Deadline: 19-Aug-2025
The Creative Communities Scheme offers financial assistance to support and enrich arts projects in local communities.
The Creative Communities Scheme aims to encourage participation by creating opportunities for local communities to engage with and take part in local arts activities, support diversity by recognising and promoting the diverse artistic and cultural traditions of local communities, and enable young people under the age of 18 to participate in the arts.
The Creative Communities Scheme is administered by the Far North District Council and supports a wide range of creative practices, including language, literature, performing arts, and visual arts. Applicants can be groups or individuals involved in local arts and cultural projects, provided the project has a clear arts focus and is not already part of another organisation’s core business or curriculum.
Funding can be used for materials, venue or equipment hire, short-term project personnel and administrative costs, and promotion or publicity of arts activities. However, certain expenses are excluded: ongoing salaries or service costs unrelated to a specific project, travel outside the local area, capital assets such as cameras or instruments, fundraising, competitions, awards, royalties, debt servicing, acquisition of existing artwork, film festivals featuring external content, council-led projects, facility upgrades (such as galleries or marae), or projects whose main focus lies in health, education, heritage or the environment rather than the arts.
Typically, successful grants are valued at NZD 2,000 or less. In previous years, the Far North District received approximately NZD 45,000 annually from Creative New Zealand, and applications exceeding NZD 2,500 require direct consultation with Creative New Zealand. Creative New Zealand distributes funding to local councils annually, and applications are processed by the council based on that allocation.
For assistance, applicants are encouraged to consult the application guide, apply online or via print form, and contact the Funding Advisor if needed. Incomplete applications, missing quotations, or projects that have already started are not accepted.
For more information, visit Far North District Council.
