Funding boost for four cultural events

Four celebrated Māori and Pasifika events will receive up to $100,000 each in funding from the new Creative and Cultural Events Incubator fund, Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford announced today.

The four events that were successful in the inaugural funding round are:

• Kia Mau Festival, Wellington
• Māoriland Film Festival, Otaki
• Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival, Gisborne
• Te Matatini, Auckland 2021.

The fund was launched earlier this year to provide seed and development funding for creative and cultural events.

Phil Twyford said the fund was set up as part of the Government’s new direction for major events which aims to better support creative and cultural events to become internationally significant.

“This is just the start. We will reopen the fund for further applications later this year, as our goal is to help many more Māori and Pasifika arts and culture events flourish.

“We must celebrate creative events that are culturally unique to New Zealand, and that help shine a positive light on our place in the world. These events are great examples of that and have strong plans for growth to achieve the global attention we want.

“Our Government recognises the event sector will play an important role in helping connect our communities as we all work to rebuild following COVID-19,” Phil Twyford said.

Notes to editors:

• The incubator is part of the Major Events Fund and is a ring fenced amount of up to $1 million per annum or 10 per cent of available funds.
• Up to $1.5 million is currently available for incubator investments for the first three rounds including this one.
• The new major events direction took effect on 1 July 2019 and follows a Statement of Investment Priority to guide and focus government investment in events.
• Incubator funding rounds will be held annually in November.