QLDC Announces Funding for Major Events

Support worth almost $446,000 has been allocated to 23 major events that will be held across the Queenstown Lakes District in the next 12 months.

The Queenstown Lakes District Council has approved the grants and in-kind support from its events fund after considering the recommendations of its event funding panel this week.

Mayor Vanessa van Uden said the support reflected the priorities in the Council’s events strategy, which is designed to support community and commercial events that meet criteria ranging from economic benefit and increasing the district’s profile to bringing the community together.

The strategic goal is to provide assistance while events are in development, so that they become self-sustaining.

Three new events will be receiving funding this year: LUMA, the Arrowtown Spring Arts Festival and The Pioneer mountain bike race.

The grants are:
• 2015 Queenstown JazzFest - $10,000;
• Air New Zealand Queenstown International Marathon - $40,000;
• Arrowtown Autumn Festival - $9,000;
• Arrowtown Spring Arts Festival - $5,400;
• Aspiring Conversations - $10,200;
• BMW New Zealand Open - $80,000;
• Challenge Wanaka - $29,000;
• Gay Ski Week QT - $10,000;
• Gibbston Wine and Food Festival - $10,000;
• LUMA - $17,400;
• Merino Muster - $7,100;
• Motatapu - $12,000;
• New Zealand Rural Games - $20,000;
• Queenstown Bike Festival - $10,000;
• Red Bull Defiance - $8,000;
• Snow Sports NZ - $1,100;
• Sovereign Tri Series Wanaka - $5,000;
• Spring Challenge - $5,250;
• The Pioneer - $40,000;
• Thriller in the Chiller - $10,000;
• Wanakafest / Light Up Wanaka - $6,500;
• Warbirds Over Wanaka - $40,000;
• Winter Festival - $60,000.

The Council had previously given early approval for grants to the Audi Quattro Winter Games New Zealand 2015 ($100,000); the Vintage Rugby Carnival Queenstown 2015 ($12,720) and the New Zealand Mountain Film Festival (10,680).

Subject to confirming next year’s budgets, the Council has also signalled early approval of $7,000 for next year’s New Zealand Mountain Film and Book Festival.

The next funding round will be in April 2016. Applications for up to $30,000 are considered by the Events Funding Panel, while applications for larger amounts are determined by the full Council.

Local Community Support applications towards in-kind costs under $5,000 are received year-round and are considered by the Events Office.

ENDS

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