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What is the Creative Communities Scheme?
Funding is available for community-based arts activities in your area from the Creative Communities Scheme (CCS).

The aim of the Scheme is to increase participation in the arts at a local level, and increase the range and diversity of arts available to communities.

The Scheme is a partnership between Creative New Zealand and the 74 local authorities. Each local authority takes responsibility for delivering the Scheme in its area.

Local decision-making is the key to the Scheme and applications are considered by local assessment committees. All New Zealanders are eligible to apply.

What are the funding criteria
Projects seeking assistance must meet at least one of the three funding criteria. These are to:

• increase participation in the arts at a local level
  
• increase the range and diversity of arts at a local level
  
• enhance and strengthen the local arts sector.

Each local authority may set its own priorities within these criteria. Contact your local authority to find out local priorities before making an application.

What types of projects are eligible?
Eligible projects must:

• have an arts or cultural focus
  
• take place within the city or district to which the application is made and/or benefit that district or city
  
• meet at least one of the three funding criteria
  
• benefit local communities
  
• not have started before an application for funding is assessed
  
• not have been funded by Creative New Zealand for the same purpose.

Eligible projects include:

• events or festivals
  
• personnel costs for one-off, short-term projects
  
• costs associated with artist-in-residence schemes
  
• promotional activities
  
• materials for an event or activity
  
• seminars or workshops
  
• equipment purchase (up to 50% of purchase price) for a legally constituted group
  
• dance that has an arts or cultural focus (eg ballet, tap, taiaha, highland dancing, rock 'n' roll)
  
• school-based projects that are outside the school's normal activities and provide benefits for the wider community.

What types of activites can't be funded?

• facility development (eg cost of buildings, plumbing, floor coverings, furnishings)
• purchase of artworks for galleries
• activities that are the responsibility of education institutions
• administration costs not related to a specific project
• projects that have already been completed
• servicing of debts
• catering
• fundraising
• projects normally funded from the local authority's own resources
• salaries for ongoing administration and services
• prize money.

When and where can applications be made?
City and district councils (local authorities) administer the CCS for Creative New Zealand. In some places, local authority councils have devolved part or all of the CCS to a specialist local group such as a community arts council. In most areas, there are two funding rounds a year and each local authority sets its own application closing dates for these. To find out the local application dates you will need to contact the CCS administrator at the relevant local authority.

Applications should be sent to the local authority covering the community that will most benefit from the project. A project supported by a particular local authority doesn't necessarily have to take place within that local authority area, as the following example shows.

Representatives of an arts group from District A wish to travel to City B to take part in a workshop. In this case, the application should be sent to District Council A because the benefits of attending the workshop will be experienced by the community of District A even though the event will take place in another city or district.

Has Creative New Zealand got the Creative Communities Scheme application forms?
No. Applicants need to obtain a CCS application form from the local authority they wish to apply to. To obtain an application form, contact the Creative Communities Scheme administrator at the relevant local authority. It is essential to use the application form for the city or district you are applying to.

Creative New Zealand provides all local authorities with a model application form. However, each local authority adapts the model form, adding important local details such as application dates and contact details.

Can individuals apply?
All New Zealanders are eligible to apply to the CCS, either as individuals or groups. In principle, the CCS offers support for projects rather than support for applicants and all applications are assessed according to the merit of the project, based on the CCS criteria. All applications, whether from groups or individuals, need to identify the benefits of the proposed project to the local community.

Creative New Zealand is keen to encourage more applications from Maori and Pacific Islands individuals and groups.

What is the difference between the Creative Communities Scheme and Creative New Zealand's national funding programmes?
Creative New Zealand's national funding programmes are offered through the Arts Board, Te Waka Toi and the Pacific Arts Committee. The focus of these programmes is arts development and support for projects of national significance. In some cases, projects that are eligible for CCS funding may require a scale of support not available under the CCS. You may apply to Creative New Zealand's national funding programmes if your project is of national significance and concerned with arts development.

If you don't know whether to apply to the CCS or to Creative New Zealand's national funding programmes either contact your local CCS administrator or the following Creative New Zealand staff: Danielle Tolson (Wellington - National Office Tel: 04-473 0184 Email: daniellet@creativenz.govt.nz or Nikki Robb (Christchurch - Southern Office Tel: 03-366 2337 Email: nicolar@creativenz.govt.nz).

Can I apply to both the CCS and Creative New Zealand for the same activity?
Not generally. You cannot 'double dip' for Creative New Zealand funds for exactly the same project. However, there may be situations where parts of a large activity (eg a festival or a tour) may be eligible for funding from both Creative New Zealand and the CCS. For example, an artist may apply for a Creative New Zealand grant to tour a show and subsequently, local organisers may receive CCS funding for costs specifically associated with presenting the show locally.