KEY POINTS:
The national orchestra and museum were among arts and culture organisations that benefited in today's budget.
Key announcements were:
* Additional baseline funding of $12 million over four years for Te Papa;
* $7.7 million more over four years to the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. One-off additional capital funding of $500,000 for upgrades to IT systems in 2008/09.
* $4.4 million extra baseline funding over four years for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
* $27.8 million more over four years goes to the New Zealand Film Commission.
* extra baseline funding of $4.8 million over four years for the NZ Music Commission;
* $2 million extra over four years goes to the New Zealand Authors' Fund to compensate authors for loss of royalty income on books lent by public libraries.
* Radio New Zealand would get $10.9 million extra over four years to maintain its core services.
Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Helen Clark said: "The Government continues to invest in the arts, culture, and heritage, and broadcasting because they all contribute to expressing the unique national identity of New Zealand."
- NZPA
