Arts

Ngā toi

About our arts programme

The Foundation's arts programme supports cultural exchange between Aotearoa and Asia through face-to-face opportunities that create authentic, long-term connections that move beyond the transactional and develop into genuine relationships.

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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.

Arts / News

Artist uncovers the hidden story of South Korea’s tī kōuka

Louie Zalk-Neale (Ngāi Te Rangi, Pākehā) is a performance artist and weaver who travelled to Seoul in April 2026 for the inaugural residency offered by McCahon House (Auckland) and the Space for Contemporary Art (Seoul), supported by the Asia New Zealand Foundation and Creative New Zealand. During the residency, Louie connected with local artists and travelled to Jeju Island to learn about the mystery of New Zealand harakeke (flax) and tī kōuka (cabbage trees) growing on the island.

Nadia speaking into a microphone while adjusting dials on a mixing board, while being watched by a small gathering of people on a

Arts / News

India residency adds new chapter to artist’s family story

“The residency affirmed for me that art deepens when it is given time, space, and the courage to sit within complex histories,” writes creative producer and performer Nadia Freeman about her residency at Maah Space in Jaipur, India. During the residency, Nadia connected with local arts practitioners, exploring and reflecting on the relationship between people living in India and the diaspora abroad. She was supported to attend the residency through a grant from the Foundation’s Arts Experience Fund.

What we offer

Our arts programme offers grants that help arts practitioners build connections across the region, as well as residencies and curated visits to Asia for arts sector delegations.

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Arts grant

Arts Experience Fund

The Arts Experience Fund (formerly Art Practitioners 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