Media release

1 July 2015

Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust funding round now open

Members of the public are invited to apply to the current funding round of the Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust before applications close on 30 September 2015.

The Trust is also seeking expressions of interest from experienced writers and researchers to produce histories of New Zealand’s commodity merchants and churches.

The Trust chairman, Mr Peter Chin, urges people to spread the word about these projects and to encourage writers, researchers, historians and film-makers to submit expressions of interest for them. “These groups are an important part of New Zealand’s social history, which needs to be documented for future generations,” says Mr Chin.

The Trust distributes up to $150,000 in grants to organisations and individuals through two funding rounds each year. It funds activities that promote the preservation of Chinese New Zealand history and awareness of the contributions of early Chinese settlers, and which provide tangible support for Chinese New Zealanders’ history, language and culture.

Recent funding from the Trust will support the New Zealand Bai Ling Classical Orchestra, which will perform a multicultural music concert to celebrate traditional and classical Chinese music, commemorating the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival.

Funding from the Trust will also assist several New Zealand-born Chinese artists to display their print-based exhibition ‘Gold Mountain Takeaways’ at an international print conference in Hangzhou, China.

To obtain an application form for funding, or to learn more about the Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust and the Chinese Commodity Merchants and Chinese Churches projects, please visit the Community Matters’ website: www.communitymatters.govt.nz or phone 0800 824 824.

ENDS

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