June 5, 2016

$11.6m NEW FUNDING FOR THE ARTS

John Smythe      posted 26 May 2016, 04:04 PM / edited 1 Jun 2016, 10:39 AM

While this is good for the three anointed arts organisations it does nothing to address the cut-backs in CNZ funding caused by the drop in LOTTO revenue. Ensuring the grass-roots organisations are sustained and healthy is essential for our economic health and wellbeing.

See other news item under this heading also.

John Smythe      posted 26 May 2016, 09:16 PM

What exactly is XIN and TANE, who is creating it and why has it got another $1m funding (as it did last year)? The performing arts sector – actually all NZ tax payers – are entitled to know.

Editor    posted 26 May 2016, 09:44 PM / edited 26 May 2016, 09:44 PM

Jacinda Ardern tweets: Thanks Bill for your $11.6 million support for the arts.

Yes – thank you for backfilling the cut in real terms for three arts organisations for the next four years. But who do we thank for the $11million cut in Creative NZ funding this year?

Editor    posted 1 Jun 2016, 10:37 AM / edited 1 Jun 2016, 10:40 AM

Jamie McCaskill has sparked off a robust discussion on Facebook with this:

This pisses me off. It’s not because of all the cuts to Creative NZ which have affected us little people but the fact that the budget comes out and Maggie Barry is so excited and thanks Bill English for the support for the arts. A massive boost for two companies who are massively funded and who are producing art that does bugger all for NZ socitety in my eyes but are supposedly so great for New Zealand culture around the world. Don’t get me wrong I really appreciate the skill from the companies but does it really do anything for New Zealanders except for a select demographic of people who believe this type of culture makes them feel like they are cultured? This isn’t even about the money. It’s about the self entitlement and ignorant cultural knowledge of a select few who believe they know what NZ art should be.

NZSO vision

To enrich the lives of New Zealanders through artistically excellent performances, presented nationally and abroad by a full-time, full-strength, professional symphony orchestra of international standing.

How? Through professional skills for sure, but how does it enrich ordinary New Zealanders in the world or in New Zealand. I bet half of the population of this country it hasn’t

Maggie Barry justified the spend by saying

Our national orchestra took New Zealand culture to the world this year, winning a prestigious Grammy nomination for Best Orchestral Recording,” Ms Barry says.

They recorded a symphony by a Chinese composer. How is that taking New Zealand culture to the world? The NZSO Chief Executive commented that “The works are exciting and colourful and provide many opportunities for the orchestra to display its affinity with contemporary music from the Asia-Pacific region,”

What about your affinity with New Zealanders from The Coromandel or Taranaki and I don’t see Brett McKenzie’s name anywhere in this funding allocation though he has won a Grammy and an Oscar and is far more of a cultural ambassador for New Zealand in my eyes.

Royal NZ ballet vision

The Royal New Zealand Ballet (RNZB) is a company of 35 dynamic dancers, performing an eclectic repertoire of outstanding dance for national and international audiences, whilst continuing to build a style that is ultimately unique to this company and Aotearoa, New Zealand.

What is ultimately unique about NZ ballet? I wouldn’t even call Aotearoa NZ ballet syncretic. Its still restricted to form. It’s an adopted art which we should apparently be cultured by because of our historic ties to western forms. Just because we produce it in NZ it doesn’t mean it’s unique. Instead of doing ballet about World war1 and 2 try doing something about the NZ land wars. Now thats uniquely NZ.

Maggie Barry also said

“The Government recognises the importance of the arts, and this support shows our commitment to ensuring our leading cultural institutions can maintain their high level of quality and all New Zealanders can have the chance to see them.”

Tickets to a NZ Royal Ballet go from $25 which are way away at the back to $130 for a good seat.

To see the NZSO in a region like Hamilton, the tickets start at $97. Looks like my mums not going get cultured by NZ’s leading cultural institution ever.

Funding for Te Matatini, the national kapa haka organisation, will rise from $1.2 million per year to $1.9 million from 2016/17 – a 56 per cent increase.

This will allow Te Matatini to increase community involvement in traditional Māoridance and promote its health and social benefits, as well as taking the best of kapa haka to the world as it did at the recent Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

Whaaaaat? Ok you Maori’s here you go, and I think it will be better for your peoples health and social issues if you guys keep doing this so here’s some money. Make sure you go to the next Edinburgh Tatoo too because thats the only opportunity you have. Don’t fuck it up.

Maori culture is unique in the world and Aotearoa. Not Ballet. More than 100 maori artists and kapahaka performers are in Guam as NZ delegates now promoting Maori art at the Festival of Pacific Arts and getting paid sweet fuck all. Thats international though isn’t it?

Te Matatini’s vision

Mā tini, mā mano ka rangatira a kapa haka

Kapa haka flourishes through the efforts of many

It is not in the slightest trying to say that this event captures all New Zealanders but in it’s vision it is far more inclusive.

I’m so sick of being told by the higher class how to be cultured as a New Zealander.

Fuck the government and fuck the political rhetoric that pollutes New Zealand lives to make self important people feel more important.

https://www.facebook.com/jamie.mccaskill/posts/10153636052548097

John Smythe      posted 5 Jun 2016, 01:38 PM / edited 13 Jun 2016, 04:23 PM

RNZ’s Standing Room Only (Justin Gregory) has investigated the XIN AND TANE budget appropriations – link below.

DISCLAIMER: The voice quoting my question (written above) is not mine. I would have used a much more quizzical tone.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201803200