Creative New Zealand

What Creative New Zealand does

Creative New Zealand (operating as Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa) is a Crown entity established under the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa Act 2014, with institutional roots dating to 1994. It functions as the national arts development agency of New Zealand, with a statutory mandate to encourage, promote, and support the arts for the benefit of all New Zealanders. Headquartered in Wellington, the agency operates a three-office footprint across Wellington, Auckland, and Dunedin with a staff of approximately 85.

The agency's core activities are grant administration and sector development. It maintains multi-year funding relationships with 80+ funded organisations, runs the Creative Communities Scheme which processes 1,800+ community arts projects annually, and operates capability-building programmes for artists and arts practitioners. Its operational platform is the CNZ Portal, which supports funding applications, rounds, and reporting workflows. Strategic direction is set by the 'Tū Mai Rā, Toi Aotearoa' 15-year strategy running through 2040, and a transition to a regional delivery partner model is planned from 2027 to extend geographic reach.

Creative New Zealand does not operate a commercial revenue model. Its funding is drawn entirely from New Zealand Government Crown appropriations administered via Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage, and from the Lottery Grants Board. Funds are disbursed through competitive funding rounds, multi-year organisational grants, community scheme allocations, and targeted sector investment programmes, making it a policy-delivery and grant-funding instrument rather than a market-facing enterprise. Governance is provided through a council and statutory committees, with accountability to the responsible Minister.

Name

Creative New Zealand

Legal name

Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa (Creative New Zealand)

Website

https://creativenz.govt.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Creative New Zealand (Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa) is a Crown entity and national arts development agency that funds 80+ arts organisations and processes 1,800+ community arts projects annually through government appropriations and Lottery Grants Board funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts Funding and Development

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Indigenous, Ethnic & Folk Arts/Heritage Organizations (BPAGAHAI), Community Arts, Culture & Creative Placemaking Enterprises (BPAGALAO), Indigenous & Community Cultural Institutions (THAJADAK)

Keywords

• Arts development funding
• Government grants administration
• Cultural sector funding
• Arts advocacy programmes
• Artist capability building

Headquarters

HQ city

Wellington

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Appropriations: Creative New Zealand is a Crown entity funded primarily by the New Zealand Government through the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board and Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Annual parliamentary appropriations constitute the core revenue stream used to fund arts grants, programmes, and operations.
2. Lottery Grants Board Funding: The New Zealand Lottery Grants Board is a primary funder of Creative New Zealand alongside government appropriations. Lottery-funded distributions support arts funding programmes and operational activities.
3. Philanthropic / Donor Support: The Venice Biennale presentation received record-level philanthropic support from the New Zealand at Venice Patrons. Creative New Zealand also receives support from the New Zealand at Venice Patrons group for international arts presentation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Creative New Zealand is Aotearoa New Zealand's national arts development agency. It encourages, promotes and supports the arts through direct grant funding programmes (Arts Organisations and Groups Fund, Creative Communities Scheme), capability building for artists and arts organisations, international presentation initiatives (Venice Biennale, touring and exchange), and advocacy to central and local government. Applications are submitted through the CNZ online portal and assessed by Creative New Zealand kaimahi, peer assessors, and artform-specific panels.

Product overview

Creative New Zealand is the national arts development agency of Aotearoa New Zealand, operating as a Crown entity under the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa Act 2014. The agency does not offer a unified software product but rather delivers a portfolio of funding programmes and development services. Core offerings include the Arts Organisations and Groups Fund (with four funding tiers ranging from $50,000 to over $500,000 annually), the Creative Communities Scheme (administered locally through councils with grants mostly under $5,000), capability building programmes, international presentation and cultural exchange initiatives, and arts advocacy and policy development. Supporting resources include practical toolkits (community arts, risk management, volunteer management, donations), research publications, and the CNZ Portal for online funding management. Strategic frameworks guiding the portfolio include Tū Mai Rā, Toi Aotearoa (15-year strategy to 2040), Toi Ora Strategy (Māori arts strategy 2025-2030), and Pacific Arts Strategy (2023-2028).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Arts Organisations and Groups Fund
• Creative Communities Scheme (CCS)
• Capability Building
• International Presentation and Cultural Exchange
• Arts Advocacy and Policy Development

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 1,800 local arts projects funded annually through the Creative Communities Scheme
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• APRA AMCOSmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2026APRA AMCOS (Australasian Performing Right Association and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society) is an industry partner supporting the nextWAV artist development programme. APRA AMCOS contributes expertise in songwriting rights, royalties, and music industry knowledge.
• Live Nation New ZealandmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2026Live Nation New Zealand is an industry partner for the nextWAV artist development programme. Live Nation provides live performance opportunities and industry connections as part of the programme's mentorship offering.
• Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o WaiwhetūcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū is the creative partner and curator for Aotearoa New Zealand's 2026 Venice Biennale national pavilion Taharaki Skyside. The gallery's curators (Felicity Milburn and Chloe Cull) curated the exhibition by Fiona Pardington. The exhibition will also be presented in Christchurch from mid-2027.
• Te Rūnanga o Ngāi TahucoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu is a key partner in the 2026 Venice Biennale presentation. The iwi acknowledges with pride Fiona Pardington's presence at Venice and her work elevating manu (birds) as taonga. Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu involvement reflects the importance of mana whenua leadership in major international arts presentations.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020A formal cross-agency partnership between Creative New Zealand and MFAT was negotiated to strengthen arts and cultural ties with Oceania creatives. This partnership aligns with the Pacific Arts Strategy and supports global Pacific arts connections under the Moana focus area.
• Morris, Hargreaves, McIntyre (MHM)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMorris, Hargreaves, McIntyre (MHM) is an independent research consultancy commissioned to manage the Audience Atlas research study exploring how all New Zealanders engage with arts, ngā toi Māori, and cultural places and events. MHM also manages the survey participation process including accessibility accommodations for Deaf and disabled people, tāngata whaikaha, and tāngata turi.
• Makerita Urale / Senior Manager Pacific ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative New Zealand negotiated the first formal partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to strengthen arts and cultural ties with Oceania creatives. Senior Manager Makerita Urale led this initiative as part of the Pacific Arts Strategy delivery.
• Penguin Random House New ZealandmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative New Zealand partnered with Penguin Random House New Zealand to produce the Pacific Arts Aotearoa book and implement the Pacific Arts Legacy Publishing Internship, under the Pacific Arts Strategy. This initiative supports Pacific publishing and literary arts development.
• Te Papa TongarewamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTe Papa Tongarewa (Museum of New Zealand) provided museum specimens including a North Island kōkako from its collection dating to 1833 for Fiona Pardington's Taharaki Skyside Venice Biennale exhibition. Te Papa's collections of taxidermied birds from Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia are central to the exhibition's narrative.
• City and District Councils (CCS Administrators)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNew Zealand city and district councils (over 60 territorial authorities) administer the Creative Communities Scheme on behalf of Creative New Zealand, distributing funding locally and making funding decisions through council-appointed assessment committees.
• Office of the OmbudsmanminorOthersThe Office of the Ombudsman provides independent review of Creative New Zealand's Official Information Act responses and complaints. Citizens dissatisfied with CNZ's OIA response can refer the matter to the Ombudsman for investigation.
• Arts Foundation Te Tumu ToimajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKent Gardner, Arts Council Chair, is a trustee and former co-Chair of the Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi, a prestigious arts charity. The Foundation and Creative New Zealand share overlapping missions in supporting and promoting New Zealand arts.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Singapore National Arts Council: Statutory board under Singapore's Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth supporting arts development through grants, partnerships, and sector strategy. Comparable as an Asia-Pacific national arts development agency with similar Crown-equivalent status.
• Hong Kong Arts Development Council: Statutory body established to promote arts development in Hong Kong through funding, policy advice, and planning. Comparable statutory structure and multi-year arts grantmaking role in an Asia-Pacific context.
• Creative Australia: Australian organisation focused on creative open licensing and broader creative sector advocacy rather than direct grantmaking. Comparable as a public-interest creative sector body, but operates a different model (licensing and advocacy vs. statutory funding).

Direct peers

• Arts Council of Wales: Welsh Government-sponsored body distributing Lottery and government funding for the arts in Wales. Highly comparable in scale, statutory funding role, and devolved national arts council model with similar headcount and programme breadth.
• Creative Scotland: Scotland's public body supporting arts, screen, and creative industries through funding and advocacy. Comparable as a national arts development body in a smaller population context similar to New Zealand, with similar public funding sources and multi-year programme structures.
• Arts Council of Ireland / An Chomhairle Ealaíon: Irish government agency developing the arts across Ireland, distributing public funding to artists and organisations. Directly comparable as a small-nation national arts council with statutory mandate, multi-year funding programmes, and policy advocacy role.
• Canada Council for the Arts: Canadian federal Crown corporation providing grants and services to professional artists and arts organisations. Closely comparable in scope across disciplines, Indigenous-specific funding streams, and international market development for Canadian artists.
• Australia Council for the Arts: Australia's national arts funding and development agency, operating under the Australia Council Act 2013 with similar statutory Crown-equivalent status. Directly comparable in mandate, funding tier structure, and multi-year grantmaking model across general arts, Indigenous (First Nations), and culturally diverse programming.
• Arts Council England: England's national development agency for creativity and culture, distributing Lottery and government funding. Comparable in tiered multi-year funding model, advocacy function, and statutory arts development mandate, though operating at larger scale.

Others

• British Council: UK's international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities, with arts and creative programming comparable to CNZ's international presentation function (Venice Biennale, touring, cultural exchange). Different operating model but overlapping international arts diplomacy remit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CreativeNewZealand
• Facebookfacebook.com/creativenz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/creative-new-zealand
• Instagraminstagram.com/creativenz
• Xx.com/creativeNZ

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Creative New Zealand