New Zealand Music Recovery Fund Announced

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern revealed urgently needed support for Aotearoa's music industry today, with the announcement of the New Zealand Music Recovery Fund, as part of a broader $175 million Arts And Music Sector Recovery package. Announced as NZ Music Month draws to a close, the $16.5 million New Zealand Music Recovery Fund provides crucial support for recording and touring artists via a $7.1 million funding boost for NZ on Air’s New Music programmes, $5m for a Live Music Touring Fund to local artists touring domestically, $3 million for music venues "to have safe environments for audiences, workers and artists," to be administered by The New Zealand Music Commission, plus $1.4 million towards musicians recouping lost income via Outward Sounds and NZ Music Month, with funding being available from July 2020.

Prime Minister Jacida Ardern stressed the importance of the package for Aotearoa's creative industries: “We know many of our creatives get income from multiple sources and it is an ongoing challenge to piece together the gigs and commissions to earn a livelihood

These initiatives will provide hundreds of opportunities for creatives to earn income and rebuild their careers, and at a time when we have all been reminded of the importance of our creative industries.”

Along with Ardern's announcement today, The New Zealand Music Commission revealed an overview of the work they'll be leading as part of the cultural recovery package, with more details to be announced via their website:

NZ Music Month Make Good Fund: This fund will enable NZ artists and music businesses to apply for a contribution towards recouping lost income and costs incurred for original NZ music activity that was scheduled to occur in NZ Music Month 2020 which was cancelled as a result of Covid-19. Applicants will need to provide evidence of expenditure or loss of income. More information about this fund will be available on our website in early June.

Outward Sound Make Good Fund: This fund will enable Outward Sound supported artists to apply for the reimbursement of costs incurred for approved offshore activity that was cancelled or disrupted due to Covid-19. This includes costs incurred by Outward Sound supported artists for travel and accommodation, hireage and rentals, and publicity and promotion. More details about this fund will be available on our website in early June.

Music Venue Infrastructure Fund: This fund will enable music venues to apply for a contribution towards the costs associated with operating an environment safe for artists, audiences and staff. It is for music venues with a track record of original New Zealand music performances, both in the main centres and the regions.

Grants of up to $50,000 per venue will be available for expenditure that could include contact tracing facilities and security, facility upgrades (for example for bathrooms, staging, backstage etc), hireage of equipment and ensuring the safety of technicians and venue staff. More details about this fund will be available on our website in mid-June.

Aotearoa Touring Support Programme: This programme is intended to reinvigorate the live music sector and grow the potential for touring across Aotearoa. The goal is to support NZ artists and music businesses, and enable more New Zealanders to experience live, local music. It will support production costs, and touring both nationally and regionally. This fund will be open in July 2020 and more details will be provided in the coming month.

Here is today's government statement about the New Zealand Music Recovery Fund, full details on the Arts And Music Sector Recovery package available here:

"$16.5 million for a New Zealand Music Recovery Fund specifically directed towards the contemporary popular music industry. This includes $7.1m to boost NZ on Air’s New Music programmes, $5m for a Live Music Touring Fund to support NZ acts on the domestic circuit as alert levels permit, $3m immediate support for music venues to have safe environments for audiences, workers and artists, to be administered by the NZ Music Commission, and $1.4m to help musicians recoup lost income via Outward Sounds and NZ Music Month. The support for new contemporary music and live music is expected to sustain a combined 2900 jobs over two years, produce 455 new song releases and 150 live music tours throughout New Zealand."