Overview

Vision: Amplify our arts and culture to make New Zealand a creative powerhouse with global reach.

Amplify: A Creative and Cultural Strategy for New Zealand 2025-2030

Amplify will be implemented over three phases

In recognition of the resources needed to implement all of Amplify's actions and supporting activities, Government will adopt a phased approach to implementation:

• Phase 1 (2025–26): implementing actions and supporting activities that can be achieved in the short-term, for example developing a cultural system evidence framework, growing creative exports through international missions, and some regulatory changes
• Phase 2 (2027–28): implementation of actions and supporting activities where lead-in time is needed, or they rely on work already scheduled to happen at a later date, for example ensuring creative thinking and emerging creative skills are embedded in the school curriculum through the refresh of the Arts and Toi Ihiihi curricula and the review of the Copyright Act 1994
• Phase 3 (2029–2030): exploration of actions that require additional funding and/or significant collaboration with stakeholders, for example the establishment of regional centres of excellence.

Strategic pillars

• Investing for maximum impact: Maximising value for New Zealand from the creative and cultural sectors through the Crown investment in Arts, Culture and Heritage and wider government investment.
• Nurturing talent: Enhancing New Zealand’s creative and cultural talent pipeline and supporting sustainable career opportunities.
• Reducing barriers to growth: Modernising and streamlining Government regulation so it enables the cultural sectors to thrive.

2030 targets

• The economic contribution of the arts and creative sectors grows to at least $22 billion (of GDP), with a focus on cultural exports and tourism, by 2030.
• A 10% increase in the number of New Zealanders engaging with New Zealand arts, culture, and heritage by 2030
• 5,000 more people working in the creative and cultural sectors by 2030.

Investing for maximum impact

Maximising value for New Zealand from the creative and cultural sectors through the Crown investment in Arts, Culture and Heritage and wider government investment.

Action 1.1 – Streamline and simplify central government funding for the creative and cultural sectors to make accessing government funding easier and less resource intensive

Supporting activities

Simplify CNZ funding support for cultural organisations and groups, including improving access to existing multi-year support and introducing simpler and more streamlined application and reporting processes.

• Key stakeholder: CNZ (lead)
• Timeframe: 2025–26

Where viable, focus on a more streamlined approach to funding community arts organisations and creative spaces and exploring options to join up funding from different agencies that support the same outcomes.

• Key stakeholders: MCH (lead) MSD, Health New Zealand , MoE, DIA, MPP, Arts Access Aotearoa, Creative Spaces Network.
• Timeframe: 2025–28

Action 1.2 – Leverage alternative funding sources for the sector to support sector sustainability and provide more jobs and opportunities for creative practitioners

Supporting activities

Increase philanthropic and wider private investment in the creative and cultural sectors using lessons learned from previous initiatives.

• Key stakeholders: CNZ, IR, DIA
• Timeframe: 2025–28

Work with Resale Royalties Aotearoa (the Artist Resale Royalty collection agency) to set up a cultural fund comprising declined and unclaimed royalties from the scheme, which will be reinvested to support artists’ career sustainability.

• Key stakeholders: Resale Royalties Aotearoa (lead), MCH
• Timeframe: 2025–2030

Establish reciprocal arrangements with overseas countries operating resale royalty schemes, with an immediate focus on the 27 European Union member countries, so New Zealand artists will receive royalty payments when their work is sold in these overseas art markets.

• Key stakeholders: MCH (lead), MFAT, Resale Royalties Aotearoa
• Timeframe: 2025–2030

Explore alternative funding options for regional cultural facilities, including additional Crown funding mechanisms or other cost recovery models.

• Key stakeholders: MCH (lead, Treasury
• Timeframe: 2025–2030

Action 1.3 – Work across government to enable the creative and cultural sectors to support social outcomes, for example providing support for people experiencing mental health challenges and those at risk of entering the youth justice system

Supporting activities

Work across government to advocate for the creative and cultural sectors to support social outcomes, consistent with the government’s social investment approach.

• Key stakeholders: MCH (lead), MoH, Corrections, Oranga Tamariki, MSD, Whaikaha, MPP, Arts Access Aotearoa
• Timeframe: 2025–2030

Work across government to ensure social sector funding eligibility criteria is designed in a way that is inclusive of cultural organisations with proven delivery success.

• Key stakeholders: MCH (lead), Arts Access Aotearoa
• Timeframe: 2025–2030

Action 1.4 – Grow creative exports and cultural tourism to attract more high-quality foreign direct investment into the sector and facilitate new opportunities for creative career development

Supporting activities

Increase opportunities for creative and cultural organisations to be included in international missions.

• Key stakeholders: MCH (lead), MFAT, CNZ, Film Commission, MBIE, Te Puni Kōkiri, NZTE, creative and cultural sector peak bodies
• Timeframe: 2025–2030

Maximise the impact of government investment through the Cultural Diplomacy International Program.

• Key stakeholders: MCH, MFAT, Te Puni Kōkiri, NZTE, NZ Story, Education NZ
• Timeframe: 2025–2030

Seek to increase the value of Cultural Cooperation Agreements and New Zealand’s film co-production agreements.

• Key stakeholders: MCH, CNZ, Film Commission, MFAT
• Timeframe: 2025–2030

Leverage existing large-scale events to showcase New Zealand's unique cultural and creative industries to international visitors (e.g. 2029 Lions tour, 2032 Olympics).

• Key stakeholders: MCH (lead), MBIE, Creative New Zealand, Te Papa, Sports NZ, NZTE
• Timeframe: 2025–2030

Explore the feasibility of hosting the Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture in 2036 as a prospective major event for New Zealand.

• Key stakeholders: MBIE, MCH, CNZ , NZTE, MFAT
• Timeframe: 2025–2030

Work with Māori and Pacific creative and cultural practitioners to determine how government can support them to market and export their work internationally; including ensuring appropriate use and protecting cultural intellectual property from exploitation

• Key stakeholders: MBIE, MCH, MFAT, Te Puni Kōkiri, Māori and Pacific creative and cultural practitioners, CNZ (lead TBC)
• Timeframe: 2025–2030

Action 1.5 – Develop a research programme to strengthen the evidence base for the creative and cultural sectors, to ensure funding and policy decisions are well informed and demonstrate the sector’s value to decision-makers

Supporting activities

Develop a cultural system evidence framework to provide a best practice model to collect, synthesise and report data related to the creative and cultural sectors.

• Key stakeholders: MCH (lead), MCH entity partners
• Timeframe: 2025–26

Work with the sector to determine priority areas for new research to demonstrate the value of the sector and to align with Government priorities for the sector.

• Key stakeholders: MCH (lead), MCH entity partners, creative and cultural sectors
• Timeframe: 2025–2030

Action 1.6 – Partner with the creative and cultural sectors, local government, and Māori to strengthen infrastructure for the health and sustainability of arts, culture and heritage

Supporting activities

Work with sector partners and local government to explore alternative funding sources to support live performance infrastructure.

• Key stakeholders: MCH (lead), Treasury, Inland Revenue, MBIE/ Commerce Commission, local government, ticketing agencies
• Timeframe: 2025–28

Explore how communities can take a greater role in shaping arts development by placing decision-making closer to the communities those decisions impact, including regional communities.

• Key stakeholder: CNZ
• Timeframe: 2025–28

Partner with Māori cultural organisations, iwi and hapū to develop work programmes to support their aspirations for the sustainability of Māori arts, culture and heritage.

• Key stakeholders: MCH (lead), Te Puni Kōkiri, Te Papa, Sport NZ, iwi, Māori and Pacific cultural practitioners, CNZ
• Timeframe: 2025–2030

Continue to support work to repatriate Māori and Moriori cultural heritage, building on ongoing repatriation of kōiwi tangata and kōimi t’chakat (ancestral remains) led by Te Papa.

• Key stakeholders: MCH (lead), Te Papa (joint lead)
• Timeframe: 2025–2030

Action 1.7 – Support the growth and accompanying economic benefit of creative opportunities in the regions

Supporting activities

Investigate options to increase New Zealanders’ access to the national collections, including providing access via touring exhibitions and long-term loans from national galleries to regional and local galleries and through the digitisation of these collections

• Key stakeholders: MCH (lead), creative and cultural sector peak bodies, Te Papa, DIA (Archives, National Library, Alexander Turnbull Library), Ngā Taonga, HNZPT (engage via Te Ara Taonga collective)
• Timeframe: 2027–2030

Explore the viability of the establishment and expansion of regional centres of excellence to facilitate creative and cultural sector growth and excellence, including supporting the practice of ngā toi Māori.

• Key stakeholders: MCH (lead), Sport NZ, creative and cultural sector peak bodies, CNZ
• Timeframe: 2027–2030

Notes

1. Stakeholders will be refined and engaged with further as work progresses.

2. Timeframes will be refined as work progresses. Actions that could require new investment are proposed for Phase 3 (2029–2030)

Key

• Corrections: Department of Corrections
• CNZ: Creative New Zealand
• DIA: Department of Internal Affairs
• DOC: Department of Conservation
• IR: Inland Revenue
• MCH: Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage
• MFAT: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• MFE: Ministry for the Environment
• MOE: Ministry of Education
• MOH: Ministry of Health
• MOJ: Ministry of Justice
• MSD: Ministry for Social Development
• Ngā Taonga: Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision
• NZTE: New Zealand Trade and Enterprise
• Oranga Tamariki: Ministry for Children
• Resale Royalties Aotearoa: Resale Royalties 
  Aotearoa
• Sport NZ: Sport New Zealand – Ihi Aotearoa
• Te Papa: Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
• TEC: Tertiary Education Commission
• Whaikaha: Whaikaha Ministry of Disabled People

Nurturing talent

Enhancing New Zealand’s creative and cultural talent pipeline and supporting sustainable career opportunities.

Action 2.1 – Develop a creative education work programme that increases learners’ exposure to New Zealand creative and cultural activity through the curriculum and curriculum supports, and develops the foundational creative skills necessary for a sustainable cultural talent pipeline

Supporting activities

Support learners to engage with New Zealand’s cultural heritage, including te reo, ngā toi, te ao Māori and Pacific cultures

• Key stakeholder: MCH (lead), MOE, MPP
• Timeframe: 2025–28

Work with the Ministry of Education to highlight the role creative and cultural institutions can play in education, including the role of the Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museum sector.

• Key stakeholders: MOE (lead), MCH, Te Papa, GLAM sector peak bodies, CNZ
• Timeframe: 2027–2030

Ensure creative thinking and emerging creative skills are embedded in the school curriculum through the refresh of the Arts and Toi Ihiihi curricula

• Key stakeholders: MOE (lead), MCH
• Timeframe: 2027–2030

Action 2.2 – Ensure the tertiary education system and on-job training are meeting industry skill needs and can support the sectors’ contribution to economic growth

Supporting activities

Work with the Ministry of Education through the development of the Tertiary Education Strategy to more strongly signal the need for tertiary education provision and on-job training to align with industry skill needs to support the sectors’ contribution to economic growth.

• Key stakeholders: MCH (lead), vocational education providers, TEC, MoE
• Timeframe: 2025–28

Support creative organisations to deliver on-the-job training in areas of high demand, drawing upon examples of existing success in the form of funded placements and internships and/or financial incentives for established practitioners to mentor early career practitioners.

• Key stakeholders: MCH (lead), TEC, creative and cultural sector organisations
• Timeframe: 2025–2030

Action 2.3 – Promote the sustainable development of the cultural system by supporting succession planning for specialist and specialist roles

Supporting activity

Partner with iwi, hapū, mātanga toi Māori, Pacific cultural practitioners, and the broader creative and cultural sectors to explore options to support succession planning for highly specialist roles where expertise is at risk of being lost, for example in cultural conservation.

• Key stakeholders: MCH (lead), Māori and Pacific cultural practitioners, creative and cultural sector peak bodies, Te Papa, Ngā Taonga, ACH entities
• Timeframe: 2029–2030

Action 2.4 – Improve the sustainability of key creative and cultural sector infrastructure, with a focus on institutions that support the talent pipeline by providing career entry and early mid-career opportunities

Supporting activities

Seek to improve access to existing multi-year funding for organisations that have a strong track record of talent development and invest in growing the skills of their workforce.

• Key stakeholders: Major funding entities including CNZ, Film Commission
• Timeframe: 2025–2030

Prioritise organisations promoting talent development for any new funding that becomes available to support sector sustainability.

• Key stakeholders: MCH (lead), sector funding entities
• Timeframe: 2025–2030

Action 2.5 – Provide capability training for creative and cultural organisations' leaders and governors, including in supporting their organisations to be financially stable, grow audiences and diversify funding

Supporting activities

Provide training and mentoring opportunities for cultural organisations' leaders and governors to develop skills such as fundraising, financial management, and strategic thinking.

• Key stakeholders: TBC
• Timeframe: 2029–2030

Build on work already underway as part of CNZ leadership training programmes to provide pathways for emerging creative and cultural sector leaders.

• Key stakeholders: MCH (lead), funding agencies
• Timeframe: 2029–2030

Notes

1. Stakeholders will be refined and engaged with further as work progresses.

2. Timeframes will be refined as work progresses. Actions that could require new investment are proposed for Phase 3 (2029–2030)

Key

• Corrections: Department of Corrections
• CNZ: Creative New Zealand
• DIA: Department of Internal Affairs
• DOC: Department of Conservation
• IR: Inland Revenue
• MCH: Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage
• MFAT: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• MFE: Ministry for the Environment
• MOE: Ministry of Education
• MOH: Ministry of Health
• MOJ: Ministry of Justice
• MSD: Ministry for Social Development
• Ngā Taonga: Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision
• NZTE: New Zealand Trade and Enterprise
• Oranga Tamariki: Ministry for Children
• Resale Royalties Aotearoa: Resale Royalties 
  Aotearoa
• Sport NZ: Sport New Zealand – Ihi Aotearoa
• Te Papa: Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
• TEC: Tertiary Education Commission
• Whaikaha: Whaikaha Ministry of Disabled People

Reducing barriers to growth

Modernising and streamlining Government regulation so it enables the cultural sectors to thrive.

Action 3.1 – Work across government to identify and update regulation that limits the creative and cultural sectors’ ability to operate, earn and grow

Supporting activities

Review the Copyright Act 1994 to implement new copyright obligations arising from free trade agreements with the European Union and United Kingdom. As part of this review, consider making additional reforms to:

• ensure it remains fit for purpose in the context of a rapidly changing technological environment
• facilitate non-for-profit GLAM organisations to reasonably preserve, efficiently administer and make available, collections digitally.
   
• Key stakeholders: MBIE (lead), MCH, National Library, CNZ, peak sector bodies
• Timeframe: 2025–28

Consider regulatory solutions to support the sustainability of the live performance sector, including:

• ensuring the current Resource Management Act 1991 and local council planning policy balance noise control outcomes and the live performance sector’s ability to operate
• amending the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 to address barriers to gaining special licenses for cultural events, which can lead to events being cancelled, delayed or scaled down
   
• Key stakeholders: MCH (lead) MoE, MoJ, local government
• Timeframe: 2025–27

Reduce regulatory barriers to make it quicker and easier to gain approvals for the development of cultural amenities that will drive economic growth.

• Key stakeholders: MfE (lead), Environmental Protection Authority, local government
• Timeframe: 2025–2030

Action 3.2 – Work across government to make maintaining and conserving heritage places simple and practical for owners

Supporting activity

Explore regulatory solutions to address the cost burden of seismic risk in heritage buildings as part of MBIE’s Earthquake Prone Building and Seismic Management review.

• Key stakeholders: MBIE (lead)
• Timeframe: 2025–26

Action 3.3 – Modernise legislation and operational schemes administered by Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage, so they are fit for purpose and working effectively for the creative and cultural sectors

Supporting activities

Review and update the operational procedures for the Government Indemnity Scheme for touring exhibitions to make it easier to access and administer.

• Key stakeholders:  MCH (lead), Treasury
• Timeframe: 2025–26

Update media regulation, to ensure long-term regulatory settings reflect and are responsive to sector, technological, and audience shifts.*

• Key stakeholders:  MCH (lead)
• Timeframe: TBC

Review the enabling legislation of entities funded by the Ministry to determine if key legislative settings such as roles, functions and governance settings are fit-for-purpose.

• Key stakeholders:  MCH (lead)
• Timeframe: 2025–27

Review the Artist Resale Royalty Scheme to ensure the regulatory framework is fit for purpose and the benefits are being fully realised.

• Key stakeholders:  MCH (lead), Resale Royalties Aotearoa
• Timeframe: 2027–28

Action 3.4 – Offer creative and cultural practitioners the tools needed to support and develop their careers and practices

Supporting activities

Review and update the operational procedures for the Government Indemnity Scheme for touring exhibitions to make it easier to access and administer.

• Key stakeholders:  Inland Revenue (lead), MCH
• Timeframe: 2025–26

Use CNZ’s Development Fund for Artists and Practitioners to support creative and cultural professionals to develop their financial literacy and business skills, including marketing and strategies for expanding audience reach.

• Key stakeholders:  CNZ (lead), MCH
• Timeframe: 2029–2030

Action 3.5 – Support the creative and cultural sectors’ uptake of new technology, including responsible use and development of AI and accessibility technology

Supporting activities

Consider how government can support sustainable development of AI in the creative and cultural sectors through cross-portfolio work led by MBIE. Sustainable development of AI would build on existing usage in sectors and support economic potential while being responsive to concerns about misinformation, workforce, privacy, IP and data sovereignty.

• Key stakeholders:  MBIE (lead), MCH
• Timeframe: 2025–28

Ensure actions within Amplify consider and respond to the fast-emerging impact of AI and new technologies on the creative and cultural sectors.

• Key stakeholders:  MCH (lead), MBIE, other agencies as needed
• Timeframe: 2025–2030

Support the sector to increase its accessibility through technology. This will include supporting increased captioning and audio description as part of the media reform work programme [TBC] and work with the sector to identify and address accessibility through technological innovation

• Key stakeholders:  MCH (lead), Whaikaha, MSD (Disability), Arts Access Aotearoa
• Timeframe: 2027–2030

Action 3.6 – Explore initiatives to support increased investment in and access to local screen content; to grow the contribution of the screen industry to New Zealand’s economy and ensure it reflects and develops our cultural identity

Supporting activities

Explore options to ensure accessibility of local audiovisual media platforms, for example by encouraging TV manufacturers to ensure local media services are prominent and visible on devices such as smart TVs so they can be easily found by audiences. [TBC]

• Key stakeholders:  MCH (lead)
• Timeframe: 2025–2030

Increase reporting on the sector’s current involvement in local content to encourage further investment. [TBC]

• Key stakeholders:  MCH (lead)
• Timeframe: 2025–2030

Explore options to encourage more captioning and audio description on content that is broadcast or streamed to ensure access for disabled New Zealanders. [TBC]

• Key stakeholders:  MCH (lead), Whaikaha
• Timeframe: 2025–2030

Notes

1. Stakeholders will be refined and engaged with further as work progresses.

2. Timeframes will be refined as work progresses. Actions that could require new investment are proposed for Phase 3 (2029–2030).

3. [TBC] references -  Proposals outlined in the Media Reform discussion document, published by Manatū Taonga | Ministry for Culture and Heritage in 2025, are still to be confirmed.

Key

• Corrections: Department of Corrections
• CNZ: Creative New Zealand
• DIA: Department of Internal Affairs
• DOC: Department of Conservation
• IR: Inland Revenue
• MCH: Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage
• MFAT: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• MFE: Ministry for the Environment
• MOE: Ministry of Education
• MOH: Ministry of Health
• MOJ: Ministry of Justice
• MSD: Ministry for Social Development
• Ngā Taonga: Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision
• NZTE: New Zealand Trade and Enterprise
• Oranga Tamariki: Ministry for Children
• Resale Royalties Aotearoa: Resale Royalties 
  Aotearoa
• Sport NZ: Sport New Zealand – Ihi Aotearoa
• Te Papa: Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
• TEC: Tertiary Education Commission
• Whaikaha: Whaikaha Ministry of Disabled People