The following lump sums of cash were paid out by Ardern’s government from the Arts Continuity Grant, a COVID-19 response fund which has already paid out $16 million in grants to a variety of short-term arts projects.
637 projects have already received taxpayer funding from this Grant. A selection of the most bizarre and frankly ridiculous Art projects found by the Taxpayer’s Union are listed below.
Eamonn Marra
To research and write the first draft of a novel about male affection in hypermasculine spaces.
AWARDED: $13,000
Fireplace Arts & Media
Towards the composition, recording and production of music inspired by the psychogeography of the West Coast.
AWARDED: $34,900
Julia Gray
To support the personnel costs and post-production editing for an art documentary based on Papua New Guinea tattoo practice and revival.
AWARDED: $27,500
Donovan Bixley
Towards one phase of illustrating a biography of Leonardo da Vinci.
AWARDED: $21,080
Alison Foster, Catherine Cooper
Towards writing a children’s picture book (text only) about sustainable community activist Helen Dew.
AWARDED: $3,200
Glitter Garden
To create and develop an online publication, arts learning resources and musical content based on children’s drag theatre show, The Glitter Garden.
AWARDED: $18,000
Jess Johnson
To create a new series of collaborative quilts with my mother, textile artist Cynthia Johnson.
AWARDED: $17,850
Kate Newby
Towards intensive artistic research and development.
AWARDED: $49,368
Kath Bee
Towards the composition and instrumental arrangement of 10 songs for children, from ideas given by children.
AWARDED: $24,600
Tamara Neilson-Tetzlaf
Towards a live event watch party and livechat with fans online.
AWARDED: $24,153
Tayi Tibble
Towards writing poetry that explores indigeneity and love in the time of climate change.
AWARDED: $17,798
Duncan Sarkies
Towards writing a novel about the collapse of democracy in an association of alpaca breeders.
AWARDED: $26,000
Kimberley Young
Towards a dance concept video showcasing the impact Coronavirus has had on the New Zealand Chinese community.
AWARDED: $24,500
Rosemarie Kirkup
Towards the development of a first draft of a play that explores the menstrual cycle.
AWARDED: $16,766
Nicole Duckworth
To record and livestream a performance from Fat Freddy’s Drop.
AWARDED: $44,007
Khali Philip-Barbara, Te Kahureremoa Taumata
Towards an Indigenised Hypno-soundscape to take you to the imagined worlds of our Korero Purakau.
AWARDED: $49,999
Connor Masseurs
Towards development of a movement technique that guides and empowers the participants in becoming specialists in their own body.
AWARDED: $4,530
Iain Gordon
Towards 3 x hour-long live-streamed electronic music performances with live visual animations, from a kitchen in Paekakariki.
AWARDED: $47,703
Mad Ave
Towards a wananga for Maori healing theatre practitioners.
AWARDED: $50,000
New Zealand Comedy Trust
To examine what changes need to be made to better support a more diverse and sustainable comedy industry in Aotearoa.
AWARDED: $49,780
Benedict Fernandez
Towards composing and recording ten original compositions inspired by emotions felt during the Covid-19 lockdown.
AWARDED: $8,885
Imogen Taylor
Towards development of a new body of work exploring modernism, feminism & queerness, with specific reference to the Otago region.
AWARDED: $30,089
Claire O’Loughlin
Towards revision and editing of a sailing memoir.
AWARDED: $7,200
Jared Kane
Towards a Maori, queer, young adult novel adaptation of Hamlet based on my innovative unproduced screenplay ‘Hamarete’.
AWARDED: $21,000
Pam Vernon said:
Reblogged this on Rangitikei Environmental Health Watch.
waimakone said:
Not that we needed any more evidence that these people are crazy. Or that an agenda is in play. However I am seriously beginning to wonder about the mental health of some of these decision-makers (I’m not a psychiatrist but I’m not sure I need to be at the moment). I’ve linked to this on my minds page. https://www.minds.com/waimak_one/
Norman Sutton said:
Is This information verifiable?
Waikanae watcher said:
click on this link — https://www.creativenz.govt.nz/results-of-our-work/who-got-funded/funding-rounds/arts-continuity-grant-cumulative-totals