The Ministry for Culture and Heritage / Manatū Taonga is now accepting applications from cultural sector organisations to host cultural activators in eight communities around Aotearoa.
Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Carmel Sepuloni said the pilot – part of Te Tahua Whakahaumaru (Creative Arts Recovery and Employment Fund) – aimed to build creative skills and connections with the wider cultural sector.
âThis pilot underlines the Governmentâs commitment to help the arts and cultural sector to adapt, survive and thrive,” Minister Sepuloni said.
âThe Cultural Activators will be established cultural sector practitioners and hosted by local organisations. Theyâll focus on collaborating with communities to tell their stories, build their creative skills, and connect them with opportunities in the wider cultural sector.
âCulture and creativity are experiences which bring us together and enhance our daily lives, contributing around $17.5 billion to New Zealandâs GDP. Thatâs why weâre taking a targeted approach to investing in and unlocking creativity in communities where there is considered to be barriers to access and participation in the arts.â
Cultural Activators will be hosted in the Far North, MÄngere-Otahuhu, Kawerau, Gisborne, Wairoa, South Waikato, Buller, and Invercargill. Two of the roles will focus on MÄori and one will focus on Pacific peoples.
âAs established cultural sector practitioners, cultural activators will understand their communityâs cultural needs and will be well placed to generate interest and participation in cultural activities and mentor emerging creatives in their community,” Ms Sepuloni said.
âThe Cultural Activators Pilot will run for one year and will be evaluated to measure its success in increasing access and participation in cultural activities in the selected communities. The evaluation will inform decisions about any continuation or expansion of the Pilot.”
The Cultural Activators Pilot is the third funding opportunity in the CARE Fund to launch so far. It follows the Creative Spaces initiative launched in February and the Cultural Installations and Events initiative launched earlier this month.