Creative New Zealand insists it doesn't "hate Shakespeare" as the Prime Minister steps in to save a secondary-school Shakespeare programme.
The funding agency's received fiery backlash for not renewing its funding of the Sheilah Winn festival.
One reason cited was the playwright's work not being relevant to contemporary Aotearoa.
The Ministry of Education will now pick up the tab for the Shakespeare Globe Centre to continue running the programme.
Creative New Zealand's governing body - the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa chair Caren Rangi spoke to Corin Dann.
