Creative New Zealand
Funding up to $25,000 for NZ artists, practitioners and organisations to participate in international engagement opportunities.
The International Engagement Fund supports New Zealand artists, practitioners, and arts organisations to take part in international opportunities that benefit NZ arts and cannot be funded through any other Creative New Zealand fund or initiative.
You can apply for up to $25,000 towards costs including international travel and freight, marketing and promotion, and travel, accommodation and hosting for international presenters to view New Zealand work offshore.
The fund runs in two rounds for 2026/27
Applications for over $5,000 must include a confirmed contribution from other parties (including payment for the artists involved) and a formal offer or invitation to the international opportunity.
Who can apply:
Applicants must have received a confirmed offer or invitation to participate in an international opportunity (for amounts over $5,000), and must have a current international strategy and be internationally ready.
How to apply:
The process is two-stage. First, submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) outlining the opportunity and why it matters now (up to 2,000 words). If you meet the criteria, Creative New Zealand staff will invite you to submit a full application with supporting details, budget, and relevant strategic documents.
You can use AI tools to help draft and refine your application — Creative New Zealand has guidance on using AI responsibly, including considerations around intellectual property, data privacy, and cultural sensitivity particularly for Ngā Toi Māori and Pacific arts.
Assessment criteria:
For questions or support completing your application, contact the funding team at funding@creativenz.govt.nz or call 0800 CREATIVE (273 284).
