June 16, 2023
Arts community challenges governemnt on funding
Māori artists, arts sector professionals, and community leaders will today give arts decision makers and minsiters their views on what needs to be done to make the arts sector sustainable and equitable for Māori.
More than 150 of them gathered yesterday at Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington for Toi Ora 2023, billed as a Māori-Crown engagement hui to discuss priorities and influence transformational change.
Tanea Heke, the director of the New Zealand Drama School Toi Whakaari, says Maori arts practitioners are frustrated at the bureacracy around arts funding.
“There is nothing consistent in terms of what it is government provides and everyone will know this whatever sector they are in. All of us find it very difficult engaging with government because the flavour changes from year to year, no conistency, very dificult to plan ahead,” she says.
Ms Heke says many in the sector are also looking at ways to tap into non-government funding sources to provide long term sustainable careers for artists.