125 Years of Women’s Suffrage celebrated with new arts fund

125 Years of Women’s Suffrage celebrated with new arts fund

Women’s suffrage in New Zealand is being celebrated by a new arts fund opening on the 125th anniversary of the first national election in which New Zealand women voted – the election of 28 November 1893.

The Suffrage 125 Fund will support high quality arts projects recognising the contribution to women’s rights by women from diverse cultural backgrounds.

The fund will help artists, arts practitioners and arts organisations to:
• research and create work
• present and distribute their work nationally and internationally
• develop skills including mentoring, internships, workshops and conferences
• undertake community or collaborative projects, including artist or writer residences
• undertake projects with international connections
• publish catalogues, monographs, journals, books and critical writing.
In total $100,000 per annum will be available for projects in 2019 and 2020 ($200,000 over two years) with a maximum grant of $20,000 per project in each round.

The fund’s purpose is aligned with the aims of the Suffrage 125 celebration being led by the Ministry for Women in partnership with the Ministry for Culture and Heritage. These celebrations recognise New Zealanders from diverse cultural backgrounds that have contributed to progressing women’s rights.

Associate Minister for the Arts, Hon. Carmel Sepuloni said, “As a Pasifika woman, I’m personally delighted to see this fund established to uncover stories about incredible women from our diverse communities in Aotearoa.”

Creative New Zealand’s senior manager for arts development services Cath Cardiff said, “We are sure there are many untold and inspiring stories about how women from a range of different cultural backgrounds have worked to support women’s rights.”

When the new Electoral Act giving New Zealand women the vote was signed into law women had only six weeks to register to vote in the upcoming election. Despite the tight timeframe almost 110,000 women enrolled, about 84% of those eligible, and more than 90,000 voted on polling day. Reference: NZ History

Information about the Suffrage 125 Fund and how to apply is on the Creative New Zealand website (www.creativenz.govt.nz)

ends

© Scoop Media