The Edge stakes its claim for fresh cash

The Edge wants the Aotea Centre to be one of the recipients of a proposed region-wide levy. Picture / Kenny Rodger

Auckland's major performing arts centre wants government funding - and a share of a proposed compulsory region-wide levy of ratepayers.

The Edge, which runs the Aotea Centre and Auckland Town Hall, is asking the seven councils for grants which are more in keeping with their citizens' use of the culture and arts facilities.

Chief executive Greg Innes said the Aotea Centre was the "people's meeting house" and aimed to become the national performing arts and conventions centre.

To that end, The Edge supported the Auckland City Council's move for legislation to secure a fair contribution from local councils towards the operating costs of regional organisations.

The legislation would be along the lines of that won for the Museum of Transport and Technology in 2000.

Mr Innes said The Edge wanted to join a list of nine organisations that were suggested to the region's mayors as worthy recipients.

They were the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust, Surf Life Saving (Northern region), Watersafe Auckland, the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Opera New Zealand, Auckland Theatre Company, Stardome Observatory, the National Maritime Museum and the Auckland Zoo.

Mr Innes said half of the Aucklanders surveyed agreed or strongly agreed to rates increases across all councils to fund regional groups, compared with 30 per cent who did not.

In the survey, the Aotea Centre was rated fourth behind the rescue helicopter, the zoo and surf lifesaving as being of regional benefit.

Last year, The Edge received $3.7 million from Auckland City Council for performing arts and public programmes which drew 450,000 people. Waitakere City Council gave $25,000 and Manukau City $10,000.

Mr Innes said any extra funding would be used to extend the arts outreach programme into the region's towns and boosting cultural events.

The councils will decide their response to the fair-share call during next month's annual budget round while a working party of their officers prepares a report on a compulsory levy.

Mr Innes said The Edge was exploring other options to boost income including the potential for national funding of activities that delivered national benefits.

No formal approach has been made to the Government for funding.

The Edge said this week that it expected a substantial loss of revenue from November 2008 to September 2010 if the Aotea Centre and the Auckland Town Hall were caught up in major construction work.

The work would involve the leaky Civic Carpark under Aotea Square and Aotea Centre, and a $24 million transformation of the square. Other work could include an underground road and a national convention centre.