Funding for Individuals

You can apply to the Create Fund once in a 12 month period and applications are accepted from people who are:

• At least 15 years of age
• An emerging or established artist, heritage or cultural activator or practitioner
• Undertaking their artistic, heritage or cultural activities in the Trust area
• New Zealand citizens or a permanent resident
• Currently living in our area (includes Southland, Queenstown, Glenorchy, Arrowtown, Tapanui and Heriot areas) and have done so for three years or more
• Able to provide evidence of and/or demonstrate a track record of involvement in their art form, heritage field or their culture

Recognition & Achievement

Purpose

Recognising outstanding achievement and artistic excellence.

Outcomes

• Artists and practitioners supported to reach their potential
• Artists, the arts, heritage and culture help to promote the region as vibrant and a great place to live, work and create

Types of activities supported

Artists, heritage or cultural activators or practitioners selected to attend, present, or showcase in a premier event or activity.

Amount of award

NZ, Trans Tasman, Oceania & Southeast Asia - up to $1,000
Asia, Europe & Americas - up to $1,500

Creative, Heritage and Cultural Skill Development

Purpose

• Learning new or improving creative, cultural or heritage skills in a practical hands-on environment
• Development of art, heritage, and culture practice
• Upskilling in traditional cultural or heritage skills or crafts and sharing with community
• Activities that meet a traditional cultural or heritage skills deficit

Outcomes

• Artists, heritage and cultural activators and practitioners increase skills and knowledge
• Artists, heritage or cultural activators and practitioners supported to reach their potential

Types of activities supported

• Mentorships and internships with established or professional artists.
• Specialised programmes, courses, workshops or other activities.

Amount of Award

Up to $1,500 for e.g. mentorships and internships

For specialised programmes, courses or workshops:

• Regional - up to $300
• South Island - up to $500
• North Island - up to $750 

Promotion, Production, Presentation, Exhibition & Touring

PURPOSE

• Supporting professional development and raising the profile of local artists and practitioners
• Raising the profile of and access to the arts, heritage and culture in the community
• Sharing traditional arts, heritage, or cultural skills with the community

OUTCOMES

• Artists, heritage or cultural activators and practitioners  and practitioners supported to reach their potential
• Increase awareness of, access to and engagement in art, heritage and culture in the community

TYPES OF ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED

• Public exhibition, production, published book, produced play
• A hui, wananga or workshop open to the public and/or communities of interest
• Touring (activity in at least three communities)

AMOUNT OF AWARD

30% of budgeted costs up to a maximum of $5,000.

Arts, heritage or cultural organisations and groups as funding may be available through our General Grants programme.

Trustees and staff of Community Trust South and their immediate families (immediate families include: partners, parents, children, step children, grandchildren, grandparents and siblings) due to a perceived conflict of interest.

Employees or councillors of local government, employees of central government departments/agencies (including schools), tertiary institutes or for profit organisations unless the application clearly relates to a wider community benefit outside of the organisation. We regard professional development related to these organisations as the responsibility of the organisation and the expectation is the organisation would also be contributing.

People applying as part of a service club or for profit organisation.

Applicants from outside the Trust's area.

Individuals are only eligible for one Scholarship within a 12-month period, but can apply again in twelve months’ time from the application decision date.

Applications are accepted anytime and are made online.

If you haven’t applied to us before you need to register by providing your name and email address as well as creating a password – it only takes a moment. Once registered you can log in at any time to start an application or to access it again later, so you can work on it over time. 

If you are under 18 years of age you will also need to include a completed Parent/Guardian Consent form as part of your application.

The application process includes an endorsement from a recognised peer/expert in the relevant art form, heritage field or culture.

To help you prepare you can also download the application form so you can see the questions we ask.

We carry out an initial review of your application to make sure you are eligible to apply.

Our staff then review your application to support Trustees in making an informed decision on your activity. We will often contact you to ask further questions about your activity or application.

What we look for when we are assessing your application:

• Alignment with our Arts, Heritage and Culture Pou priorities and outcomes
• Artistic, heritage or cultural ability and experience and degree of achievement (i.e. your track record)
• Degree of recognition from appropriate peers, experts, or recognised body
• Strength of idea, proposed project process and budget
• Relevance of activity to stated learning and career development objectives and to stage of development
• Impact of the proposed activity on the applicant’s artistic, heritage or cultural skill development, practice and to the wider community
• Expertise and capacity of hosting organisation or individual
• Merit of workshop, conference, or training event
• Potential benefits to the relevant community and/or sector

It takes approximately 8 weeks for a decision to be made and you will receive an email letting you know our decision.

If your application is successful, the email will outline the amount approved and any funding conditions. You can read our Managing Your Funding for more information.

If your application is unsuccessful the email will outline the reasons for your application being declined.

Successful applicants will need to provide an accountability report within 2 months of completing the activity for which funding was awarded. The report will be available online.