Who can apply

  • Individuals or groups can apply.
  • Individuals must be New Zealand citizens or permanent residents.

Eligibility for the Creative Communities Scheme

To be eligible for the Creative Communities Scheme (CCS), your project must:

  • take place within the city or district where the application is made
  • be completed within 12 months of funding being approved
  • benefit local communities
  • not have started or finished before CCS funding is approved
  • not have already been funded through Creative New Zealand’s other arts funding programmes

Types of project funded

Projects that get funded do at least one of the following:

  • encourage participation — they create opportunities for local communities to engage with, and participate in local arts activities
  • support diversity — they support the diverse artistic cultural traditions of local communities
  • enable young people — they enable young people (under 18 years) to engage with, and participate in the arts.

Examples of CCS projects

Projects that encourage participation

  • performances by community choirs, hip-hop groups, theatre companies musicians or poets
  • workshops on printmaking, writing or dancing
  • creation of new tukutuku, whakairo or kowhaiwhai for a local marae
  • exhibitions by local craft groups promoting weaving, pottery and carving
  • festivals featuring local artists

Projects that support diversity

  • festivals or exhibitions in Māori or Pasifika heritage or contemporary artforms
  • workshops, rehearsals, performances, festivals or exhibitions by local migrant communities
  • arts projects bringing together groups from a range of different communities
  • workshops, rehearsals, performances, festivals or exhibitions by groups with experience of disability or mental illness

Projects that enable young people to engage with, and participate in, the arts

  • a group of young people working with an artist to create a mural or street art
  • a group of young people creating a film about an issue that is important to them
  • printing a collection of writing by young people
  • music workshops for young people
  • an exhibition of visual art work by young people

Types of projects not funded

CCS grants cannot fund:

  • fundraising activities
  • developing galleries, marae, theatres or other venues or facilities
  • local council projects
  • projects which are mainly focused around other areas, eg health, education or the environment and that only have a very small arts component
  • arts projects in schools or other education institutions that are the core business of that institution or that are normally funded through curriculum or operating budgets.

What costs are funded

CCS grants can fund:

  • materials for arts activities or programmes
  • venue or equipment hire
  • personnel and administrative costs for short-term projects
  • promotion and publicity of arts activities.

What costs are not funded

CCS grants cannot fund:

  • ongoing administration or personnel costs that are not related to the specific project
  • costs for projects already started or completed
  • travel costs to attend performances or exhibitions in other areas
  • buying equipment, such as computers, cameras, musical instruments, costumes, lights or uniforms
  • entry fees for competitions, contests and exams
  • prize money, awards and judges’ fees for competitions
  • royalties
  • buying artworks for collections
  • debt or interest on debt.