Creative New Zealand funding this year focused on building the infrastructure for Māori arts. More than $2.3 million has been invested in Māori arts this year across all spectrums, including heritage arts. Creative New Zealand’s Māori arts board Te Waka Toi supports the development of organisations’ capabilities to support Māori arts, says Te Waka Toi board chairman Darrin Haimona.

“This kind of support will lead to the development and the flourishing of Māori art, across all disciplines, including literature, music and dance,” he says.

For example, $300,000 was awarded to the Māori Literature Trust for a three-year development programme for Māori writers. “That support has existed for Pākehā for a long time with organisations like the Book Council and the Authors’ Fund because literature is a Western cultural tradition. This funding will enable the Literature Trust to develop Māori writers through a programme, continue with the successful Pikihuia book awards and do further work with emergent writers,” says Darrin Haimona.

A further $300,000 was granted to Tihi Limited to assist with the building of infrastructure and capability for the Māori music sector.

Other similar grants included $43,568 to the Okareka Dance Company Ltd towards costs relating to infrastructure and support mechanisms, and $47,502 to Atamira Dance Collective towards a four-week choreographic development workshop.

“There is a lot of talent and innovation in our Māori arts community. Infrastructure funding enables all our art forms to build stronger foundations for current and future generations of Māori artists,” says Darrin Haimona.

The Youth Performance Trust was funded towards the venue and technical production costs of Smokefree Pacifika Beats 2009. Te Warihi Hetaraka was funded towards the restoration project of the Te Wairoa waka. Other grants to support significant Māori arts projects include Toi Whenua to support a three-year Matariki festival programme, Black Pearl Ltd to research, create and produce a show called My Name is Moana and Tawata Productions to produce and develop the play Tū.

For more information about the grants programme for Māori arts visit www.creativenz.govt.nz/Funding/Grantslists/.