Call for Applications: Creative Communities Scheme (CCS) – New Zealand

Deadline: 17-Aug-25

The Auckland Council is accepting applications for its Creative Communities Scheme (CCS).

The scheme enables communities to bring art (music, dancing, film-making, weaving, singing, poetry and theatre) into the everyday lives of Aucklanders across the region on beaches, in parks, community halls, theatres, streets and galleries.

Funding Information

• Grant value:
  • $500 +

Funding Criteria

• Access and participation
  • Performances by community choirs, hip-hop groups, theatre companies or poets.
  • Workshops on printmaking, writing, dancing or other creative forms.
  • Exhibitions by local craft groups promoting weaving, pottery and carving.
  • Festivals featuring local artists.
  • Creation of a community film or a public artwork by a community.
  • Development of new tukutuku, whakairo or kōwhaiwhai for a local marae.
• Diversity
  • Workshops, rehearsals, performances, festivals or exhibitions:
    • in Māori or Pasifika heritage art forms
    • by local migrant communities.
  • Arts projects bringing together groups from a range of different communities.
  • Workshops, rehearsals, performances, festivals or exhibitions by groups with experience of disability or mental illness.
• Young people
  • A group of young people:
    • working with an artist to create a mural or street art
    • creating a film about an issue that is important to them.
  • Printing a collection of writing by young people.
  • Music workshops for young people.
  • An exhibition of visual art work by young people.

Expected Outcomes

• Projects that get funded should do at least one of the following:
  • Encourage participation by creating opportunities for local communities to engage with and participate in local arts activities.
  • Support the diverse artistic and cultural traditions of local communities
  • Enable young people (under 18) to engage with and participate in the arts.

Eligible Projects

• have an art or creative cultural focus
• be completed within 12 months after funding is approved
• not have started before the project is approved
• benefit local communities
• take place in Auckland
• not already be funded by Creative New Zealand (Creative NZ).

Ineligible Projects

• You cannot apply for CCS funding for:
  • projects without an arts focus eg, puzzles, upholstery, magic, model-making, commercial design, commercial fashion design, film festivals, fitness-based dance (such as aerobics or gymnastics or martial arts (such as tai chi or karate)
  • projects within the scope of other sectors or organisations eg, arts projects in schools or other educational institutions that are the core business of that institution or are normally funded through curriculum or operating budgets
  • projects that mainly deliver outcomes for other sectors, such as health, heritage, or the environment
  • local council projects
  • fundraising activities eg, benefit concerts to raise funds to buy a capital item or to pay for another activity
  • projects to develop facilities eg, galleries, marae, theatres, and other venues, including the costs of fixed items, whiteware, floor coverings, furnishings, gallery and theatre lights, stage curtains or building restoration.
  • CCS funding is available for new artworks as part of marae projects such as tukutuku, whakairo, whāriki and kōwhaiwhai Applications for funding for marae facilities or restoration projects should be made to the Oranga Marae fund which is administered by Te Puni Kōkiri and the Department of Internal Affairs.

Eligible Costs

• You can apply for support for:
  • materials for arts activities or programmes
  • venue or equipment hire
  • personnel and administrative costs for shortterm projects
  • promotion and publicity of arts activities
  • reasonable requests to provide food for artists, participants, and audiences for community arts activities.

Ineligible Costs

• CCS does not fund:
  • ongoing administration or personnel costs that are 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, such as computers, cameras, musical instruments, costumes, lights, or uniforms
  • entry fees for competitions, contests, and exams
  • prize money, awards, and judges’ fees for competitions
  • royalties the purchase of artworks for collections
  • the costs of running fundraising activity
  • debt or interest on debt.

Eligibility Criteria

• Individuals must be New Zealand citizens or permanent residents
• 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.

For more information, visit Auckland Council.