Kākano and Living Wage Funding

Key Documents

Kākano 2024 Application form
Budget Template 

WHAT IS KĀKANO FUNDING?

This fund was established in conjunction with CreativeNZ (a government crown entity governed by the Arts Council) to provide a foundation for the development of innovative new work by New Zealand artists participating in the NZ Fringe Festival Wellington.  

The Creative Capital Arts Trust run the New Zealand Fringe Festival and oversees the Kākano Funding evaluation process. We want to ensure that grants are allocated to as many applicants as possible but also at a level and value that will ensure real assistance is given to the project funded. 

For Fringe 2023 we received 69 applications and 58 of these projects were successfully granted Kākano funding for a total of $40,000. The average grant per show was $800. Seventeen projects received $1000 or higher. 

For Fringe 2024 projects the total amount of Kākano funding available is $20,000. The maximum applicants can apply for is $1500 per project. 

Kākano Funding is dependent on CNZ funding announced in August 2023 and is allocated to assist and enhance your project; it is not designed as a core fund and you are expected to find other sources of revenue for your project. 

In 2024 with the assistance of the Ministry of Culture and Heritage, we have an additional $100,000 Living Wage Fund along with our previous $50,000 Wellington City Council Funding, so a total of $150,000 in Living Wage Funding to pay directly to artists, to support them during the time spent making their new innovative works. 

For the Living Wage funding in 2024, applicants are limited to apply for up to 200 hours or $5,200 across all personnel involved. Solo shows, wherein there is only participant involved are limited to apply for 100 hours or $2,600.

WHEN IS IT? 

AM I ELIGIBLE TO APPLY? 

 In order to be eligible to apply for Kākano funding: 

○ Your event must be registered in NZ Fringe 2024 and have paid in full your registration fee. 

○ You must be a permanent New Zealand resident or citizen of New Zealand (we may ask for proof of this). 

○ Your project or production must be a new work that is ​premiering at NZ Fringe 2024 - it can have been presented elsewhere previously, this must be its Wellington premiere.. 

○ You must not have received CreativeNZ funding for this aspect of the project. This includes​ Creative Communities funding from Council. In the event that you receive other CreativeNZ funding for this aspect of work, you must accept one or the other. You cannot accept both.​ 

 ○ Your application must be received by the Fringe office no later than 5​pm Friday 17th November 2023

WHAT KIND OF STUFF DO I NEED TO GIVE YOU? 

 Your Kākano and Living Wage 2024 application will be submitted using an online form and must consist of the following: 

 ○ The idea or kaupapa (500 words max). Describe exactly what the project is. 

○ The process for the development of the work. 

○ The people involved in the project – a summary of their role on the project and their past experience. 

○ A description of how the work challenges those involved and is original, innovative or experimental. 

○ A marketing and publicity plan, including identification of the type of audience you hope to attract, and your plan for promoting your event to this audience. 

○ Budget, including proposed expenditure, and expected income. Please note – it is OK to include fees for those involved in the production.

The most important thing is to be sure that your budget shows a deficit to the level of the Kākano funding request so the funding you’re requesting makes up the shortfall to create a zero balance.

A budget template is included in the artist resources on the Fringe.co.nz website and you are encouraged to contact the Fringe team for advice or feedback on your budget and application. 

Funding priorities for Kākano for Fringe 2024 include but are not limited to: 

○ Travel costs if you are coming from outside the Wellington Region (at least 140km north of Wellington or anywhere in the South Island). 

○ Set up costs for work in non-established or ‘found’ spaces (this recognises the extra costs associated with technical needs and promotion). 

○ Accessibility - e.g. funding towards working with an interpreter, making space physically accessible, or making it possible for your production to put on a relaxed performance. 

Please read the full funding criteria here. If you’re unsure if your project meets the criteria for funding contact the Fringe team for advice or feedback. 

WHEN DO I FIND OUT IF I AM SUCCESSFUL? 

A panel of independent industry representatives will meet to assess all eligible applications after the application closing date of 17th Nov 2023. All applicants (whether successful or not) will be notified of the outcome of their application by 1st Dec. If you are successful in obtaining a grant and respond by the required deadline stated in your funding offer, funding will be distributed to you before Christmas on the 20th Dec. If we have not received your agreement to the conditions of the grant by the initial requested December deadline, your funding will be distributed in late January 2024. The cut-off for acceptance is 14th January 2024. 

HOW DO I APPLY? 

Complete this form to submit your application. Please make sure to use this budget template as part of your application. 

CAN I GET HELP? 

Of course, you can! The NZ Fringe team is here to help and is always (within business hours) available to give you advice and feedback about your application (before the submission date), answer questions about your application, and help you with your budget.

We recommend you submit your budget for review as this is often the part that disqualifies otherwise excellent applications.

Call the Fringe team for advice on (04) 2124725 or email participants@fringe.co.nz. 

ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD KNOW? 

Keep it brief and to the point. The panel will have just one week to read and assess all the applications.  

Make sure you include facts about your show - what is it? If it’s two women up a tree reading different Fay Weldon novels simultaneously out loud, then say that in your application. The panel needs to know what you’re doing and why you need funding, don’t just copy and paste your programme blurb or media release. 

When you’re budgeting for your show, you need to show the need for funding, you want your budget to balance with Kākano funding. If you show a profit without Kākano you’re effectively showing you don’t need funding. If you show a massive deficit with Kākano you’re showing a budget that is unsustainable.  

Yes, you can pay people in your budget. No one wants anyone to work for free or come out of Fringe bankrupt! But be realistic about what you can afford to pay people too. Don’t over-inflate fees to the company to get more money out of Kākano, the panel are too smart to let that slip by! 

The Kākano funding scheme is closely modelled on the CreativeNZ process for funding so use this as a training ground for your future applications. This can be a great opportunity to consolidate what it is you’re doing with your work and projects.  

If you are unsure of any aspect of your application contact participants@fringe.co.nz​ for advice. Historically applicants who have requested advice or received feedback on their applications have been more successful in their outcomes. We’re here to help!