Black Creatives Aotearoa is a community arts organisation dedicated to supporting creatives of African and Afro-Caribbean heritage in Aotearoa New Zealand. Find out more.
A growing directory of arts organisations in Aotearoa.
Photo: Porowhita Tonu exhibition, Toi Ohomai
48Hours
48Hours is NZ’s largest guerrilla filmmaking competition! There is nothing quite like it. Simply put, filmmakers have just one weekend to make a short film. Filmmakers don’t know what genre (thriller/romance etc.) they will be shooting until the start of the competition. All creativity: writing, shooting, editing and adding a musical soundtrack, must occur within the 48Hour window beginning Friday evening at 7 pm and ending Sunday at 7 pm. To add to the mayhem, they must also include some random elements. Find out more.
Academy of New Zealand Literature
The Academy of New Zealand Literature / Te Whare Mātātuhi o Aotearoa is a writer-led initiative developed to help our active practitioners sustain themselves – creatively, intellectually, psychically, practically – through a writer’s life. Behind the scenes, we’re working to connect our community of writers with residencies, festivals, academic networks and other opportunities. Find out more.
APRA AMCOS NZ
Helping music creators get paid for their work and give music users easy ways to legally play and copy what they like. Royalties keep the music coming and ensure the industry’s future. APRA AMCOS has 87,000+ members across New Zealand and Australia who are songwriters, composers and music publishers. They license organisations to play, perform, copy, record or make available their members’ music, and distribute the royalties to their members. Find out more.
Artlist
Artlist is “a guide to, and for New Zealand artists”, not only showcasing artists and art galleries, but providing a artist’s guide to event promotion, art awards & competitions, art supplies, education & art classes, printing services and art resources in New Zealand. Find out more.
Arts Access Aotearoa
The purpose of Arts Access Aotearoa | Putanga Toi ki Aotearoa is to increase access to the arts for people who experience barriers to participation as artists, performers, audience members, and gallery and museum visitors. They do this by working in the disability, mental health and Deaf communities. Find out more.
Arts Council Nelson
Arts Council Nelson (ACN) provides a variety of services through Nelson and Tasman regions. As well as assisting the funding of community arts projects, it also presents a variety of events and initiatives both independently and in partnership with other local groups, businesses and organisations. Find out more.
Arts Murihiku
Arts Murihiku operates in the Southland, Queenstown/Wakatipu and West Otago region as an independent charitable trust governed by a not-for-profit board. All members are voluntary and unpaid. Project delivery is resourced through funding from Creative NZ and local community grants. Find out more.
Association of NZ Embroiderers’ Guild
ANZEG is the parent organisation for the 58 embroiderers’ guilds around New Zealand. Their overall aim is to encourage embroidery in all its forms, innovation in design and excellence in stitching. Find out more.
Black Creatives Aotearoa
Ceramics Association
Ceramics Association of New Zealand (Ceramics NZ) is the national body for professional and recreational potters throughout the country. Find out more.
Copyright Licensing New Zealand
Copyright Licensing New Zealand helps everyone who copies and shares anything from books and journals to do so legally. It’s all about doing right by our authors! Find out more.
Composers Association Of New Zealand
The Composers Association of New Zealand is the association for all amateur and professional composers in New Zealand. CANZ provides opportunities to composers through the Nelson Composers Workshop, the Asian Composers League and the International Society for Contemporary Music. CANZ also lobbies on behalf of its members to improve the situation for composers in New Zealand. Find out more.
Creative Fibre
Creative Fibre is the New Zealand organisation for all fibre crafts. They bring together spinners, weavers, knitters, dyers, flax workers, felters, crocheters, free form fibre artists and all other people involved in the use of fibre. They have over 3000 members throughout New Zealand and around the world who share a passion for fibre. Find out more.
Creative Northland
Creative Northland is an independent charitable trust governed by a not-for-profit board. It receives annual operating funding from Whangarei District Council, Foundation North funds (to grow the arts regionally) and Creative NZ funds (to support project delivery). Find out more.
Creative Taranaki
Creative Taranaki is a start-up regional collaboration that is currently establishing a Taranaki Regional Development Organisation to support, enable and grow the Arts, Creativity & Culture sector in Taranaki. To be formally established in 2021, it is supported by the Venture Taranaki – Taranaki 2050 Transition Roadmap, and local stakeholders. Find out more.
Creative Waikato
Creative Waikato is the regional arts organisation for the Waikato region, which includes 10 local authorities. They provide creative capability development for artists and arts organisations, advocacy, research and strategic direction and support for sustainable arts, culture and creativity in the region. Find out more.
Felt
Felt is New Zealand’s online market for locally made goods and gifts – your one stop shop for high quality, original items made in Aotearoa. Felt is proudly owned and operated by Kiwi makers who know that buying local goods is better for everyone (and saves dosh in the long run!). Felt believe that craftsmanship and sustainable consumption could save the world, and they’re here to help that happen. Find out more.
Dance Aotearoa New Zealand (DANZ)
DANZ are the national support organisation for dance in Aotearoa, New Zealand. For over 20 years DANZ has existed to provide support and services to the dance community in a mission to grow and sustain the art-form in New Zealand. Find out more.
Designers Institute of New Zealand
The Designers Institute of New Zealand exists to serve New Zealand’s design community and represent its interests to the wider world. Formed in The institute represent graphic design, interactive design, motion graphics, spatial design, product design, design in business, service design and design education. Find out more.
Design Assembly
Design Assembly supports New Zealand’s visual design community to inclusively connect, educate and inspire each other. Find out more.
Drama New Zealand
Drama New Zealand is the national body that represents and advocates on behalf of drama teachers, academics, applied theatre workers and theatre in education practitioners at national and international forums and in education policy-making. Find out more.
Handshake Project
The HANDSHAKE project supports emerging New Zealand jewellery artists, allowing them to develop ideas and artworks for a succession of exhibitions with the assistance of a chosen mentor. The HANDSHAKE recipients are presented with additional opportunities to develop their practices through a number of challenges, including masterclasses, collaborations and network opportunities with both national and international exposure. Find out more.
Huia
HUIA has made a commitment to produce books and resources allowing an insight into the diversity of Māori and Pacific perspectives, young and old alike. Find out more.
Independent Music New Zealand
Independent Music New Zealand (IMNZ) is a non-profit trade association – the New Zealand voice for independent record labels and distributors. Our members release the bulk of New Zealand music, including commercially successful artists as well as niche music genres. Find out more.
Museums Aotearoa
Museums Aotearoa, Te Tari o Ngā Whare Taonga o Te Motu, is the independent professional association for New Zealand’s museums and galleries and those who work for them. Find out more.
MusicHelps
MusicHelps was originally established in 2012 under the name “The New Zealand Music Foundation”. To date they have invested in 66 projects with 42 partners from Whangarei to Invercargill, all using the power of music to change the lives of over 60,000 New Zealanders in need. They have also provided emergency assistance to hundreds of kiwi music people experiencing hardship and illness through their Backline Suite of services, including a world first professional online, on-the-phone and face-to-face counselling service tailored to people who make live and recorded music possible. Find out more.
Music Managers Forum Aotearoa
Music Managers Forum Aotearoa is the collective voice for music managers and self-managed artists. The MMF Aotearoa is a non-profit trade association dedicated to helping grow artist manager businesses through education, networking and advocacy. Find out more.
Musical Theatre New Zealand
MTNZ is the national voice of community theatre, providing data and information to non-members, businesses, other arts and non-profit organisations, as well as the media and government agencies. Find out more.
National Association of Quilters
Providing New Zealand quilters the opportunity to expand horizons, to share work, and to learn. They do this by supporting quilters and textile artists at all levels through offering a variety of classes, exhibitions, regional meetings and professional development opportunities. Find out more.
National Association of Woodworkers NZ
The National Association of Woodworkers NZ Incorporated brings together both amateur and professional people from all over New Zealand who are skilled in working with wood. Find out more.
New Zealand Lace Society
The society informs lace makers, collectors and enthusiasts both in New Zealand and around the world about what is happening with the art of lace making in New Zealand. Find out more.
New Zealand Society of Authors
NZSA is the principal representative for the professional interests of writers. Protecting basic rights to freedom of expression, working to improve income and conditions, promoting New Zealand writing and literary culture. Developing and creating a community for writers. Find out more.
Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision
Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision is a charitable trust. They care for an ever-growing collection of films, radio, television, sound recordings, props and documents spanning 120 years of Aotearoa’s sound and moving image history. Find out more.
NZ Book Award Trust
Every year, the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards, the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults and Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day champion and honour New Zealand’s literature. Find out more.
Ngā Toi Hawke’s Bay
Ngā Toi Hawke’s Bay is the prominent advocate for the arts and culture in Hawke’s Bay. Their responsibilities extend over the following local authorities: Central Hawke’s Bay District, Hastings District, Napier City and Wairoa District. They work towards building and sustaining creative capability in the region. Find out more.
NZ Film Commission
New Zealand Film Commission support a diverse range of New Zealand and international stories to be told here and seen everywhere. They promote New Zealands talented individuals and the industry’s reputation for creativity, innovation and superb production values. They provide a wide range of opportunities for New Zealand filmmakers and the New Zealand film industry. Find out more.
NZ Music Commission
The New Zealand Music Commission Te Reo Reka O Aotearoa is a government funded organisation that promotes music from New Zealand and supports the growth of New Zealand music businesses – both culturally and economically, at home and abroad. The hub of NZ Music Month, the Music Commission also deliver contemporary music programmes in schools, including the Musicians Mentoring in Schools Programme; provides music upskilling tools and resources; and runs the international market development & trade show programme Outward Sound. Find out more.
NZ On Air
NZ On Air connects and reflects the nation. They ensure New Zealanders can experience public media that is authentically New Zealand. They are an independent government funding agency delivering quality and diverse New Zealand public media. Funded content can be found on television, online and on radio. They aim to strike a balance of content for both general and targeted audiences. Find out more.
NZ On Screen
NZ On Screen is the online showcase of NZ television, film, music video and web series. All content is free to view – around 4,000 titles from the beginning of the screen industry to the present day to watch and enjoy. Aotearoa New Zealand’s directors, producers, performers, and crew are celebrated in the showcase through profiles, ScreenTalk interviews and background notes. New content is added daily, and curated collections are released to shine the spotlight on selected content: choice screen titles, made by New Zealanders, connecting with audiences old and new. Find out more.
Pacific Arts Association
The Pacific Arts Association is an international organisation devoted to the study of the arts of Oceania. Find out more.
Playmarket
Empowering and representing New Zealand playwrights. Supporting and developing New Zealand’s best playwrights and their plays through: promoting our playwrights’ work nationally and internationally; upholding playwrights’ standards and rights; providing access to New Zealand scripts; and identification and development of playwrights of excellence. Find out more.
Playwrights Association of New Zealand
The aim of the Association is to foster the writing of plays through Playwriting Seminars, Workshops, Competitions, Play Assessments and newsletters and to foster links between playwright members. Find out more.
Professional Weavers Network of NZ Inc.
The Professional Weavers Network of New Zealand Inc. was formed in 1991 by a group of dedicated weavers who met to formalise aims, and plan how the network would promote excellence in the art of weaving and art textiles. PWN aims to ensure textiles are promoted and recognised as a vibrant, exciting and high quality contemporary art form. This is achieved through working co-operatively to share and develop the expertise of the members. Find out more.
Publishers Association of New Zealand
PANZ represents book, educational and digital publishers in New Zealand. PANZ is fully focused on assisting its members with their present business and preparing them for the future. An important part of PANZ’ role is to represent publishers’ interests to industry and government. Find out more.
Screenrights
Screenrights is a not-for-profit membership organisation that provides rights and royalty management services to the screen industry. They facilitate access to screen content through simple licensing solutions for teachers in education, administrators in government, and home viewers with subscription TV – and provide royalty payments to members for the programs audiences love. Find out more.
SOUNZ
SOUNZ maintains and develops a diverse collection of quality New Zealand music resources and makes them available for loan, hire and sale, accessed through SOUNZ online or by visiting us. We connect performers, presenters, teachers, composers, artistic directors and broadcasters with New Zealand music through our activities and projects. Find out more.
Square Edge Community Arts
Square Edge Community Arts is a not-for-profit community arts organisation with a 40 year history of advocating for and supporting community aspirations through the arts in the wider Manawatū region. Located in Palmerston North City in the historic Square Edge Arts Centre building, Square Edge are acknowledged and supported as a sector-lead organisation by the Palmerston North City Council. They engage with and deliver community arts and cultural initiatives, and offer capability development and opportunities for community, arts practitioners, and arts organisations. Find out more.
Tautai
Tautai not only help Pacific artists to grow and succeed in their chosen contemporary art form, but also in their lives and the positive contributions they can make to their wider Pacific communities. Find out more.
Te Puia
Te Puia houses the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute, established in the 1920s to foster all aspects of Māori culture. At Te Puia, national schools of carving, weaving and other traditional arts train talented students from around New Zealand under the guidance of master craftspersons. Find out more.
Te Roopu Raranga Whatu o Aotearoa
To nurture, develop and preserve the techniques and tikanga of Raranga, whatu and taniko in traditional and modern contexts for Māori weavers. Find out more.
Te Taumata Toi-a-Iwi
Te Taumata Toi-a-Iwi is Auckland’s arts regional trust. They contribute to the development of the arts and culture eco-system that makes Tāmaki Makaurau a city alive with creativity. They work with the sector to advocate for the value of Ngā Toi Arts, culture and creativity. They support sector development, knowledge-building and capability. Te Taumata also convenes creative conversations and networks and promotes collaborative investment in the region. Find out more.
Theatre Archives New Zealand
Theatre Archives New Zealand was formed to help preserve and promote interest in our theatre heritage. Find out more.
Theatre New Zealand
Theatre New Zealand provides a national link between people who are interested in theatre. There are thousands of people working in theatre societies, schools, youth theatres and other organisations throughout Aotearoa-New Zealand. You can become involved with others who share your vision, passion and commitment to theatre. Find out more.
The Blumhardt Foundation
The Blumhardt Foundation is a partnership-based initiative established to advance the extraordinary richness of New Zealand’s craft/object art. The Foundation also supports through the following funding and grants: The Blumhardt Residency, The Blumhardt International Residency, The CNZ/Blumhardt Curatorial Internship, and Dame Doreen’s Gift. Find out more.
The Three Lakes Cultural Trust
The Three Lakes Cultural Trust was established to encourage and support arts and culture in the Queenstown Lakes District. Our vision is to help create a vibrant, diverse and distinct arts and cultural district that enriches the lives of people within the Three Lakes Region, now and through time. Find out more.
Toi Iho
Toi Iho is the registered and globally recognized trademark of quality and authenticity of Maori art and artists. It is acknowledged as an exceptional cultural initiative by and for indigenous NZ Maori by WIPO, the World Intellectual Property Organization, in Geneva. Find out more.
Toi Māori Aotearoa
Toi Māori Aotearoa was set up in 1996 and strives to promote, advocate and develop the best of Māori art and culture. Toi Māori promotes Contemporary Māori arts through programmes and projects that reach and expands audiences. It has organised and been involved in events in New Zealand and Internationally. Find out more.
Toi O Taraika Arts Wellington
Toi o Taraika Arts Wellington is an independent charitable trust governed by a not-for-profit board. It is primarily funded by Wellington City Council with additional income from membership fees. Find out more.
Toi Ōtautahi: Christchurch City Council
Working with partner agencies (CreativeNZ, Manatū Taonga, and Rātā Foundation), mana whenua, and the arts sector, Council leads delivery of the city’s arts strategy, Toi Ōtautahi. Through delivery of Toi Ōtautahi we target investment in strategy priority areas including ngā toi Māori, identity, creativity, inclusion and wellbeing, and leadership. We lead and partner to deliver capacity building workshops, mentoring programmes, artist residencies and commission activity. Find out more.
West Coast Society of Arts
The West Coast Society of Arts is a regional arts society based in Greymouth on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island. Find out more.
World of Wearable Art
The World of Wearable Art (WOW) gives designers the opportunity to be innovative, original and to push the boundaries of creativity
WOW Awards Competition is an internationally renowned design competition that attracts entries from over 40 countries each year. Anything that is wearable art can find a place on the stage, as long as it is original, innovative and well executed. Find out more.