Arts focus to grants funding

There is a strong arts focus to this year's funding of the local community through North Shore City Council's contract grants and city-wide discretionary grants programme.

The annual grants help a wide range of community organisations to make North Shore city a more active, creative and caring place to live, says chairperson of the council's community services and parks committee, Margaret Miles.

More than $1.3 million is being put back into the community this year.

"We have a rich and diverse arts community which caters for all tastes and levels of involvement, and our funding will help to further develop this hard-working network," says Councillor Miles.

Operational grants help fund the city's six arts facilities, as well as its community co-ordinators, 11 community houses and centres, four citizens advice bureaux, Shore Arts Forum, Sport North Harbour and Age Concern.

Funding also goes to support special events such as the "look and learn", workshop-based Shore Arts Festival which will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in Winter 2003, and the CMA games where local CMA clubs compete at a fun annual event.

"The grants programme benefits young and old alike, providing support and advice to meet residents' wide range of needs and interests," says Councillor Miles.

Funding of $12,000 has been set aside for Council's secondary school scholarships and $20,000 is allocated for youth initiatives which will support such projects as: a National Children's Day concert, a school bands competition, leadership training for the 2003 Youth Council, and a semi-mobile skate park being developed for regular events to be held at Windsor Park.

"These projects not only provide opportunities for our young people to participate in and enjoy their youth culture - but also to develop skills to take charge of future projects themselves," says Councillor Miles.

Other grants recipients include the Migrant Centre North Shore, an information service to help new immigrants that has a focus on employment; and the Takapuna rugby club, where the funding will help provide spectator seating at Onewa Domain.

Discretionary grants of up to $5,000 are made available through the community boards, which are currently meeting to assess applications from the 2002/03 funding round.

Residents wishing to know more about the council grants process and how they can apply should contact community advisor, Pam Baillie, through the council's Actionline on 486 8600.

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