Creative Communities Scheme – Waitomo District

The Creative Communities Scheme is a Creative New Zealand fund administered locally by Waitomo District Council. It runs two rounds each year — in April and October — with applications open from the first of the month and closing on the first of the following month.

The scheme supports arts and cultural projects that encourage wider community participation. To be eligible, your project must:

• Increase participation in the arts at a local level, or increase the range and diversity of arts available to local communities
• Take place within the Waitomo District (or produce benefits largely experienced within it)
• Not have started before your application is assessed
• Not have already received Creative New Zealand funding for the same purpose

Your application will need to include

• A detailed project proposal and quote for the funding requested
• A project budget and timeframe
• How much funding you're requesting, how much you have secured, and how you'll cover any shortfall
• Details of other funders approached or confirmed
• Financial statements or audited accounts
• A deposit slip

Costs that cannot be funded include administration and operating costs, buildings or redevelopment, debt servicing, and fundraising.

Applications are assessed approximately three weeks after the closing date, and you'll receive notification of the outcome within four weeks of the decision.

If successful, you'll need to complete a project accountability report once your project wraps up, confirming how the funds were used. You'll also be required to acknowledge Creative Communities' contribution publicly.

The next round opens 1 October 2026.