Govt launches $10m Domestic Events Fund

2nd July 2020 By Staff Reporter | news@tourismticker.com | @tourismticker

The Government has established a new $10m Domestic Events Fund in a bid to save jobs and protect incomes in New Zealand’s event sector.

Economic development minister Phil Twyford said the funding from Budget 2020 followed discussions with the event sector designed to develop a joint strategy for the sector’s survival and growth.

He said the sector was important in raising the profile of New Zealand’s trade, culture, sports and arts.

“The purpose of the Domestic Events Fund is to stave off the loss of critical events that contribute to regional economies, and that without support may never return. By saving these events, jobs and the income of sector employees, contractors and freelancers will be protected,” he said.

“This fund won’t save every event, but it aims to support those events that provide the greatest flow-on benefit to regional economies. It has been set up to provide cash-flow within the sector.”

To be eligible for the Domestic Events Fund, events must be existing events that were considered regionally or nationally significant, where support was needed to be able to sustainably re-start or re-scale the event, or where supporting the event would help retain sector-critical event organisers and suppliers for the long-term viability of the industry.

“On top of this, sector workers have been able to access the Government’s wage subsidy, which has paid out more than $12bn, and many will benefit directly and indirectly from the $70m Creative Arts Recovery and Employment Fund to support rebuilding the creative industries, and the $60m Cultural Innovation Fund to encourage investment and new thinking in the cultural and creative sectors,” Twyford added.

The fund would open for applications on Friday 3 July and would remain open until the full $10m had been paid out to support the events industry.

It would be administered by New Zealand Major Events, which already had responsibility for the existing Major Events Fund and the Creative & Cultural Event Incubator.