Changes at Creative New Zealand

Creative New Zealand - Toi Aotearoa,
04 October 2017, New Zealand

Creative New Zealand wants to do more to support the arts sector so is making changes to how staff are organised and how they work.

“Our ambition is to better fulfil the role of national arts development agency – as a funder, provider of development opportunities and advocate for the value of the arts,” said Creative New Zealand Chief Executive Stephen Wainwright.

“Changes are being made to provide better advice and support across all the different funding and development programmes we run. We also want to put more focus on and have a better understanding of how we can best support arts development.”

“External peer assessment of applications will be part of all our funding and development opportunities so decisions are informed by independent advice,” Mr Wainwright said.

New Arts Development Services Group

One Arts Development Services Group has been created. Within that group will be teams specialising in each area of funding, assessment, capability building, international development and multi-year investment.

Creative New Zealand will also be boosting its insights and knowledge of arts practice nationally and internationally.

“We want to have clear oversight of arts development but also recognise that different elements of our work will benefit from specific, focussed support,” Mr Wainwright said.

This means:

  • one team will run all contestable funding rounds, international and capability funding opportunities, from pre-application through to post-application feedback (Funding Services)
  • all assessment will be done by external peer assessors and will  be supported by one team (Assessment Services)
  • capability building, pilots and international initiatives will continue to be managed by two separate teams (Capability Services & Initiatives and International Services & Initiatives)
  • multi-year investment clients in the Toi Tōtara Haemata and Toi Uru Kahikatea programmes will be supported by one team for all their funding and contract management (Investment Services).
  • A team of Arts Practice Directors has been created to provide expertise and advice to Creative New Zealand about specific areas of arts practice. They will have a deeper engagement with the arts sector so they can identify trends and opportunities to support arts development in New Zealand.

What does this mean for the arts sector?

As the new operating model takes effect there will be better advice and support for the artists and arts organisations across all the different funding and development programmes Creative New Zealand runs.

Independent external peer assessment will inform decision-making on all funding and development opportunities.

Arts Practice Directors will gather information, and use the data Creative New Zealand receives, to identify trends and opportunities to develop the arts in New Zealand over time.

The arts sector will be supported by an arts development agency which is a better connected, better informed and more powerful advocate for the arts.

Next steps

Creative New Zealand is now in transition to the new operating model which is expected to take effect from early in the New Year.

Until this is complete queries can be made to existing contacts and these will be directed to the most appropriate team or person for a response. Updates will be made to Creative New Zealand’s website.

Below are the teams and appointments in the new Arts Development Services Group although they are not yet fully operational.

New Arts Development Services Group

Senior Manager for the group, Cath Cardiff

Funding Services

  • Manager, Belinda Jones (also Manager for Capability Services & Initiatives)
  • Funding Adviser, Humphrey Tait
  • two Funding Adviser positions (currently vacant)
  • Co-ordinator & Administrator, Sarah Burge (also for Assessment Services)

Assessment Services

  • Manager, Catherine Falstie-Jensen 
  • Senior Adviser, Lee Martelli 
  • Adviser (currently vacant)

Capability Services & Initiatives

  • Senior Adviser, Audience Development & Capability Building, Helen Bartle
  • Senior Adviser, Capability Building (currently vacant)
  • Co-ordinator & Administrator, Grace Sinclair (also for International Services & Initiatives)

International Services & Initiatives

  • Manager, Jude Chambers
  • Senior Adviser, International Services, Amy Saunders
  • Senior Adviser, International Services, Catherine George
  • Adviser, International Services & Indigenous Exchange, Ana Sciascia
  • Adviser, International Services & Initiatives, Cassandra Wilson

Investment Services

  • Manager, Elena Noyes
  • Adviser, Simon Vincent
  • Adviser, (currently vacant)
  • Contracts Adviser, Janelle Salisbury
  • Administrator, Tracy Watts

Arts Practice Directors

  • Community and Youth, Briar Monro
  • Literature, Malcolm Burgess
  • Ngā Toi Māori, Haniko Te Kurapa
  • Music and Opera, Chris Archer
  • Pacific, Makerita Urale
  • Theatre and Dance, Rose Campbell
  • Visual arts & Craft/Object, Kate Montgomery 

http://www.creativenz.govt.nz/news/changes-at-creative-new-zealand