Louis Houlbrooke
taxpayers.org.nz
So far, thirty two projects have received $6.2 million from the fund. The questionable taxpayer funded projects include:
• $585,000 to develop a te Reo Maori virtual reality game.
• $20,000 on “a digital storytelling platform using the vaka as medium for navigating and exploring Tokelauan heritage”
• $2,110,000 for live music venues to increase diversity.
• $290,000 to “an online game for rangatahi that imagines a Maori future”.
• $500,000 on a tool to give readers book recommendations that reflect gender diversity.
• $328,405 to develop a Pokemon Go-style augmented reality game based on Te Ao Maori.
• $1,323,000 on two productions of Maori performing arts.
It is hard to see how a Maori ripoff of Pokemon Go could be considered a COVID-19 response. Especially when our health system is currently crying out for more nurses and ICU beds.
We’ve criticised arts grants in the past, but these particular handouts are even more shocking for their sheer size. $1.3 million for two performance art productions does not represent good value for taxpayer money. In fact, that’s more tax than an average worker would pay in their lifetime. It would be far fairer to split this money between all artists as a tax credit – or just return it to the taxpayer for that matter.
The most incredible thing is that so far barely a tenth of the total fund has been allocated. If these are the projects first off the rank, that doesn’t bode well for the remaining rounds of handouts.
This funding is an absolute lottery. We understand that even many artists are questioning handouts made under this fund based on the incredible size of certain grants, and the lack of apparent logic behind the selection of recipients.
Below is a longer list of project descriptions from successful grant applicants.
Atuatanga
To develop ‘Atuatanga’, an interactive virtual reality gaming experience that will use te Reo Maori and matauranga Maori to engage players through challenges as they navigate through an ancient world restoring the taiao for future generations.
Awarded: $585,000
Narrative Muse
To support the development of Narrative Muse, a digital platform to help? Aotearoa audiences access books, movies and television content that reflects intersectionality and gender diversity.
Awarded: $500,000
Zealanesia
To scope the development and prototyping of a digital storytelling platform using the vaka as medium for navigating and exploring Tokelauan heritage. This will enable and improve Tokelauan and Pasifika access and participation in art, culture and heritage.
Awarded: $20,000
TPW – Maori Pokemon
To develop creative assets for an augmented reality app called Purakau. The app embeds Te Ao Maori content into the environment around us using mixed reality technology. The project is delivered via smart phone devices to enable accessibility to a wide audience.
Awarded: $328,405
Taki Rua Productions
The development and delivery of two immersive live productions of large-scale contemporary Maori performing arts pieces. By presenting matauranga Maori within contemporary performances the project will increase access and participation to both matauranga and contemporary performance art.
Awarded: $1,323,000
QWB Lab
To design a suite of tools that helps arts and culture organisations to measure, understand, increase and articulate their wellbeing impact in order to unlock the value of culture and their assets. The development of these tools is aimed at increasing the capacity to generate wellbeing for communities, helping improve access and participation.
Awarded: $150,000
Public Art Heritage Aotearoa NZ
To develop a website of Aotearoa’s remaining twentieth century public art heritage, which will enable New Zealanders to access and build awareness of our public art heritage. Funding will also support the development of a national public art forum to develop best-practice guidance and resources for those involved in public art.
Awarded: $300,000
NZ Festival
To develop a new values-driven ticketing platform, empowering audiences to choose their own ticket price, thereby increasing access and participation in the cultural sector.
Awarded: $200,000
Metia Interactive
To develop Guardian Maia, an online game for rangatahi that imagines a Maori future and uses culturally inclusive creative technology to explore matauranga Maori traditions and new cultural concepts.
Awarded $290,000
Aotearoa Live Music Recovery Project
To support small to medium sized live music venues with artist and audience development that increases diversity. The project will increase access and participation in live music.
Awarded: $2,110,000
DOTDOT
To develop a platform to enable artists, arts venues, arts organisations and cultural institutions to create their own hybrid and virtual events, allowing them to reach new audiences and drive new revenue streams for their work.
Awarded: $206,965
Joel Baxendale and Karin McCracken – In World
To develop a flexible and dynamic creative tool that will enable multiple sectors to apply app-technology in an interactive context, thereby creating new opportunities for the arts sector and enabling access and participation.
Awarded: $227,605
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