A taskforce consisting of several of New Zealand's most high-profile supporters of the arts will investigate ways to improve levels of philanthropic giving in New Zealand, Minister of Arts Culture and Heritage Chris Finlayson announced today.
"This government promised to turbo-charge community and not-for-profit groups at the last election," Mr Finlayson said. "This taskforce will be given the freedom to look at how government and institutions can encourage charitable giving by individuals."
The chair is Peter Biggs, former chair of Creative New Zealand. The other members are Margaret Belich, Carolyn Henwood, James S Hill, Dame Jenny Gibbs, and Dayle Mace.
"This government strongly supports the arts," Mr Finlayson said, "increasing Budget funding for cultural organisations by $10.2 million over the next four years to mitigate the effects of the economic downturn on vulnerable institutions."
"The Cultural Philanthropy Taskforce is interested in finding out how to increase charitable giving by private individuals to arts and cultural institutions over and above - not instead of - government funding."
"The culture of private giving which adds so much to the resources of many overseas institutions is much less well entrenched here," Mr Finlayson said. "I have gathered together some of our most well known and dedicated supporters of the arts to work on ways in which government can help institutions, and that they can help themselves."
The taskforce has a wide-ranging brief to examine how to increase charitable giving from private individuals - it is not focused on business partnerships or sponsorships, although these are also an important part of the funding mix, Mr Finlayson said.
It would be looking at a wide range of areas from best practice in examples of philanthropic giving overseas, to ways to publicise existing tax incentives to benefit the cultural sector.
Mr Finlayson said there were a range of initiatives underway relating to philanthropic support for the arts.
The Ministry for Culture and Heritage has a major survey called Charitable Giving and Sponsorship due to be released in October. Its findings will help inform the taskforce.
The taskforce held its first meeting in Auckland last Friday.
Review to improve arts philanthropy
Creative New Zealand ,
30 September 2009, New Zealand
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