Creative New Zealand (CNZ) offers the Creative Fellowship Fund to provide $25,000 or $50,000 grants to New Zealand artists and practitioners for creative development and experimentation.
The fund supports risk-taking, artistic growth, and new ideas without requiring a finished public outcome. Applications must be submitted via the CNZ Portal before 1:00 PM (NZ time) on the specified closing date.
What Is the Creative Fellowship Fund?
The Creative Fellowship Fund is a grant programme from Creative New Zealand designed to give artists dedicated time and financial support to:
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Develop new ideas
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Experiment within their practice
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Take creative risks
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Explore new approaches
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Reflect and grow artistically
Unlike project-based funding, this fund does not require the work to be ready for public presentation.
Its core purpose is practice development rather than audience delivery.
Funding Amounts
Applicants can apply for:
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$25,000 NZD
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$50,000 NZD
Funding can be used for:
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Living costs
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Materials
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Resources required to support new creative work
No detailed budget is required because the grant amounts are fixed.
What the Fund Supports
The Creative Fellowship Fund focuses on:
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Creative development
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Artistic experimentation
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Practice evolution
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Risk-taking
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Exploration of new concepts
This funding is particularly valuable at crucial career stages where artists need time and space to grow.
Who Is Eligible?
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
Citizenship and Residency
Applicants must be:
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New Zealand citizens
OR -
New Zealand Permanent Residents
Eligible Applicants
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Individual artists
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Creative practitioners
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Groups of collaborators
Not Eligible
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Arts organisations
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Incorporated groups
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Formal arts institutions
If operating as a sole trader or through a company, you must still apply as an individual.
Grant payments can be made to a company bank account if requested.
Collaboration Rules
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One person initiates the application
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Collaborators are invited to join
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All collaborators share responsibility for delivering activities
Accessibility Support
Additional accessibility funding is available for applicants who:
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Identify as Deaf
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Identify as disabled
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Experience disability or impairment
This funding covers accessibility-related costs during the grant period.
Application Requirements
Applications must be submitted via the CNZ Portal when the funding round is open.
Only one application per funding round is allowed.
Deadline: 1:00 PM New Zealand time on the specified closing date.
Application Questions
For $25,000 Applications
Applicants must answer three questions covering:
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Creative intentions
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Relevance to previous practice
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How funding will support experimentation and risk-taking
For $50,000 Applications
Applicants must answer the three core questions plus two additional questions addressing:
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How learnings will be shared
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How the process will evolve their practice, artform, or community
Higher funding requires deeper reflection on sector impact and knowledge-sharing.
Supporting Materials
Applicants may include:
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Artistic CV
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Work samples
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Letters of support
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Timeline
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Other relevant documents
A budget is not required.
Assessment Process
Applications are assessed by:
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Peer assessors
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Creative New Zealand staff
Assessment panels vary depending on the funding pool selected:
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General arts
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Ngā toi Māori
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Pacific arts
Applications are evaluated based on artistic merit, clarity of development goals, and potential for meaningful creative growth.
Relationship to the Creative Impact Fund
Artists may apply to both:
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Creative Fellowship Fund
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Creative Impact Fund
However:
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The activities must be different
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The combined funding cap is $125,000 within a 12-month period
The key difference:
Creative Fellowship Fund focuses on developing practice and ideas.
Creative Impact Fund supports activities that directly benefit audiences, participants, or communities.
How to Apply: Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Confirm Eligibility
Ensure you are a New Zealand citizen or Permanent Resident and applying as an individual or collaborator group.
Step 2: Define Your Creative Development Focus
Clarify:
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What new ideas you will explore
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What risks you plan to take
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How your practice will evolve
Avoid framing this as a finished production project.
Step 3: Choose Funding Level
Apply for:
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$25,000 for focused development
OR -
$50,000 if proposing broader evolution and sector contribution
Ensure you are prepared to answer additional questions for $50,000.
Step 4: Prepare Supporting Materials
Include:
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Artistic CV
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Strong work samples
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Clear timeline
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Optional letters of support
Step 5: Submit via CNZ Portal
Complete the application before 1:00 PM NZ time on the closing date.
Late applications are not accepted.
Why This Fund Matters
The Creative Fellowship Fund:
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Supports artistic freedom
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Encourages innovation without commercial pressure
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Enables creative risk-taking
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Strengthens long-term artistic careers
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Supports cultural development in Aotearoa New Zealand
It recognises that experimentation and reflection are essential to artistic excellence.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
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Proposing a finished production instead of development
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Failing to explain how the work evolves your practice
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Submitting multiple applications in one round
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Applying as an organisation instead of an individual
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Overlooking accessibility funding options
Strong applications clearly articulate growth, risk, and experimentation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How much funding is available?
You can apply for either $25,000 or $50,000 NZD.
2. Do I need to present the work publicly?
No. Public presentation is not required.
3. Can arts organisations apply?
No. Only individual artists or collaborators are eligible.
4. Can I apply with collaborators?
Yes. One person submits the application and invites collaborators.
5. Is a budget required?
No. Funding amounts are fixed.
6. Can I apply to both Fellowship and Impact Funds?
Yes, if the projects are different and total funding does not exceed $125,000 in 12 months.
7. Is accessibility funding available?
Yes. Additional funding is available for Deaf and disabled artists.
Conclusion
The Creative Fellowship Fund from Creative New Zealand provides artists with dedicated time and financial support to experiment, take risks, and evolve their practice.
With grants of $25,000 or $50,000, the fund prioritises creative development over finished outputs.
Eligible artists should prepare a strong, reflective application and submit through the CNZ Portal before the 1:00 PM NZ time deadline.
For more information, visit Creative NZ.
