February 3, 2015

CNZ Project Funding

K. C. Kelly             posted 26 Jan 2015, 07:31 AM / edited 26 Jan 2015, 12:24 PM

Does not play well with others …

If you thought that a seven-year history of doing what you do (and doing it well) would get you funding from CNZ you’d be mistaken.

There’s still one more hoop to jump through.

There are no call-back on a Project Funding round. This was very carefully explained to me by CNZ staffers Raewyn Bright and Simon Vincent last Thursday.  Yes, your history has an effect – you score points – but each phase of the application material is graded. Good idea; you get points. Something in their Creative Logarithm they don’t like in the application; you lose points. And each application, regardless of the applicant’s history, is, in the interest of impartiality, ignored. In other words, you have little to no history in a CNZ discretionary funding round. Each application is being “read” for the first time by a new panel for each round.  And, because you have no history, you have little to no  future, either:  you have only this year.

And so it was with EnsembleImpact’s last application for funds. CNZ said they loved the idea; they “were concerned” with other parts of the grant presentation. And, because there were other applicants in the funding round who seemed to tick all the right boxes, we lost out.

No amount of grumbling from me or any of the many who have written in support of the EnsembleImpact programme will change their decision one bit.In their rigour to preserve neutrality – no nepotism allowed – the hands of CNZ are tied once an application has been received. They’ll be happy to help, we’re told. But there’s nothing they can do. Have we thought about applying for a Quick Response grant of $7,500?

We are thinking.  It’s $23,700 short of the money we need to pay 4 actors @$650 per week for 12 weeks, but it’s a start. We are also approaching the Ministry of Education and the Arts, Culture and Heritage portfolio for discretionary funding to keep the programme in place. Fingers crossed, we’ll see.

Poor spread sheets seems to be the primary reason for this year’s failure. CNZ’s best suggestion: pay a grant writer (with money EnsembleImpact does not have) to help us apply for funds we might not get.

It’s clearly a fault: I didn’t. And this year’s failure has to live with me – it doesn’t live with CNZ staffers. In my defence, I don’t make policy; I make theatre. Unfortunately, I also run the Company that’s now in jeopardy. And to you, your students, our actors past and the future and to the seven years of building an audience, and our long-time supporters, my most sincere apologies.

As a producer, actor, artist, educator and keen proponent of New Zealand theatre, I’ll continue to express my reservations about CNZ policy … I’ll just refrain from making those attacks personal when the arcana of procedures and rules stand in the way. While I’m still Chair, I’ll attempt to placate the people I’ve roused and use that position to better guide the EnsembleImpact Educational Trust toward a future that includes regular sustainable funding.

We should have a future and we want to see:

*2015 – POWER PLAYS – the “collected works” of Arthur Meek circa 2014

*2016 – OUT & ABOUT – plays about being “different” in New Zealand

*2017 – WOMANZ WORK 2! – new works from NZ female playwrights

in your school and in your home town this year, next year and the year after that.

Next…the Arts and Education ministries and the politicians who might control enough discretionary funds to keep us on track.

If you’re rich, give us some money; if you’re prayerful, get on your knees; if you’re lucky, by us a lotto ticket; if you’re in theatre, get yourself a good grant writer.

K.C. Kelly, Chair

EnsembleImpact Educational Trust

Editor    posted 3 Feb 2015, 12:32 PM

PLAY A STARRING ROLE IN A KIWI CLASSIC  

The EnsembleImpact programme – which goes to about 60 schools per year and another 5 or 6 community centres across New Zealand is looking for a new home and some permanent funding. 

It’s an unique programme, with an enthusiastic following. We take NZ plays written by NZ playwrights – performed by NZ professionals – directly to NZ schools in custom designed 50 minute programmes.

And you – as a producer – can play a major role.

If you’re already working in a professional theatrical company or training institution and want to increase its exposure OR if you REALLY think you can take the reins on a genuine non-profit educational charity, drop us a line – by 1 March please.

K.C. Kelly, Chair

EnsembleImpact Educational Trust

producer@ensembleimpact.com