Creative Communities Scheme – Tauranga

The Creative Communities Scheme (CCS) is a nationwide funding programme delivered locally by Tauranga City Council in partnership with Creative New Zealand. It supports community arts and culture projects that bring people together, celebrate diverse cultural traditions, and engage young people in creative activity.

'Arts' is broadly defined to include all forms of creative and interpretative expression, so a wide range of projects are welcome to apply.

To be eligible, your project must meet at least one of these three criteria:

• Access and participation – creates opportunities for local communities to engage with and take part in arts activities
• Diversity – supports the diverse arts and cultural traditions of local communities
• Young people – enables and encourages people under 18 to actively participate in the arts

Key things to know before applying:

• Priority is given to projects based in the Tauranga electoral area
• Priority is given to applicants who haven't received CCS funding in the past 12 months
• Only one application per individual or organisation per round is accepted
• Your project must not have started before funding is approved
• Projects must be completed within one year of funding being approved
• Accountability reports are due within two months of the project finishing

For the 2026–2027 financial year, approximately $100,000 NZD has been allocated, split across two rounds. Most grants are in the range of $2,000–$4,000 (plus GST if applicable), and partial funding is possible.

Applications are assessed by a volunteer panel of local arts practitioners and community organisation representatives. Results are released mid-September, with payments following shortly after.

Round 1 (2026): Opens 27 July 2026 | Closes midnight 21 August 2026

Recommended if your project begins after 1 October 2026.

Apply via SmartyGrants. You can save your application as a draft and return to it — no need to complete it all at once. Download the application guide for a worked example before you start.

For advice and guidance, contact the TCC grants team or reach out to Creative Bay of Plenty (CBOP) for independent support on your application.