The fuss over Shakespeare is a distraction from the real scandal of arts funding

Monday, 17 October 2022

Critics argue Creative NZ is trying to “cancel” Shakespeare.

Dr James Wenley is a lecturer in theatre at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington.

OPINION: Aotearoa’s arts sector has scraped through tough pandemic years only to be warned to brace for further belt-tightening.

In July 2022, Stephen Wainwright, the chief executive of the Government’s arts funding and development agency Creative New Zealand (CNZ), advised that “with the ending of one-off Covid-19 funding from the Government, as well as the lack of material increases to our baseline funding, we will have limited financial flexibility over the next four years”.

Already the arts sector is reeling from the impact of CNZ’s constrained finances.

The Six Degrees Festival at Wellington’s Bats Theatre showcases emerging theatre makers. However, artists established and emerging are facing an even tougher financial environment as Creative New Zealand’s budgets are squeezed.

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Funding for the Shakespeare Globe Centre and its Sheilah Winn festival have grabbed the headlines, but that is a distraction from bigger challenges, argues James Wenley. Pictured, Matamata College students Emily Nowell and Helen Drysdale-Dunn, winners of the 2018 Sheilah Winn prize.

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Creative New Zealand Chief Executive Stephen Wainwright warned in July that the body would have limited financial flexibility for the next four years.

The denial of funding for Shakespeare Globe Centre NZ has made international headlines, but this controversy is diverting attention away from the real scandal: CNZ has not been given enough money to meet the needs of Aotearoa’s arts sector as it rebuilds from the pandemic.

Interventions made by CNZ and the Mānatu Taonga Ministry of Culture and Heritage stopped the arts sector from falling over through the pandemic, although not everyone made it – the past months have featured a shortage of specialist arts technicians and event workers.

But all that support for the arts sector is at risk of being squandered due to the Government’s chronic underinvestment into CNZ.

The taxpayer’s contribution to CNZ is meagre. In 2006/2007 the crown gave $15.45m to CNZ – the equivalent of $21.56m in today’s dollars. However, CNZ only received $16.68m in baseline funding in the Government’s 2022 budget.

Whilst New Zealand’s population has grown by almost 1m people between 2006 and 2022, the Government’s budget allocation to CNZ hasn’t similarly expanded to ensure all New Zealanders have the opportunity to access and benefit from the arts. As it stands, Government funding hasn’t even kept up with inflation.

A Boy Called Piano, a story of abuse in state care and one of this year’s stand-out examples of transformative and empowering arts experiences.

CNZ estimates that this year’s Government budget allocation of $16.68m makes up 0.01% of the Crown’s core expenses – effectively a rounding error.

The majority of CNZ’s income comes from the Lottery Grants Board. The lotteries portion of CNZ’s annual budget has fluctuated wildly over the past 10 years, depending on how many Lotto and Instant Kiwi tickets are purchased.

CNZ’s total expected income for 2022/2023 is $74.5m, 25% lower than 2020-2021 ($100m, reflecting Covid-19 relief investment).

CNZ’s current funding is inadequate to meet the crises of high inflation and cost of living, skills shortages,

The New Zealand Fringe Festival is returning to Wellington in 2022, but is among those which have missed out in Creative NZ funding rounds.

decimated reserves, low wages, poor mental health and ongoing pandemic uncertainties.

I have been an external industry peer assessor for CNZ and appreciate the rigour of the process: no funding decision is taken lightly.

Most applications are assessed by two external assessors with further moderation by CNZ.

Sometimes as an assessor I’ve disagreed with CNZ’s final funding allocations. More often I just feel disheartened that so many worthy projects miss out when funds are tight.

Dr James Wenley is a lecturer in theatre at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington.

More than half of applicants to this year’s annual arts grants were unsuccessful: applicants requested $7.1m, CNZ could only fund $2.8m.

Meanwhile, CNZ has to stretch $9.08m across four general arts grants rounds, compared with $17.7m the previous year.

CNZ’s funding is increasingly out of reach for artists and groups who don’t already have the money to pay someone to complete funding applications full time.

In a deeply concerning trend for independent and emerging artists, Auckland Fringe, NZ Fringe and Dunedin Fringe all reported being unsuccessful in funding rounds this year.

Lotto sales are currently a vital source of funding for the arts via Creative NZ.

Auckland Pride’s plan to build momentum for rainbow arts by funding its Creative Director role has been dashed.

Nightsong theatre company has launched an emergency fundraiser to try to salvage its upcoming shows.

To the Government’s credit, there has been an increase in arts and culture funding over the pandemic. Mānatu Taonga’s Cultural Sector Regeneration Fund has $28m on offer.

While there are exciting blue skies projects in the mix, there is something perverse about offering funding for new innovative projects while core arts activities go unfunded or underfunded because the Government hasn’t similarly invested in CNZ.

The majority of New Zealanders (60%) agree that the arts should receive public funding. When you fund the arts, you also fund education, health and wellbeing, the strengthening of community.

73% of our young people feel good about life in general when taking part in arts activities. An Australian study suggests that just two or more hours of arts engagement per week has the potential to enhance wellbeing.

The ability for ngā toi (the arts) to bring mental and spiritual healing and balance is well known in te ao Māori.

As expressed in Waikato Museum’s current Toi is Rongoaa exhibition of Māori artists engaging with wellbeing in their creative practice, “Toi is not a form of rongoaa, it simply is.”

I’ve had the privilege of experiencing many transformative and empowering arts experiences this year. For example, Autaia at Auckland Live’s Kiri Te Kanawa theatre;

Eleanor Bishop and Karin McCracken’s Yes Yes Yes at the Herald Theatre; and, on the Film Festival Screen and at the Bats theatre stage, The Conch and A Boy Called Piano.

For the health of the arts sector, it is essential that CNZ receives a substantial funding boost in the Government’s 2023 budget.

As a starting point, Mānatu Taonga should divert unspent Covid recovery funds to CNZ. In exchange, funding processes need to continue to change to better support artist welfare.

The role of the lotteries grants board in funding arts and sports is currently under review. Divestment from lotteries grants would be transformative for the arts sector, with CNZ’s annual budget no longer at the mercy of Lotto sales.

RNZ’s finding that 70% of Lotto sales come from stores in the poorest half of the country underlines how untenable it is for the arts to continue to receive core funding from lotteries gambling.

We should demand our political parties bring comprehensive arts policies to the next election.

A national Ngā Toi strategy could focus priorities around dealing with the inequities of our current structures (including the underfunding of Te Matatini compared with fellow crown entities NZSO and NZ Ballet), harnessing the social and wellbeing benefits of ngā toi, and increasing access and participation.

We could follow Ireland and trial an arts basic income – funding artists, not just projects.

And for a cool $15m, we could also reopen Auckland St James’ Theatre – a one off investment for long term benefit.

It is easy to retreat to our silos in times of scarcity, but we need more arts funding for everyone.Grow the pie. A rising tide lifts all boats. He waka eke noa. Pick your favourite phrase (or get creative and come up with your own) – the benefits flow when we resource the arts.

* CNZ’s funding figures sourced from creativenz.govt.nz.