What Is Creative New Zealand's 15-Year Strategy, Tū Mai Rā?

Updated

Creative New Zealand has launched a 15-year strategy called Tū Mai Rā: A Future Shaped Together, aimed at strengthening the arts and ngā toi Māori. The strategy is framed around the organisation's stated case that it needs to "do things differently" — meaning the plan is a long-term direction-setting document rather than a single funding round or programme. It matters most to artists, arts organisations, and anyone who works with Creative New Zealand and wants to understand where the national arts development agency says it is heading over the next decade and a half.

What the strategy is

Tū Mai Rā is described by Creative New Zealand as a 15-year strategy. Two elements are explicit in the organisation's own framing:

  • Time horizon: 15 years, which signals a sustained direction rather than a short-term funding cycle.
  • Scope: strengthening the arts and ngā toi Māori — the strategy explicitly names Māori arts alongside the broader arts sector.

The theme, "A Future Shaped Together," points to a collaborative framing: the strategy is presented as something developed and to be delivered with the sector, not handed down to it.

Why Creative New Zealand says it needs to do things differently

The organisation's own heading — "Looking ahead: Why we need to do things differently" — sets out the rationale for a long-term strategy. In practical terms, this signals that the strategy is intended to change how Creative New Zealand works, not just what it funds. For the sector, the useful reading is that current programmes and processes may evolve over the life of the strategy, so anyone planning multi-year work should treat the strategy as the reference point for that direction.

What it means for the arts sector

Because the strategy is long-term, its practical effect for artists and organisations is likely to show up gradually — through priorities, programme design, and how Creative New Zealand describes its role. Concrete implications to watch for:

  • Ngā toi Māori is named in the strategy's scope, so Māori arts development is a stated focus area.
  • Partnership framing ("Shaped Together") suggests consultation and sector involvement as the strategy is implemented.
  • Existing services continue: funding, advice, and application support remain available through the organisation's current channels while the strategy unfolds.

If you are deciding whether to engage, the strategy itself is the place to start; if you are deciding whether to apply for funding now, the strategy does not replace the existing funding processes.

Where to find it and what to do next

The strategy is published on Creative New Zealand's website (creativenz.govt.nz), where the launch announcement and related pages sit alongside the organisation's funding and support information. To use it:

  1. Read the strategy pages on the site to understand the stated direction and priorities.
  2. Check the funding and support sections for current opportunities, since these remain the operative route for applications.
  3. If you want updates, the site offers a Creative New Zealand newsletter sign-up.

The site does not state pricing for accessing the strategy or its resources; treat any login or service conditions as something to confirm on the page itself rather than assume.