Deadline: 05-Sep-2025
The Creative Communities Scheme provides funding for local arts projects to city and district councils for distributing in their area.
To be eligible for funding through CCS your arts project must: take place within the city or district where the application is made, be completed within twelve months of funding being approved, and not have started or finished before CCS funding is approved. Individual applicants must be New Zealand citizens or permanent residents and groups must be based in New Zealand. If you have already received funding from CCS for a project, you must complete a report on that project before making another application, unless the project is still in progress. You cannot apply for CCS funding for projects without an arts focus, projects within the scope of other sectors or organisations, or projects that mainly deliver outcomes for other sectors.
There is no limit to how much you can apply for, but most CCS grants tend to be under $5,000. You can apply for support for materials for arts activities or programmes, venue or equipment hire, personnel and administrative costs for short-term projects, promotion and publicity of arts activities, and reasonable requests to provide food for artists, participants, and audiences for community arts activities. CCS does not fund ongoing administration or personnel costs 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, entry fees for competitions, prize money, awards, judges’ fees for competitions, or royalties.
Projects must also support at least one of the following: Access and participation, which creates opportunities for local communities to engage with, and participate in local arts activities, such as performances by community choirs, workshops on printmaking, or exhibitions by local craft groups. Diversity, which supports the diverse artistic cultural traditions of local communities, for example through workshops or exhibitions in Māori or Pasifika heritage art forms, or by local migrant or LGBTQIA+ communities. Young people, which enables young people (under 18 years) to engage with and participate in the arts, such as by working with an artist to create a mural or by creating a film about an issue that is important to them.
You cannot apply for funding for projects without an arts focus, such as puzzles, upholstery, or magic. Projects within the scope of other sectors or organizations, such as arts projects in schools that are part of the core curriculum, are not eligible. Additionally, funding is not available for local council projects, fundraising activities or projects to develop facilities.
Each council will run between two and four funding rounds per year. Your application will be reviewed by an assessment committee of people from your area who are appointed for their knowledge and experience of the arts and local communities. The committee will assess how the project delivers on the criteria of access and participation, diversity, or young people.
It is useful to attach support material, which should be brief. This may include examples of previous work undertaken by the individual or group, such as images, text, or links to websites. It can also include letters of support and invitations from key people within your community who can speak about the benefits of the project, the skills of the people involved, or confirm that an invitation has been issued. Make sure you send copies only as they may not be returned. Keep a copy of your original application, as it will be useful when writing your completion report if you receive a grant.
For more information, visit Wairoa District Council.
