27 May 2016

Budget 2016: what's in it for the arts?

From Upbeat, 12:00 pm on 27 May 2016
Finance Minister Bill English, Budget 2016.

Finance Minister Bill English enters the media lockup for Budget 2016. Photo: RNZ/Jane Patterson

The 2016 Budget announced by  Finance Minister Bill English today offers some increases in funding within the Arts, Culture and Heritage sector over the next four years.

The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra will receive an additional 1.2 million dollars in each of those years to enable it to perform more concerts, and to tour to more regional centres, resulting in larger audiences and an increase in earned revenue. This increases funding for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra from $13.446 million to $14.646 million per year.

The Royal New Zealand Ballet have been given an extra one million dollars per year to restore greater access for New Zealanders to the Royal New Zealand Ballet by enabling the company to increase its touring programme, including doing more tours to a greater number of regional centres and more educational work with young people around New Zealand. This increases the government contribution to the Royal New Zealand Ballet from $4.384 million to $5.384 million per year.

Te Matatini Kapa Haka Aotearoa gains 700,000 per annum to strengthen the organisation's capacity to increase community participation in kapa haka, enhance its positive cultural, health and social impacts and showcase the best kapa haka internationally. This increases funding for Te Matatini from $1.248 million to $1.948 million per year.