Whanganui creatives meeting to discuss arts funding opportunity

Eric Skotnes working a detail of a wall mural.

Creative people of all kinds are invited to come up with a Whanganui arts project that could get up to $150,000 in funding, Whanganui district councillor Helen Craig says.

A meeting will be held at the Innovation Quarter, 179 St Hill St, from 5pm-7pm on Tuesday, February 4. The discussion will be led by Whanganui & Partners CEO Mark Ward and the aim will be to come up with a collaborative project worthy of the funding.

"This is a significant opportunity for Whanganui and we will need everyone's input to take advantage of it," Craig said.

Creative New Zealand (the Arts Council of New Zealand/Toi Aotearoa) has started a new fund, available from March this year. The Ngā Toi ā Rohe/Arts in the Region Fund is only for places outside the country's main centres.

Organisations outside Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch can apply for up to $150,000 for the development or presentation of new work within their region.

The fund aims to develop high-quality arts by and within local and regional communities.

Whanganui District Council will work with the creatives to support an application and look for projects that might qualify.

The funding opportunity will encourage communities to come together, engage with each other and share positive creative experiences, Creative New Zealand senior manager of arts development services Cath Cardiff said.

A collaborative arts project could do good things for Whanganui, Helen Craig says. Photo / File

Applications for projects must focus on collaborative, high-quality new work or high-quality arts experiences for the local community. Applicants will have to provide evidence of new investment in the project by local stakeholders, and prove the community has been engaged with the project.

The fund is open to arts organisations, iwi, hapū, local or regional authorities, other presenters (such as marae, local venues, galleries and libraries), community and private trusts, and regional arts development agencies.