Funding
FUNDING
We connect artists with funding grants primarily through Nelson City Creative Communities schemes.
Arts Funding
We are currently accepting applications for the first round of funding, for projects taking place between mid- August - mid-December 2026.
Applications close on 11th July 2026.
Please download an application form and guide. Email completed forms to our Community Arts Manager,
Lloyd Harwood : lloyd@acn.org.nz
Applicant Guides in English are available below.
Applicant Guides can also be emailed to you in the following languages:
Māori - Chinese Traditional - 2014.pdf - Fijian - Hindi - Korean - Niuean - Samoan - Tokelauan - Tongan and Tuvaluan.
Contact Lloyd at: lloyd@acn.org.nz
Pātai or questions? Get in touch with Lloyd for help with your application: lloyd@acn.org.nz.
If required, a hard copy of the application form can be made available to collect from the Refinery ArtSpace, 114 Hardy St, Nelson.
Nelson City Creative Communities Scheme
Apply for financial assistance to support a creative project in Nelson City, that benefits the community.
There are three funding rounds each year. Groups or individuals can apply to fund projects that meet one or more of the following criteria:
Broad Community Involvement - the project will create opportunities for local communities to engage with and participate in arts activities.
Diversity - The project will support the diverse arts and cultural traditions of local communities, enriching and promoting their uniqueness.
Young People - The project will enable and encourage young people (under 18) to participate and engage in the arts.
Grants are usually allocated up to $1,500, although projects requiring greater assistance will be considered.
Arts Council Nelson administers the Nelson City Creative Communities Scheme on behalf of Creative New Zealand and Nelson City Council.
Please note that there is a separate scheme for projects planned to take place in the Tasman region - follow this link for details…
Important News for 2026/2027
Project Underwriting / Guarantee Against Loss [GAL].
Creative NZ has granted permission for the Nelson City Creative Communities Scheme to pilot the offering of underwriting projects during the 2026/2027 financial year. Normal funding criteria applies to all applications.
Grants will continue to be awarded to most project applications as normal.
A GAL is intended to provide confidence for project providers to progress initiatives even where there is a potential risk of not meeting the required income and possibly facing a loss which they are unable to afford.
As of the July 2026 funding round, Grant Assessors may offer a GAL to proposed projects they consider may meet required costs through other additionally submitted applications pending advice from external funding bodies and/or projects which appear likely to break even financially or potentially show a profit through ticket sales or other income fees / contributions.
GAL’s will be capped to a set amount at Assessor’s discretion.
In certain instances where funds are required up-front to progress the project, Assessors may offer financial assistance by means of both a partial grant and a GAL.
How does this work.
Applicants complete and submit an application using the same form as for grants. Assessor’s decisions will be based on the same funding criteria as all CCS allocations and their decision whether to offer a grant or GAL (or possibly both) is full and final.
If this offer is accepted by the applicant, the project would go ahead and the applicant would provide the CCS Administrator with a report on the project’s completion, including a detailed financial result. Should a loss of any size (up to the capped amount) be incurred this would then be paid to the applicant from CCS funds.
Where a project breaks even or makes a profit the GAL would be nullified and the unutilized funds would return to the funding pool for the following round.
The CCS administrator shall provide applicants written advice explaining the rationale for the offer of a GAL in lieu of a grant where appropriate.
Do not hesitate to contact Lloyd Harwood the Nelson City CCS Administrator if you have any questions regarding GAL’s, making an application or any other aspect of the scheme.
How to Apply
Closing Dates for Applications:
11th of March – for projects taking place between mid-April & mid-August.
10th July – for projects taking place between mid-August & mid-December.
11th November – for projects taking place between mid-December & mid-April.
Funding decisions are usually confirmed within five weeks from closing dates.
Grant Allocations for the July 2025/June 2026 Financial Year:
Nelson Community Potters -Tamariki Pottery Workshop $720.00. Nelson Symphony Orchestra - Solo Spotlight $750.00. Arts Council Nelson & Makeshift/Spaces - My Dream Car Children’s Mural Project $1,500.00. Health Action Trust - Step Towards Each Other Public Installation Project $1,173.80. Vicki Smith - Port Views Project $1,500.00. Community Art Works - Te Pouakai Tehoko Haast Eagle Puppet Project $2,000.00 . Wakatu Dance Theatre Trust - Shake, Rattle and Remix show $1,800.00. Isel Market Collective – Live Music Programme $1,000.00. Nikkie Karki - Nelson Theatresports Competition $1,000.00. Chroma Chamber Choir - Voice Production Workshops $800.00. Loren Griffin – Children’s Art Club $1,000.00. Dafni Anastasiadi – Tarante Dance street performance $1,200.00. Nelson Camera Club - Lest We Forget Portrait Project $492.09. Akiko Miyamoto - Forbidden Love: The Tale of Oshichi Puppet Show $1,500.00. Birgit Moffatt - Gather and Create at Project 100 $800.00. Cultural Conversations - Where Conversations speak and music flows $1,800.00. Nikkie Karki - Escape Goat Show $1,000.00. Sonja Walker - Drop in and Draw Figure Drawing Classes $277.50. Theatre Royal Nelson - PechaKucha Production $600.00. Alice Connolly – BOX Theatre Show $1,000.00. Ana Lorite & Sergio Aguilar - “The Bell” play + Artists’ Talk $1,000.00. Sarah Carruthers - Nga Ara Auaha/Creative Pathways $1,500.00. Pasifika Arts and Culture Collective – Traditional Drum Making workshops $1,000.00. Maryam Zadeh - Crisps Lane Theatre Show $1,500.00. Tarante Dance Group - Traditional dances with live musicians at Nelson Multicultural Festival $1,000.00. Trish Sullivan - The Circus of Lord Azure the Miraculous (CLAM) Play $723.00. Vicki Smith - Weaving story with the land $1,486.00. Debbie Brooks - My Name is not Mum Play $1,000.00. Heidi Lucas – Community Crochet Stage Set for Te Ramaroa $950.00. Becky Siame - The Shape of Belonging $800.00 Whakatu Pride Proud to be Gay Exhibition $2,000.00. Nga Aho -Nga Aho Rau $1,500.00. Anne Harrhy - Publc Singing Workshop $600.00. Arts Council Nelson - Utility Cabinet Mural Project $600.00. Keri-Mei Zagrobelna- He Rongoa kei te toi $1,000.00. Michaela Blackman – Family Workshops for Te Ramaroa Festival installation $1,130.00. Aniqua Stevenson - Textile ResQ Project $1,200.00. Arts Council Nelson - Bridging the Gap Bridge St Fence Project $600.00. Magenta Creative Space- Printmaking Workshops $1,500.00. NT Kindergarten Assoc - Nga Whetu Piata $2,000.00.