Opera in Garden wins grant despite against guidelines

The Opera in the Garden will go ahead in Northland.

Whangarei District Council's decision to disregard guidelines and grant $3000 for an opera event is being justified as the exception to the rule.

Councillor Shelley Deeming chairs the community funding subcommittee and moved to overrule a staff recommendation to deny a $3000 grant application from Opera North, organisers of the annual Opera in the Garden.

The Glenbervie orchard event is 20-years-old and, as it had done in past years, Opera North sought $3000. The day attracts up to 1000 people paying up to $35 a ticket. Opera North had budgeted a $4000 donation to Hospice, noted as "hospice manpower support/traffic control".

Council's funding officer reported that the donation accounted for the deficit each year. Generally, the council did not support fundraising activities. But Ms Deeming said while the recommendation was appropriate, it did not achieve the goals of the Performing Arts Fund in question. "Generally ... funding is not provided where donations are made by the organisation and costs could generally otherwise be covered. But Opera in the Garden is one of the anomalies covered by the wording 'generally'," she said.

"Among other reasons the event is voluntarily run for the benefit of the community and the purpose is to showcase local talent and provide a stage for emerging young performers rather than raise funds."

Ms Deeming said any profit was donated to charity while any loss was absorbed by the organisers. She considered the event a "special case" - "fortunately a majority of the committee agreed with me".

Opera North president Rick Kennaway said the Hospice donation covered the cost of 20 to 30 volunteers who helped with traffic and crowd management.

"If [Hospice] invoiced us on an hourly basis it would amount to $2000 to $3000 anyway," Mr Kennaway said. Without council and Foundation North funding the March 2016 event could be in "serious trouble".

The Performing Arts Fund has granted $5000 to Whangarei theatre collective Company of Giants for script writing workshops for up to 100 8 to 12-year-olds. Northland Pacific Islands Charitable Trust would receive $5000 for the Pasifika Fusion Festival in February.