmes are equal and complimentary and deliver to features of the Investment Strategy in a different way.

For Tōtara, entities have to align to all three features of the Investment Strategy. Organisations in the Kahikatea programme, in contrast, can choose to deepen their focus on a minimum of one of the investment features.

Successful Tōtara organisations were offered six years of funding, with a funding review at three years, and organisations successful to Kahikatea were offered two or three years of funding.

What’s going to happen to these organisations leaving the programme? What other options do they have?

Organisations that aren’t continuing in the programme will receive a six month extension of their current contract at 75% of their current funding level and will be eligible to apply for all Arts Grants and other Creative New Zealand funding.

You refer to investment over the next 2-6 years but I only see results for 3 years – can you explain?

We have committed to funding contracts for up to six years, with a funding review after the third year for those with six-year contracts.

So when can I apply for Kahikatea or Tōtara, then? (i.e. when will you be accepting new applicants?)

While our decisions on the Investment programmes ‘shift the dial’ significantly towards the principles of the Investment Strategy, and the funding priorities for this round, gaps remain in delivering to the strategy’s outcomes.

Creative New Zealand’s Arts Council will consider the gaps in the Investment portfolio in October 2019, and will decide whether or not to open the programmes for proposals in 2020 at that time. We will publically announce the result of this decision by the end of 2019.

If you’re looking to secure regular funding and you’re not a Tōtara or Kahikatea client, you may be eligible to apply for funding under our new annual Arts Grants round, where applicants will be able to submit proposals of up to $150,000 for activity over a 12 month period – this fund opens next year. More information on our website

Is there an appeal process?

We do not reconsider decisions where we have followed our decision-making process correctly. If you have a question about the process please contact investments@creativenz.govt.nz.”

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