Funding Flows To Te Waipounamu Arts Culture And Heritage Sector

Te Waipounamu arts, culture and heritage organisations will receive $2.68 million from the Cultural Sector Innovation Fund, with funds flowing to 33 projects after Te Urungi events in Ōtautahi, Ōtepoti and Murihiku. Further funding awards from an event held in Hokitika will be confirmed in the coming weeks, and a final South Island event will take place for Tauihu-o-te-Waka Marlborough and Whakatū, in Nelson on 10-12 December.

Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage has published details of the latest funding awards here on its website.

Strong demand saw 30 project proposals submitted by event participants in Ōtautahi, Ōtepoti and Murihiku and a further 53 proposals seeking $20,000 each in seed funding. Eight project proposals are being supported with total funding of $2.18 million and 25 seed funding proposals are being funded to $500,000.

Deputy Chief Executive Te Aka Tūhono Investment and Outcomes Joe Fowler said many of the proposals supported had common features.

"Proposals being funded often have innovative approaches to systems and support networks, including the development of new models that could support a more sustainable future. Several participants also identified innovative ways of transmitting mātauranga Māori, and others identified ways to support Pacific practitioners and their audiences.

"The strength of the proposals submitted by participants in Te Waipounamu so far has shown us that the sector, while challenged under the COVID-19 response, is ambitious about its future.

"It’s also heartening to see innovative use of technology and extension or adaption in response to COVID-19: there are practitioners and organisations out there who are tackling that head on and creating new ways for audiences to participate, pathways for creatives to continue working and ultimately for the sector to maintain it’s significant contribution to our wellbeing.

"I’m excited to see this work supported and look forward to seeing it shared across the sector and Te Waipounamu audiences."

The Innovation Fund is part of the broader Arts and Culture COVID Recovery package of $374 million. The aim of the Innovation Fund is to improve sustainability and resilience of the cultural sector, provide commercial opportunities, and improve access and participation through innovation.

Phase one of the Innovation Fund programme was being delivered by a nationwide kanohi ki te kanohi face-to-face event series, Te Urungi: Innovating Aotearoa. The escalation in alert levels due to COVID-19, has necessitated a move to an online format so the fund can continue to reach across the regions to support the arts and culture sector.

The remaining 2021 Te Urungi events have now been confirmed, with more details on the Manatū Taonga website.

Manawatū-Whanganui 30-31 October (online event)

Napier Te Matau-a-Māui 12-14 November

Waikato 26-28 November

Tauihu-o-te-Waka Marlborough and Whakatū, Nelson 10-12 December

The Kerikeri Te Tai Tokerau event has been rescheduled to early 2022 in the hope it can be delivered kanohi ki te kanohi. Other events to be scheduled for 2022 include Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and Tūranganui-a-Kiwa Gisborne communities.

Recipients from the online and Te Whanganui-a-Tara events were published earlier this month, with $5.6 million awarded.

© Scoop Media