Council welcomes funding applications for art-related projects

Waikato District Council invites applicants to apply for funding in the first round of its Creative Communities Scheme for 2023.

The Creative Communities Scheme is a fund aimed at supporting art activities that celebrate the uniqueness of the Waikato district, its cultural traditions and diversity, including Toi Maaori.

Funding is awarded twice a year, and applications for round one close at 5pm, Friday 10 March 2023.

“The fund aims to increase participation in the arts sector and to encourage young people to participate in local arts,” says Council’s Community and Development Funding Advisor Dominique Thurlow.

“Funding support can be sought for a variety of projects, with ‘art’ defined to mean all forms of creative and interpretive expression.”

The fund has supported numerous creative projects over the years, including two workshops by the Aotearoa Bone and Stone Carving Academy at the Te Kauwhata Community House, a Tuvalu-inspired upcycling workshop for adults in Pōkeno, and a whanau date night which saw local whaanau in Ngaruawahia get involved in a crafting evening in 2022.

“Art reflects the community and surroundings in which it is created,” adds Thurlow.

“It is like a language that helps to communicate a community’s values and identity and helps locals and tourists alike to identify with the community in which it was created.”

Individuals or groups in the Waikato district can apply for the fund, although individuals must be New Zealand citizens or permanent residents to be eligible.

Visit our website for more information or to apply.