Hummingbird Coffee signs on as principal partner to fuel the arts

Wednesday, 22 April 2026

The Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi has secured a principal partnership with Hummingbird Coffee, marking a significant boost for artists as the sector faces mounting pressure.

Announced on Wednesday, the collaboration will support the foundation’s work to back artists and elevate their stories nationwide, following its 25th‑anniversary year.

Kaiwhakahaere Executive Director Jessica Palalagi said the partnership sent a strong signal about the value of creativity in Aotearoa.

“The creative sector contributes so much to Aotearoa – both economically and culturally – but it needs financial backing, not just belief, to secure its future,” she said. “Hummingbird Coffee has shown true leadership as a business that believes in the power of creativity. This partnership is about more than support – it’s about recognising and amplifying the role artists play in shaping our culture.”

Hummingbird Coffee General Manager Nick Cowper said the company’s commitment to the arts stems from its experience in post‑earthquake Christchurch.

“We’ve seen how creativity can be a catalyst for positive change,” he said. “Our journey into giving began after the Christchurch earthquakes, where we saw firsthand what happens when a community invests in creativity to transform a place. Now, we’re proud to partner with The Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi to back the arts right across Aotearoa.”

The partnership joins a wider movement of businesses stepping up to support the arts. The Arts Foundation’s strategic partners include Stuff Group and members of the Arts Business Club, a collective of organisations committed to amplifying creativity. Members range from Abes Bagels and Art+Object to Forsyth Barr, Kiwibank, Meadow Mushrooms, Saatchi & Saatchi, Webb’s and Xero.

The foundation says the new partnership marks a “new era of business backing for the arts” as it works to ensure creativity continues to thrive in communities across the country.