SoundOut weekly digest | 12-18 October 2009
SoundOut | A Conversation About Funding: A weekly digest of contributions made to the SoundOut forum between the arts community and ASB Community Trust.
Read a summary of the conversations so far and join SoundOut now to add your big ideas.
The ASB Community Trust has called for comments and examples on the following topics.
Topic One | Funding models and innovative funders
Topic Two | Current issues and challenges
Topic Three | In for the long haul - a future-picture for the arts
TOPIC ONE | Funding models and innovative funders
Funders who built partnerships and understood programmes, ambitions and strategies were among those rated highly. Add yours.
Fast turnaround grant schemes and offering resources such as cultural consultants or mentors, instead of grants, were some of the suggestions. Join this discussion.
- ASB Community Trust - community outcomes
Auckland Festival of Photography Trust said they rated the ASB Community Trust highly for its bold and definitive leadership and supporting projects with strongly aligned community outcomes.
Mike Chunn from Play It Strange rated funders who understood their programmes, ambitions and strategies.
Suggestion/examples: Included the ASBCT, Perry Foundation, Lion Foundation, NZCT, Southern Trust, Eureka, Mazda Foundation.
ASBCT response: It is easy to focus on the money side of grant making and overlook the strategic issues. Recently overseas funders and arts organisations had commented that successful funding partnerships were about more than just handing over a grant.
Play It Strange rated brave and visionary funders who supported programmes that “stimulate the imagination of young people and play a part in ensuring that creativity and originality are the pivotal driving forces that future generations will enjoy and share.”
ASBCT response: Funding for quality youth arts programmes keeps cropping up in conversations across the arts sector.
Question: What do you like about the way other funders work? A simple format for reporting back on grant spending, more or less contact with the funder?
Auckland Festival of Photography Trust suggested a fast turnaround grant scheme (under $10,000).
Suggestion/examples: Small but surgically placed grants, like the Creative New Zealand Quick Response Grant scheme and NZ On Air grants for NZ music videos, were popular.
ASBCT response: The Trust is looking at quick response grants. “It's a matter of balancing the aim of being responsive, while still ensuring that applications are rigorously assessed and we can be accountable for the allocation of our funding.” The Trust is considering ways of achieving this, including smaller grants.
Auckland Festival of Photography Trust wondered if was better to offer resources, cultural consultants or mentors, instead of grants.
Suggestion/examples: The NZ On Air contract and staged drawdown model often requires an experienced producer to work alongside a emerging producer. “This safeguards the public investment in a commercial arena.”
ASBCT response: The idea of being able to access resources is a really interesting one.
Question: What do you think about this idea?
TOPIC TWO | Current issues and challenges
Narrow funding stream criteria and the all-or-nothing or ‘lottery style’ approach to applications were raised as issues. Expressions of interest and relationship based partnerships were some of the solutions suggested and discussed. Add yours.
How to identify regional projects in Auckland within the new local government structure was another issue.
Philip Patston from Diversityworks Trust said narrow funding stream criteria gave funders a reason to say no if there was “any hint of a project crossing streams.”
ASBCT response: Making funding policies too narrow and prescriptive can result in “potentially missing out on helping innovative projects develop.” This can happen within a sector (such as Arts) and multifaceted projects with broader outcomes (for example arts, health and education).
The ‘all-or-nothing’ and ‘lottery-style’ approach to funding applications
Philip Patston said the all-or-nothing approach to funding applications was an issue.
Suggestion/examples: The Todd Foundation's process of seeking an initial one-page expression of interest and if it fits their ‘criteria, focus and priorities’ they ask for a full application. “This saves endless hours of needless effort on applications that may fall completely outside a funder's current gaze, for whatever reason.”
ASBCT response: Agreed the Todd Foundation is an excellent funding model. The Trust uses the expression of interest format for Community Building Projects applications, but could think about using it in other areas. The Myer Foundation in Melbourne use a similar process for small grants (up to $30,000).
- Relationship based-partnerships
Philip Patston said having no idea what the outcome of an application will be is virtually untenable for organisational sustainability.
Suggestion/examples: A dialogue-based, partnership approach to funding needs to evolve, where decisions are negotiated by both parties rather than made solely by the funder. It would require more effort, but would improve effectiveness and productivity in the long run.
ASBCT response: This approach is ideal however it isn't feasible to spend a great deal of time with each applicant. The Trust tries to spend time with those who are in a development phase, or seeking larger grants, and it is an issue being considered as part of the policy review.
Suggestion/examples: Auckland Festival of Photography Trust said the sector could decide who and what to invest in. The NZ Film Commission short film fund, in the 90s, gave independent producers “those in the creative know” contracts to make the commissions. The producers were able to be tapped into for their knowledge and expertise. The processes were rigorous and by legal contracts.
Auckland Festival of Photography Trust said selecting which arts events or festivals in the Auckland region are actually regional under the new local government structure is an issue. What is the process and when will it be confirmed?
Suggestion/examples: The introduction of a bi partisan adjudication panel to set the impartial criteria which is used to assess such events and Festivals would be welcomed.
Wellington city for instance has a strong artistic, creative presence. This is especially noticeable along Oriental parade, Cuba mall and Courtney place.
Suggestion/examples: Jacqui would like to see more funding spent on helping to make Auckland look more like the vibrant, creative city that it really is. Being surrounded by prominent, imaginative, original artwork creates a bigger source of inspiration.
ASBCT response: The Trust has only funded public art a couple of times, so it's a good thing to keep thinking about. The Trust has funded sculpture festivals, a way of supporting and promoting the artists whose work may be used in public art in the future.
Question: How do you feel about support for festivals across the many art forms?
TOPIC THREE | In for the long haul – a future picture for the arts
What do you see in 2020?
Play It Strange has a vision of 2020. “Many people walk the streets with tin whistles in their pockets and a guitar over their shoulder. Every school (including principals and staff) celebrates the original music, art and literature of its students as much as they celebrate the senior netball team and 1st XV winning their Saturday afternoon games.”
The energy and support of our imaginative activities will be on a par with the sporting infrastructure.
Belief in ourselves as creative individuals in an exciting and imaginative society. Funding bodies will have played a huge role in growing that evolution. By financial support and also by standing up and saying “This is important in our small country. We must all share that belief”. Read the full vision and add yours.
What would you do if you had $1m for the Northland and Auckland arts sector?
Sharen would hold art awards at ground roots level, and on an annual basis. Target the community artist with prizes around the $500 to $2000 mark.
Suggestion/example: Waihi Annual Art Festival
ASBCT response: The Trust has been hearing a lot about more funding for youth art, emerging artists and community-based art. It is a great way of reaching a wide audience, and small amounts of funding can go a long way for artists at this stage in their career.
Question: Do you have other examples of funding youth/emerging artists?
SoundOut Forum | A Conversation About Funding
The ASB Community Trust wants to hear your ideas about its long-term funding policy to help the arts develop, thrive and grow in Auckland and Northland.
The Trust is reviewing its arts funding policy to make sure it is meeting its objective of "supporting creative projects and organisations that aim to foster access, engagement and experience in the arts".
In an innovative first for the Trust, it is using The Big Idea’s SoundOut forum to connect, listen and respond to ideas from the arts community. Find out more.
Comments
I understand the difficulty of spending time with each applicant to decide on outcomes, budgets and time frames. I do not have access to the stats about how many funded projects achieve their long term objectives. Many do not apply for funds because of the uncertainty of the outcome. What if the ASB Trust role were seen as more consultative and partnering?
As an applicant in the past I know that it would have been valuable to be able to discuss what was happening, how to deal with the inevitable issues that arise in the realisation of an arts project.
Project by project funding does not build sustainable practise or organisations. Longer term time frames and strategic objectives are more critical to ensure the vibrancy of the arts sector in Auckland and Northland.