The Green Party says new government support for creatives and artists is a vital lifeline for a sector struggling to survive the COVID crisis.

Arts and arts practitioners should be valued and supported, and our heritage protected and preserved. Our strong creative sectors have intrinsic value to society and significant economic potential. Access to and participation in the arts should be affordable and widespread Government support should encourage and foster art in diverse, migrant, and low-income communities, including funding galleries, theatres, and other artistic organisations. Arts education should be funded at all levels and supported by an arts education strategy in early childhood centres...

New analysis shows that while some arts organisations have benefitted from Budget 2016, others have lost out and overall arts and culture funding has fallen $217.5 million behind where it needs to be to keep up with rising costs since National came to power, the Green Party said today. “It’s great that the NZSO, Royal NZ Ballet and Te Matatini kapa haka got more funding this year, but frozen Creative NZ funding means many artists and creatives will lose out again,”...