The Arts Council (Creative New Zealand’s governing body) is pleased to announce the appointment of Toi ki Tua, a company owned by We Are Indigo, to establish and deliver a new Digital Arts Commissioning and Capability Service.
The new service will give artists and arts organisations the opportunity to utilise the latest digital technology to create, distribute and earn more income from their work.
Creative New Zealand Chief Executive Stephen Wainwright said, “We are thrilled to have Toi ki Tua on board to deliver this long awaited and important new digital service. Digital creates pathways to the world and self-sufficiency for creative entrepreneurs. COVID-19 highlighted how much digital can amplify the lived experience when people are constrained by venues and seasons. We want to give artists and arts organisations the tools to increase their resilience and their reach, and that’s what the digital service will do. It will help make the work of our artists reach much wider audiences.”
The comprehensive contestable procurement process to award the digital services contract began in March 2022 with a call for Registrations of Interest. Shortlisted respondents were invited to submit to a Request for Proposals and then were assessed by an evaluation team.
The evaluation team that assessed proposals across the two-stage procurement process comprised internal and external members, and included representatives of Te Māngai Pāho, the New Zealand Film Commission, NZonAir, Arts Council England and nominees of WECreate.
“Of all the proposals received, Toi ki Tua consistently ranked highest and aligned most closely with Creative New Zealand’s strategic goals for the digital service. Toi ki Tua were chosen not just for their technical expertise in digital delivery, but for their commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, positive outcomes for Māori artists, Pasifika artists and representation of underserved communities. I know they look forward to connecting and working with the arts sector to establish the service,” Stephen continued.
The digital service will, among other things, work with artists and arts organisations to:
- actively look for opportunities for artists to secure their intellectual property and monetise their work through digital platforms
- commission digital content/art across multiple platforms, including immersive or interactive experiences
- increase engagement with audiences and improve access to new platforms for digital content that will promote their work and profile
- connect them with services and providers that will create opportunities to develop and enhance their work
- provide training and skills development in respect of digital engagement, including e-commerce platforms, digital rights and safety, intellectual property and preserving and protecting Mātauranga Māori.
“Our shared vision is for the service to become an exemplar for the digital transformation of Aotearoa New Zealand’s arts and creative sector, and in the process lift the prosperity and resilience of our artists and arts communities,” said Stephen.
Dawson Marama, Chief Executive at Toi ki Tua said, “Kīngī Tāwhiao once stated: “Ki te kāhore he whakakitenga ka ngaro te iwi”. To me, that means that without a collective vision, our people are lost. And that’s why we’re so excited to not only partner with Creative New Zealand, but also work with our artists, arts organisations, and the creative sector of Aotearoa to design our vision together.”
He continued, “Through our conversations with the sector, we know that there’s some real excitement about the potential of digital, but also a bit of fear. One of our goals is to show individual artists and arts organisations how they can achieve a sustainable return on their work by expanding their practice and amplifying their platform.”
“By working as a collective with one united vision, we will navigate our way through this metaphoric ocean we call Digital Arts.”
Toi ki Tua will work in consultation with the arts sector to establish the parameters of the digital service. This process will begin early 2023.
Details of the procurement and decision-making process can be found in a summary document prepared by Creative New Zealand.
Image: Members of the Arts Council, Creative New Zealand and Toi ki Tua. Left to right: Paula Carr, Joshua Haurua, Deborah McSmith, Rachel Adams, Jada Macfie, Dawson Marama, Vance MacFie, Kura Moeahu, Stephen Wainwright, Haniko Te Kurapa, Pat MacFie, Andy Hamilton, Adrianne Roberts, Monty Betham.
