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This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Official Information request 'Joint statement re Shakespeare funding cut'.


 
 
 
23 November 2022 
   
 
Nick Farlow 
By email: [FYI request #20912 email] 
 
 
 
Tēnā koe Nick 
   
 
Official Information Act request re Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand 
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (‘the Act’) request received on Tuesday 18 October 
2022. 
You requested: 
“On 18 October 2022 a joint statement was issued by your CE and your Chair regarding your 
decision to decline funding for a 'schools Shakespeare festival' which has been running for many 
years. 
Please provide all documentation (including emails) relating to the development of this 
statement, including correspondence between the Chair and CE, correspondence and feedback 
from any internal employees or contractors and correspondence with any external parties and 
feedback in relation to any drafts. 
If external parties assisted with this correspondence please advise the cost of that assistance.” 
Background to statement 
The joint statement from Creative New Zealand Chief Executive Stephen Wainwright and Arts Council 
Chair Caren Rangi was developed in response to media and public discourse on Shakespeare Globe 
Centre New Zealand’s (SGCNZ) unsuccessful application for funding under the Toi Uru Kahikatea 
Investment programme. 
The statement was published on our website on 18 October 2022 fol owing the Government’s 
announcement that funding would be provided to SGCNZ through the Ministry of Education: 
https://www.creativenz.govt.nz/News-and-blog/2022/10/18/02/21/49/Creative-New-Zealand-
responds-to-Governments-decision-to-fund-Shakespeare-Globe-Centre-New-Zealand 
Creative New Zealand did not decline funding for the Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival. SGCNZ 
applied to our Toi Uru Kahikatea programme for Creative New Zealand funding from 2023–2025. 
Under its current funding agreement (through to December 2022), SGCNZ receives $31,827 a year. 
The Toi Uru Kahikatea funding programme is contestable. Sixty-two organisations submitted 
proposals to the 2023–2025 round, and fifty-eight were successful. 
 
 
 
Creative New Zealand received many strong applications to the Toi Uru Kahikatea programme; it was 
those with the greatest alignment with our strategic priorities that were successful. Unfortunately for 
SGCNZ, their proposal wasn’t as strong as others and didn’t align strongly with the Kahikatea 
programme requirements, so they were unsuccessful. 
Consideration of Kahikatea programme applications involved a robust decision-making process with 
a series of ‘checks and balances’. This included an external review of applications from external peer 
assessors and consideration by a Strategic Advisory Panel comprising people outside Creative New 
Zealand chosen for their relevant expertise and experience. Final recommendations were made to 
the Arts Council by our Chief Executive, and final decisions were made by the Arts Council. 
We have proactively released our response to an Official Information Act request for the full decision 
document for SGCNZ’s application to the Kahikatea programme. A copy of this document is available 
on our website: https://www.creativenz.govt.nz/-/media/Project/Creative-
NZ/CreativeNZ/PageDocuments/Response-to-request-for-information-provided-to-Shakespeare-
Globe-Centre-New-Zealand.pdf 
Information requested re 18 October statement 
Internal development of statement 
The 18 October 2022 statement was prepared internally by Creative New Zealand staff and approved 
by the Chief Executive and the Chair of the Arts Council. The statement was drafted by the 
Communications team, with input provided by the Co-Manager, Policy & Performance, and Senior 
Manager, Arts Development Services. 
We are withholding the emails exchanged between staff, the Chief Executive and the Arts Council 
Chair to develop drafts of the statement under section 9(2)(g)(i) to maintain the effective conduct of 
public affairs through the free and frank expression of opinions by or between or to Ministers of the 
Crown, or members of an organisation in the course of their duty. 
Media statements are an important way for Creative New Zealand to communicate with the public. 
Releasing these internal exchanges would impact our ability to effectively prepare draft media 
statements in the future. It is important that we can robustly and candidly express initial views and 
thoughts on the preparation of media statements in writing. 
Correspondence with external parties 
No external parties were involved in the development of the statement. 
As an autonomous Crown entity, Creative New Zealand is guided by the ‘no surprises’ principle in our 
relationship with the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage. ‘No surprises’ refers to an expectation 
from the Minister that we inform them about matters of significance in their portfolio in a timely 
manner, particularly where matters may be controversial or the subject of public debate. 
A final copy of the 18 October 2022 media statement was provided to Manatū Taonga Ministry for 
Culture and Heritage and the Office of the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage under ‘no 
surprises’ at 2.15 pm and 2.38 pm respectively, in advance of the statement being published on our 
website at 3.28 pm. A copy was also provided for information to the Office of the Associate Minister 
for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Hon Kiritapu Allan. 
Please find copies of our emails to Manatū Taonga and the Minister’s Office enclosed. 
Please note that ‘no surprises’ is not the same as consultation. We did not receive any feedback or 
input on the 18 October 2022 statement from either Manatū Taonga or the Office of the Minister for 
Arts, Culture and Heritage. 
If you wish to discuss this information request, please get in touch via email to: 
[Creative NZ request email] 
You have the right under section 28(3) of the Act to seek an investigation and review by the 
Ombudsman of this decision. Information about how to make a complaint is available at 
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602. 
 
 
Ngā mihi nui, nā 
 
David Pannett 
 Pou Whakahaere Matua, Rautaki me te Tūhono 
 Senior Manager, Strategy & Engagement 
 
Email between Communications Manager - Creative New Zealand, and Senior Adviser, Communications and Engagement 
- Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage
From:
Lucy Jackson
To:
Jasmyne Chung
Cc:
s9(2)(a)
Subject:
RE: Announcement this afternoon - comms material to inform reactive lines
Date:
Tuesday, 18 October 2022 2:21:39 pm
Attachments:
image001.png
image002.png
image003.png
image004.png
Thanks Jas for sending that through.  Out of scope
Thanks
Lucy
From: Jasmyne Chung < 
s9(2)(a) 
> 
Sent: Tuesday, 18 October 2022 2:15 pm
To: Lucy Jackson  
s9(2)(a)
Cc: >
Subject: RE: Announcement this afternoon - comms material to inform reactive lines
Kia ora Lucy
Out of scope 
Headsup – here’s our statement as it stands. Putting final touches on it but Stephen and Caren
are happy with it. Timing of release TBC, but we’re trying to get it out soon. I’m going to get in
touch with Kieran shortly as well as I had promised him I’d keep him posted.
Vinaka,
J
Creative New Zealand responds to Government’s decision to fund
Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand 
under the Official Information Act 1982
A joint statement from Creative New Zealand Chief Executive Stephen Wainwright and Arts
Council Chair Caren Rangi: 
We’re pleased to hear that the Ministry of Education (MoE) has agreed to work with
Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand (SGCNZ) to find the funding that SGCNZ originally
sought from Creative New Zealand.  
Released 
The Government has recognised that the MoE is better placed to provide this funding. 
This highlights the positive impact that additional government investment can have on the arts. 
While it’s great that a solution has been found for this one organisation, questions remain about
other arts organisations and individual artists who find it difficult to mobilise or who don’t have
the international pulling power to draw attention to their funding needs. 
It also unfortunately doesn’t change the reality for Creative New Zealand that we’re still facing
an unprecedented deluge and there are big issues around the sustainability of arts funding in
Aotearoa.  
This is a great outcome for SGCNZ, but we’ve found some of the rhetoric over the last few weeks
alarming, misleading and racist. We would like to take this opportunity to address and clear up
some of these things. For those who have contacted us with questions over the past couple of
days we offer this statement in response.  
Creative New Zealand does not hate Shakespeare. We support Shakespeare productions and
we support Shakespeare being in schools. We simply can't meet the demand for our funding,
and hard decisions need to be made. 
Here are the facts: 
Sixty-two organisations submitted proposals to our Kahikatea programme for funding from 2023
to 2025. Fifty-eight proposals were successful. We have a limited amount of money to invest,
and we had to make some tough decisions. Unfortunately for Shakespeare Globe Company New
Zealand (SGCNZ), their proposal wasn’t as strong as others and didn’t align with the Kahikatea
programme requirements, and so they missed out this time around. Under their current contract
(through to December 2022), they receive $31,827 a year. SGCNZ have guaranteed (transitional)
funding from us until June next year and had been told about other Creative New Zealand
funding options available to them.  
Let’s break that down:  
The Toi Uru Kahikatea investment programme that SGCNZ applied to is contestable funding – in
other words, applicants compete for funding because there’s only so much money to go around.
It lasts for three years and at the end of that time, organisations in the programme need to
reapply.  
SGCNZ is part of a lineage of exceptional artwork and no one disputes that they do good work or
make an important contribution. However, because an organisation has been funded for many
under the Official Information Act 1982
years, does not mean they are entitled to continued funding without going through due process.
As a Crown entity we need to run fair, transparent processes.  
Creative New Zealand has not “cancelled Shakespeare in schools” nor did we “defund” SGCNZ.
Their bid for Creative New Zealand funding towards organisational support was unsuccessful
within a group of other stronger proposals that were more closely aligned with our strategic and
funding priorities.   
Released 
Let’s talk about how we make funding decisions:  
It’s our privilege to support the creation and presentation of New Zealand art across multiple
artforms as part of our core role. However, we don’t have the money to fund everyone. This
means that many talented artists, groups and organisations often miss out. Now especially,
we’re under enormous, unprecedented pressure with more organisations and individuals
requesting funding, and less money to give out.  
We make funding decisions with input from the sector. That means we contract artists and arts
practitioners outside of Creative New Zealand to evaluate applications and make
recommendations. We use the terms ‘external peer assessors’ and ‘assessment panels’. We do a
series of checks and balances ourselves before our Chief Executive or the Arts Council make final
decisions. For this particular process, the Arts Council received advice from arts practitioners,
input from our staff, and recommendations from the Chief Executive, before deliberating on the
issues and opportunities and reaching final decisions. 
We ask the arts practitioners who provide assessment on proposals to be constructive in their
feedback, but we do need them to be able to comment on an application freely and honestly.
Many people have taken exception with some of the comments made about SGCNZ’s proposal.
These comments have been taken out of context; they were a small component of a thorough
decision-making process. 
We also want to address racially-charged rhetoric.  
It’s always a good thing when arts news inspires open conversation, robust debate, and new
ideas. Not everyone will agree, and that’s a part of a healthy democracy – of which the arts play
a crucial role.  
However, we’re appalled that some of the criticism has become about race. Much of this
commentary has been cruel and hurtful to Māori and Pasifika artists whose funding proposals
were successful. We challenge the narrative that our decision was driven by reverse racism and
that we are the “cultural Taliban”. Creative New Zealand’s mandate is to fund New Zealand
made work within the limited resources we have. 
We also take exception to Creative New Zealand’s frontline staff being targeted with hate mail –
they don’t make funding decisions. As a Crown entity, we welcome feedback on our decisions,
and these can be directed to us: [email address] and [email address]. 
under the Official Information Act 1982
Out of scope
Released 
Out of scope
under the Official Information Act 1982
Released 
Out of scope
under the Official Information Act 1982
Released 
Out of scope
1982
Act 
Information 
Official 
the 
under 
Released 




Email to Manager, Sector Performance and Principal Adviser, Sector Performance - Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture & Heritage
From:
Elizabeth Beale
To:
Daiman Smith; Doris Kaua
Cc:
s9(2)(a)
Subject:
FW: FYI - CNZ media statement - going out by 3pm today
Date:
Tuesday, 18 October 2022 2:41:00 pm
Attachments:
image001.png
image002.png
image003.png
image004.png
Importance:
High
Fyi – any queries, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Ngā mihi
Elizabeth Beale
Co-Manager, Policy and Performance | Pou Whakahaere Kaupapa Here, Whakatakoto Mahere, Pūrongo hoki
Creative New Zealand | Toi Aotearoa
Mobile: 
 | DDI: 
 | Main line:
s9(2)(a)
E: 
| W: creativenz.govt.nz
Level 2, 2-12 Allen Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011, New Zealand
PO Box 3806, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
From: Jasmyne Chung  s9(2)(a)
Sent: Tuesday, 18 October 2022 2:38 PM
To: Kieran Meredith 
s9(2)(a)
; Rachel Fox 
Cc: 
 Elizabeth Beale
; Lucy Jackson 
Subject: FYI - CNZ media statement - going out by 3pm today
Kia ora Kieran and Rachel
As discussed with Kieran on the phone just now, please find below the joint media statement
under the Official Information Act 1982
from Caren Rangi and Stephen Wainwright.
We’ll be going out with this by 3pm today. I’ve also sent this to Lucy at MCH and am currently
feeding into some back pockets they’ve prepared.
Vinaka,
J
Released 
CREATIVE NEW ZEALAND MEDIA STATEMENT
Creative New Zealand responds to Government’s decision to fund
Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand 
A joint statement from Creative New Zealand Chief Executive Stephen Wainwright and Arts
Council Chair Caren Rangi: 
We’re pleased to hear that the Ministry of Education (MoE) has agreed to work with
Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand (SGCNZ) to find the funding that SGCNZ originally
sought from Creative New Zealand.  
The Government has recognised that the MoE is better placed to provide this funding. 
This highlights the positive impact that additional government investment can have on the
arts. 
While it’s great that a solution has been found for this one organisation, questions remain
about other arts organisations and individual artists who find it difficult to mobilise or who
don’t have the international pulling power to draw attention to their funding needs. 
It also unfortunately doesn’t change the reality for Creative New Zealand that we’re still
facing an unprecedented deluge and there are big issues around the sustainability of arts
funding in Aotearoa.  
This is a great outcome for SGCNZ, but we’ve found some of the rhetoric over the last few
weeks alarming, misleading and racist. We would like to take this opportunity to address
and clear up some of these things. For those who have contacted us with questions over
the past couple of days we offer this statement in response.  
Creative New Zealand does not hate Shakespeare. We support Shakespeare
productions and we support Shakespeare being in schools. We simply can't meet the
demand for our funding, and hard decisions need to be made. 
under the Official Information Act 1982
Here are the facts: 
Sixty-two organisations submitted proposals to our Kahikatea programme for funding from
2023 to 2025. Fifty-eight proposals were successful. We have a limited amount of money
to invest, and we had to make some tough decisions. Unfortunately for Shakespeare Globe
Company New Zealand (SGCNZ), their proposal wasn’t as strong as others and didn’t align
with the Kahikatea programme requirements, and so they missed out this time around.
Released 
Under their current contract (through to December 2022), they receive $31,827 a year.
SGCNZ have guaranteed (transitional) funding from us until June next year and had been
told about other Creative New Zealand funding options available to them.  
Let’s break that down:  
The Toi Uru Kahikatea investment programme that SGCNZ applied to is contestable
funding – in other words, applicants compete for funding because there’s only so much
money to go around. It lasts for three years and at the end of that time, organisations in
the programme need to reapply.  
SGCNZ is part of a lineage of exceptional artwork and no one disputes that they do good
work or make an important contribution. However, because an organisation has been
funded for many years, does not mean they are entitled to continued funding without
going through due process. As a Crown entity we need to run fair, transparent processes.  
Creative New Zealand has not “cancelled Shakespeare in schools” nor did we “defund”
SGCNZ. Their bid for Creative New Zealand funding towards organisational support was
unsuccessful within a group of other stronger proposals that were more closely aligned
with our strategic and funding priorities.   
Let’s talk about how we make funding decisions:  
It’s our privilege to support the creation and presentation of New Zealand art across
multiple artforms as part of our core role. However, we don’t have the money to fund
everyone. This means that many talented artists, groups and organisations often miss
out. Now especially, we’re under enormous, unprecedented pressure with more
organisations and individuals requesting funding, and less money to give out.  
We make funding decisions with input from the sector. That means we contract artists and
arts practitioners outside of Creative New Zealand to evaluate applications and make
recommendations. We use the terms ‘external peer assessors’ and ‘assessment panels’.
We do a series of checks and balances ourselves before our Chief Executive or the Arts
Council make final decisions. For this particular process, the Arts Council received advice
from arts practitioners, input from our staff, and recommendations from the Chief
Executive, before deliberating on the issues and opportunities and reaching final
decisions.  under the Official Information Act 1982
We ask the arts practitioners who provide assessment on proposals to be constructive in
their feedback, but we do need them to be able to comment on an application freely and
honestly. Many people have taken exception with some of the comments made about
SGCNZ’s proposal. These comments have been taken out of context; they were a small
component of a thorough decision-making process.   
We also want to address racially-charged rhetoric.
Released 
  
It’s always a good thing when arts news inspires open conversation, robust debate, and
new ideas. Not everyone will agree, and that’s a part of a healthy democracy – of which
the arts play a crucial role.  
However, we’re appalled that some of the criticism has become about race. Much of this
commentary has been cruel and hurtful to Māori and Pasifika artists whose funding
proposals were successful. We challenge the narrative that our decision was driven by
reverse racism and that we are the “cultural Taliban”. Creative New Zealand’s mandate is
to fund New Zealand made work within the limited resources we have. 
We also take exception to Creative New Zealand’s frontline staff being targeted with hate
mail – they don’t make funding decisions. As a Crown entity, we welcome feedback on our
decisions, and these can be directed to us: [email address] and
[email address]. 
under the Official Information Act 1982
Released 
Email to Private Secretary - Arts, Culture and Heritage, Office of Hon Carmel Sepuloni, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage 
From:
Rachel Fox
To:
Jasmyne Chung; Kieran Meredith
Cc:
s9(2)(a)  ; Elizabeth Beale;  s9(2)(a)
; Lucy Jackson
Subject:
RE: FYI - CNZ media statement - going out by 3pm today
Date:
Tuesday, 18 October 2022 2:45:43 pm
Many thanks Jasmyne.
Sent with BlackBerry Work
(www.blackberry.com)
From: Jasmyne Chung <
s9(2)(a)
Date: Tuesday, 18 Oct 2022, 14:38
To: Kieran Meredith <
>, Rachel Fox
<
>
s9(2)(a)
Cc: 
 <
>, Elizabeth Beale
<
>, 
 <
s9(2)(a)
>,
Lucy Jackson <
>
Subject: FYI - CNZ media statement - going out by 3pm today
Kia ora Kieran and Rachel
As discussed with Kieran on the phone just now, please find below the joint media statement
from Caren Rangi and Stephen Wainwright.
We’ll be going out with this by 3pm today. I’ve also sent this to Lucy at MCH 
s9(2)(g)(i)
Vinaka,
J
CREATIVE NEW ZEALAND MEDIA STATEMENT
Creative New Zealand responds to Government’s decision to fund
under the Official Information Act 1982
Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand 
A joint statement from Creative New Zealand Chief Executive Stephen Wainwright and Arts
Council Chair Caren Rangi: 
We’re pleased to hear that the Ministry of Education (MoE) has agreed to work with
Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand (SGCNZ) to find the funding that SGCNZ originally
Released 
sought from Creative New Zealand.  
The Government has recognised that the MoE is better placed to provide this funding. 
This highlights the positive impact that additional government investment can have on the
arts. 
While it’s great that a solution has been found for this one organisation, questions remain
about other arts organisations and individual artists who find it difficult to mobilise or who
don’t have the international pulling power to draw attention to their funding needs. 
It also unfortunately doesn’t change the reality for Creative New Zealand that we’re still
facing an unprecedented deluge and there are big issues around the sustainability of arts
funding in Aotearoa.  
This is a great outcome for SGCNZ, but we’ve found some of the rhetoric over the last few
weeks alarming, misleading and racist. We would like to take this opportunity to address
and clear up some of these things. For those who have contacted us with questions over
the past couple of days we offer this statement in response.  
Creative New Zealand does not hate Shakespeare. We support Shakespeare
productions and we support Shakespeare being in schools. We simply can't meet the
demand for our funding, and hard decisions need to be made. 
Here are the facts: 
Sixty-two organisations submitted proposals to our Kahikatea programme for funding from
2023 to 2025. Fifty-eight proposals were successful. We have a limited amount of money
to invest, and we had to make some tough decisions. Unfortunately for Shakespeare Globe
Company New Zealand (SGCNZ), their proposal wasn’t as strong as others and didn’t align
with the Kahikatea programme requirements, and so they missed out this time around.
Under their current contract (through to December 2022), they receive $31,827 a year.
SGCNZ have guaranteed (transitional) funding from us until June next year and had been
told about other Creative New Zealand funding options available to them.  
Let’s break that down:  
The Toi Uru Kahikatea investment programme that SGCNZ applied to is contestable
under the Official Information Act 1982
funding – in other words, applicants compete for funding because there’s only so much
money to go around. It lasts for three years and at the end of that time, organisations in
the programme need to reapply.  
SGCNZ is part of a lineage of exceptional artwork and no one disputes that they do good
work or make an important contribution. However, because an organisation has been
funded for many years, does not mean they are entitled to continued funding without
Released 
going through due process. As a Crown entity we need to run fair, transparent processes.  
Creative New Zealand has not “cancelled Shakespeare in schools” nor did we “defund”
SGCNZ. Their bid for Creative New Zealand funding towards organisational support was
unsuccessful within a group of other stronger proposals that were more closely aligned
with our strategic and funding priorities.   
Let’s talk about how we make funding decisions:  
It’s our privilege to support the creation and presentation of New Zealand art across
multiple artforms as part of our core role. However, we don’t have the money to fund
everyone. This means that many talented artists, groups and organisations often miss
out. Now especially, we’re under enormous, unprecedented pressure with more
organisations and individuals requesting funding, and less money to give out.  
1982
We make funding decisions with input from the sector. That means we contract artists and
arts practitioners outside of Creative New Zealand to evaluate applications and makeAct 
recommendations. We use the terms ‘external peer assessors’ and ‘assessment panels’.
We do a series of checks and balances ourselves before our Chief Executive or the Arts
Council make final decisions. For this particular process, the Arts Council received advice
from arts practitioners, input from our staff, and recommendations from the Chief
Executive, before deliberating on the issues and opportunities and reaching final
decisions. 
We ask the arts practitioners who provide assessment on proposals to be constructive in
Information 
their feedback, but we do need them to be able to comment on an application freely and
honestly. Many people have taken exception with some of the comments made about
SGCNZ’s proposal. These comments have been taken out of context; they were a small
component of a thorough decision-making process.   
We also want to address racially-charged rhetoric.  
Official 
It’s always a good thing when arts news inspires open conversation, robust debate, and
the 
new ideas. Not everyone will agree, and that’s a part of a healthy democracy – of which
the arts play a crucial role.  
However, we’re appalled that some of the criticism has become about race. Much of this
commentary has been cruel and hurtful to Māori and Pasifika artists whose funding
under 
proposals were successful. We challenge the narrative that our decision was driven by
reverse racism and that we are the “cultural Taliban”. Creative New Zealand’s mandate is
to fund New Zealand made work within the limited resources we have. 
We also take exception to Creative New Zealand’s frontline staff being targeted with hate
mail – they don’t make funding decisions. As a Crown entity, we welcome feedback on our
decisions, and these can be directed to us: [email address] and
Released 
[email address]. 




Email to Private Secretary - Arts, Culture and Heritage, Office of Hon Kiritapu Allan, Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage 
From:
Elizabeth Beale
To:
Sarah Tebbs - Ministry for Culture and Heritage 
s9(2)(a)
Subject:
FW: FYI - CNZ media statement - going out by 3pm today
Date:
Tuesday, 18 October 2022 2:43:00 pm
Attachments:
image001.png
image002.png
image003.png
image004.png
Fyi – let’s catch up soon.
Ngā mihi
1982
Elizabeth Beale
Co-Manager, Policy and Performance | Pou Whakahaere Kaupapa Here, Whakatakoto Mahere, Pūrongo hoki
Act 
Creative New Zealand | Toi Aotearoa
Mobile: 
 | DDI:
 | Main line: 
s9(2)(a)
E:
 | W: creativenz.govt.nz
Level 2, 2-12 Allen Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011, New Zealand
PO Box 3806, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
From:
Information 
 Jasmyne Chung 
Sent: Tuesday, 18 October 2022 2:38 PM
To: Kieran Meredith 
s9(2)(a)
 Rachel Fox 
Cc: 
 Elizabeth Beale
s9(2)(a)
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; 
 Lucy Jackson 
Subject: FYI - CNZ media statement - going out by 3pm today
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Kia ora Kieran and Rachel
As discussed with Kieran on the phone just now, please find below the joint media statement
from Caren Rangi and Stephen Wainwright.
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We’ll be going out with this by 3pm today. I’ve also sent this to Lucy at MCH and am currently
feeding into some back pockets they’ve prepared.
Vinaka,
J
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CREATIVE NEW ZEALAND MEDIA STATEMENT
Creative New Zealand responds to Government’s decision to fund
Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand 
A joint statement from Creative New Zealand Chief Executive Stephen Wainwright and Arts
Council Chair Caren Rangi: 
We’re pleased to hear that the Ministry of Education (MoE) has agreed to work with
Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand (SGCNZ) to find the funding that SGCNZ originally
sought from Creative New Zealand.  
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The Government has recognised that the MoE is better placed to provide this funding. 
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This highlights the positive impact that additional government investment can have on the
arts. 
While it’s great that a solution has been found for this one organisation, questions remain
about other arts organisations and individual artists who find it difficult to mobilise or who
don’t have the international pulling power to draw attention to their funding needs. 
It also unfortunately doesn’t change the reality for Creative New Zealand that we’re still
facing an unprecedented deluge and there are big issues around the sustainability of arts
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funding in Aotearoa.  
This is a great outcome for SGCNZ, but we’ve found some of the rhetoric over the last few
weeks alarming, misleading and racist. We would like to take this opportunity to address
and clear up some of these things. For those who have contacted us with questions over
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the past couple of days we offer this statement in response.  
Creative New Zealand does not hate Shakespeare. We support Shakespeare
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productions and we support Shakespeare being in schools. We simply can't meet the
demand for our funding, and hard decisions need to be made. 
Here are the facts: 
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Sixty-two organisations submitted proposals to our Kahikatea programme for funding from
2023 to 2025. Fifty-eight proposals were successful. We have a limited amount of money
to invest, and we had to make some tough decisions. Unfortunately for Shakespeare Globe
Company New Zealand (SGCNZ), their proposal wasn’t as strong as others and didn’t align
with the Kahikatea programme requirements, and so they missed out this time around.
Under their current contract (through to December 2022), they receive $31,827 a year.
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SGCNZ have guaranteed (transitional) funding from us until June next year and had been
told about other Creative New Zealand funding options available to them.  
Let’s break that down:  
The Toi Uru Kahikatea investment programme that SGCNZ applied to is contestable
funding – in other words, applicants compete for funding because there’s only so much
money to go around. It lasts for three years and at the end of that time, organisations in
the programme need to reapply.  
SGCNZ is part of a lineage of exceptional artwork and no one disputes that they do good
work or make an important contribution. However, because an organisation has been
funded for many years, does not mean they are entitled to continued funding without
going through due process. As a Crown entity we need to run fair, transparent processes.  
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Creative New Zealand has not “cancelled Shakespeare in schools” nor did we “defund”
SGCNZ. Their bid for Creative New Zealand funding towards organisational support was
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unsuccessful within a group of other stronger proposals that were more closely aligned
with our strategic and funding priorities.   
Let’s talk about how we make funding decisions:  
It’s our privilege to support the creation and presentation of New Zealand art across
multiple artforms as part of our core role. However, we don’t have the money to fund
everyone. This means that many talented artists, groups and organisations often miss
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out. Now especially, we’re under enormous, unprecedented pressure with more
organisations and individuals requesting funding, and less money to give out.  
We make funding decisions with input from the sector. That means we contract artists and
arts practitioners outside of Creative New Zealand to evaluate applications and make
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recommendations. We use the terms ‘external peer assessors’ and ‘assessment panels’.
We do a series of checks and balances ourselves before our Chief Executive or the Arts
Council make final decisions. For this particular process, the Arts Council received advice
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from arts practitioners, input from our staff, and recommendations from the Chief
Executive, before deliberating on the issues and opportunities and reaching final
decisions.  under 
We ask the arts practitioners who provide assessment on proposals to be constructive in
their feedback, but we do need them to be able to comment on an application freely and
honestly. Many people have taken exception with some of the comments made about
SGCNZ’s proposal. These comments have been taken out of context; they were a small
component of a thorough decision-making process.   
We also want to address racially-charged rhetoric.  
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It’s always a good thing when arts news inspires open conversation, robust debate, and
new ideas. Not everyone will agree, and that’s a part of a healthy democracy – of which
the arts play a crucial role.  
However, we’re appalled that some of the criticism has become about race. Much of this
commentary has been cruel and hurtful to Māori and Pasifika artists whose funding
proposals were successful. We challenge the narrative that our decision was driven by
reverse racism and that we are the “cultural Taliban”. Creative New Zealand’s mandate is
to fund New Zealand made work within the limited resources we have. 
We also take exception to Creative New Zealand’s frontline staff being targeted with hate
mail – they don’t make funding decisions. As a Crown entity, we welcome feedback on our
decisions, and these can be directed to us: [email address] and
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[email address]. 
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