Arts

Ngā toi

About our arts programme

Our arts programme supports creative and cultural exchange between New Zealand and Asia. We do this by creating opportunities for New Zealand arts-sector leaders to deepen their understanding of their fields in Asia and build authentic, long-term connections with their counterparts across the region.

Q&A: Foundation film delegation explores India's vibrant film industry

For New Zealand filmmaker Amanda Jane Robinson, the streets of India were “wildly cinematic” – with a story waiting to be discovered around every corner and in every face. In June, Amanda was one of five screen creatives the Foundation took to India to attend the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF), connect with the local film industry and build relationships with fellow filmmakers. The group were joined by the editor of the New Zealand Listener, Kirsty Cameron, who documented the visit. The trip was part of the Foundation’s Arts Delegation Programme, which supports New Zealand arts decision-makers to develop meaningful, long-term connections with key organisations, events and creative communities across Asia. In this article we chat with Amanda about the visit and what it revealed to her about filmmaking, both in India and at home in New Zealand.

Arts / News

From Waste to Waka: How an Indonesian innovation is shaping climate art in New Zealand

For New Zealand artist Charlotte Crichton, Asia was both the catalyst and the solution for her personal pursuit of climate action. Experiencing India's sights and smells inspired her to close the doors of her studio and enrol in Victoria University of Wellington's climate change master's programme. Later, when wanting to turn her research into a new body of work, she looked north again — finding a faux leather product in Indonesia. Her exhibition, Fluid Bodies, displayed at Toi MAHARA Gallery for four months of this year.

Arts / News

Curating in the gaps: notes from Shanghai

Curator Jess Clifford travelled to Shanghai in April to undertake curatorial research centred on the 15th Shanghai Biennale. During her visit, she explored galleries and museums across the city, connecting with curators, gallerists and institutional colleagues. In this article, Jess reflects on her experience in Shanghai and shares insights into the curatorial approaches she encountered. Jess was supported to travel to Shanghai by a grant from the Foundation's Arts Experience Fund.

What we offer

Our arts programme offers arts practitioners and industry leaders grants, residencies and curated visits to Asia. We also bring leading curators and arts practitioners from Asia to New Zealand to share ideas, connect with their New Zealand counterparts and explore opportunities for future collaboration.

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Arts / Delegation

China Performing Arts Delegation

The Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono is taking leaders from New Zealand performing arts organisations to China to explore how the performing arts sector operates there and build connections with their Chinese counterparts.

Arts grant

Arts Experience Fund

The Arts Experience Fund supports self-directed opportunities for New Zealand-based arts practitioners to build meaningful artistic and professional connections in Asia. This can include residencies, research tours, work placements and exchanges.

Arts / Delegation

Arts Delegation Programme

The Asia New Zealand Foundation offers New Zealand arts sector decision makers the opportunity to visit Asia to learn about the creative scene of a selected host country and make industry connections.

Arts / Other

Arts Residency Partnerships

The Asia New Zealand Foundation supports a small number of strategic residency partnerships that connect New Zealand artists with leading arts organisations and festivals across Asia.

See all opportunities

Featured

Hear from Chelsea about her time in South Korea

South Korea visit a place of ridiculously interesting things for NZ curator

Senior curator at Lower Hutt's Dowse Art Museum Chelsea Nichols travelled to South Korea to attend the Busan Biennale, Gwangju Biennale and the Frieze Art Fair as well as take in all the museums and artist studios she could over a jam-packed 12 days late last year. Writer of the popular blog 'The Museum of Ridiculously Interesting Things', Chelsea travelled to South Korea to research and connect with Asian artists for future exhibitions at the Dowse. Her trip was made possible through a grant from the Foundation’s Arts Practitioners Fund.

Read Chelsea's account of her South Korea visit

Arts stories

Arts videos

Watch videos from our Arts Programme