Vote Arts, Culture and Heritage is funded $403m in 2025/26 ($1.5 billion dollars over four years).  

This $403m supports the cultural system to deliver a wide range of benefits to New Zealanders through arts, heritage and media. 

Our cultural sectors contribute to innovation and economic prosperity, boost tourism and grow highly-skilled, world-class talent. The cultural sectors support and promote our national heritage and unique identity, contribute to social cohesion and play a crucial role in supporting democracy and our way of life in Aotearoa.

The majority of Vote Arts, Culture and Heritage goes to funded entities delivering services or providing grants in communities. 

New funding

Two new initiatives under Vote Arts, Culture and Heritage have been successful in Budget 2025. These are:

• $6.4m over four years for NZ On Air. This initiative provides funding to NZ On Air to increase support for local journalism and increase reporting on local democracy and justice matters of interest to communities.
• $7.251m over one year (2026/27) for the Screen Production Rebate (Domestic). This initiative provides additional funding to meet forecast demand from eligible New Zealand productions for the New Zealand Screen Production Rebate (Domestic).  

Reprioritised funding

The Government contribution of $7.290m held for the National Fale Malae project is being reprioritised for other priorities and cost pressures. Government support for the National Fale Malae project will be reconsidered when a business case is accepted, and resource consent is granted.

The funding has been utilised for the following initiatives and cost pressures:  

• $2m to the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra for the NZ National Music Centre.
• $2m to Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage to investigate legacy options in remembrance of the 2019 Christchurch Mosque attacks.  
• $1.4m to Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage to progress work with cultural entities on Performance Plans and to investigate strategic revenue and efficiency initiatives across the Arts, Culture and Heritage system.  
• $1m to allow for the excavation and care of partial remains of a waka found on Rēkohu Wharekauri Chatham Island.
• $200,000 retained for other support to the cultural sector.  
• $690,000 being returned to the centre.

Savings made for Vote Arts, Culture and Heritage

The savings package comes from a reduction in funding for Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage of $2m per annum ($8m over four years), Radio New Zealand of $4.6m per annum ($18.4m over four years) and Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga of $2m per annum ($6m over three years, commencing in 2026/27).

Factsheet for Vote Arts, Culture and Heritage

For more information, visit the New Zealand Treasury Budget 2025 website:

Budget 2025 (NZ Treasury)