Fourteen groups and individuals will benefit from the first set of Creative NZ funding this year.

Just over $20,000 was awarded by the council’s grant allocation committee on the recommendation of Council’s Creative Communities Committee.

Cr Mark Benton said that the Creative New Zealand funds are population-based, with a small Council top-up.

“It’s always a tough process to select from so many worthwhile projects. But it’s also always inspiring to see the increasing number of locally-driven creative programmes appearing every funding round.” Cr Benton says.

“The recent Kāpiti Music Festival in Raumati and the Jazz Shed programme are among recipients whose projects have already taken place with great responses,”

There will be a second round in 2018, with applications closing in July. More information can be found on the council website.

The successful grant applicants and their projects for this round of the 2017/2018 financial year are:

• Fernando Figueroa Pereira for a music and cultural educational campaign for pre-school and junior classes.
• Connected Media Charitable Trust for a one-day film-making workshop for young people.
• Ōtaki Pottery Club for clay workshops for 8-18-year-olds.
• Jazz Shed Music Program for people of all ages.
• Hohepa Quentin Te Aroha Thompson for Ngā Tangata to create a collection of art murals (including whakatauki) in Ōtaki.
• Mahara Gallery Trust for a mid-winter Matariki celebration.
• Workshops led by local artists for Kapanui school children for Matariki textile collages.
• Toro Pikopiko Puppets for a rock-art puppet show and rock-art puppetry workshops.
• Kāpiti  Music Festival 2018 – Jazz in the Gardens.
• House of Sound Music Academy – Bright Lights music competition for 8-18-year-olds.
• Mary Catherine Gow for the Mulled Wine classical music concerts in Paekākāriki.
• Kāpiti Youth Orchestra workshop weekend at Kāpiti College.
• Kāpiti  Coast Photographic Society for the Photographer’s Eye two-yearly exhibition.
• Katrina Louise Burney for ‘The Bird People’ documentary about local guardians of Kāpiti Coast’s birds.
• Ann Chapman and Penny Gaylor for Heroines, Hussies and High High Flyers Theatrical Event – a new play by Renée celebrating 125 years of Women’s Suffrage.