MEDIA RELEASE
14 September 2016

Major events to benefit from funding boost

Eleven of the region’s top attractions and events will benefit from new funding after the latest meeting of the Wellington Regional Amenities Fund (WRAF).

Members of the WRAF, consisting of mayors of participating councils Wellington City, Hutt City, Upper Hutt City, Porirua City and Kapiti Coast, decided at yesterday’s meeting to award funding to 11 of the region’s significant organisations and events.
There was just over $1 million available for distribution in the fifth year of the fund’s existence.

Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown, who chairs the WRAF, said this year’s projects promised good returns to the region and strongly aligned to the more focused funding criteria developed after a comprehensive review of the fund’s economic and social benefits.

“The fund has supported some of the region’s most significant cultural, arts and environmental events. They help make Wellington a place where people want to live and maintain the region’s reputation as New Zealand’s arts and culture centre.

“The review has shown that these events attract new talent to the region, keep people here, improve people’s quality of life and increase collaboration between organisations,” Mayor Wade-Brown said.

Over the first four years, participating local councils within the Wellington region contributed a total of $4 million to the WRAF and 33 grants ranging in value from $15,000 to $345,000 were distributed.

“This year’s successful projects include CubaDupa, LUX and the Kia Mau Festival - events which will have a big impact on our region. They are highly visible, distinctively Wellington events that will create buzz in the region and generate opportunities for people to get involved,” Mayor Wade-Brown said.

Other activities supported include Orchestra Wellington’s community and education outreach programme and Nature Connections – a programme connecting 10 nature attractions (eco-assets) across the region, providing support for education and initiatives that encourage people to enjoy our region.

Kapiti Mayor Ross Church, deputy chair of WRAF, said: “The WRAF members are confident the events being funded will add huge value to arts and culture in the region.”

The full list of organisations the WRAF Joint Committee will support are:
• Creative Capital Arts Trust: $100,000 for CubaDupa
• Expressions: $40,000 for Catwalk to Cover Exhibition
• Te Papa: $100,000 toward Matariki Festival
• NZ Festival: $100,000 toward Waka Awaken – 2018 opening ceremony
• Tawata Productions: $95,000 toward Kia Mau Festival 2017
• The Whiteboard Ltd: $100,000 toward Open House 2017
• Toi Maori: $100,000 toward Toi Maori Art Market 2016
• Wellington Lux Festival: $150,000 toward LUX Festival 2017
• Wellington Museums Trust: $100,000 toward Capital E Children’s Festival and Wellington regional tour 2017
• Wellington Regional Orchestra: $100,000 toward Orchestra Wellington 2017 community outreach
• Wellington Zoo Trust: $70,000 toward Nature Connections 2017.

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