Pacific artists sick of ‘Hunger Games’ funding lottery

This article has been updated from an earlier version with a response from Creative New Zealand.

Pacific artists across the motu are up in arms over the latest Creative New Zealand (CNZ) Arts Grant round that opened on Thursday 27 April and closed on Friday 28 April.

In order to submit a funding request, artists must fill out an application in CNZ’s online funding portal. However they must first wait for the portal to “open”.

Once it does open the system is capped, setting a frenzied race among artists to the finish line.

Tāmaki-born Cook Island artist Ahsin Ahsin (Aitu, Aitutaki) tried to plan his CNZ funding application well ahead of time and still missed the opportunity to apply.

“The key is to plan your proposal early so you don’t miss out well. Hopefully don’t miss out. I missed out,” he lamented on CNZ’s Facebook page on Friday 28 April.

The idea to cap the number of applications was explained by CNZ in 2021 as a time saving measure, “to ensure swifter decision-making timeframes for applicants”.

For the last two years, arts grant rounds have been capped first at 225 applications, then 250 and finally 450 for the latest round after public backlash over the caps.

The funding landscape has shifted significantly in the last two years partly due to the expenditure of reserves spent to buoy the creative community through New Zealand’s first lockdown. As more lockdowns followed, so did the need for further financial support to the sector.

​Dunedin-born Samoan artist Ana Teofilo.

​Dunedin-born Samoan artist Ana Teofilo (Matautu, Asaga) is frustrated and upset that she needs to go through this "hunger games" style process just to put forward a proposal.

“Being a full time mum and artist, I didn’t get enough time to sit and go through the application. I can only jump online at night time once my kids are asleep.

“It's the only time I get to be creative and focus on admin stuff. Before I knew I could jump on and see the application, the round was closed again so quickly!

“As a Moana artist from the South Island there is a need to make this process fair, we shouldn't have to add stress when everyone has work and family to think about.”

CNZ has apologised for the experiences of artists like Ahsin Ahsin and Ana Teofilo via a public statement online.

“We understand this will be disappointing for those who missed out on submitting.

“This round, we almost doubled the number of applications we could accept, with the ‘cap’ being raised significantly from 250 to 450. This extremely high demand demonstrates the level of need in the arts sector, and we want to further emphasise that we’ve heard this process isn’t working for everyone.

“We’re committed to significant change – the next Arts Grants Round will have no ‘cap’ on applications.”

Additionally, Creative New Zealand's Kawika Aipa, Manager, Pacific Arts has provided an expanded response.

“We know our funding round processes aren’t working for everyone and our teams are working hard to make significant change. We see our position as being of service to the arts community, so it’s important for us to teu le vā (adorn the space) that exists between us and our Pasifika artists to ensure there’s mutual trust. We acknowledge the cap is no longer fit for purpose, and we’ve removed it for all future Arts Grants rounds.

"There’s been a huge increase in urgent need for arts support over the past 12 months, and we’re committed to ensuring our processes are a pathway to creative support, not an obstacle.”

Ahsin Ahsin says although it’s unsettling he’ll keep trying in future.

“It sucks that we have to battle it out to try to get a spot in the CNZ funding. I’ve seen a few of my artist friends on past ‘who got funding’ lists and I’m straight up happy as for them you know, they go hard and deserve it no doubt, but I'll keep trying.”