We grant funds to support creative projects and organisations that aim to foster access to, engagement with and experience in the arts.
Our Community Stories give an insight into our own grant-making decisions. These stories show the people from our community who benefit from funding.
If you have a great story to tell or want to know more contact our communications coordinator
More stories from our community
Fine Thyme Theatre Company
Shortland Street -The Musical 16-24 Jul 2021
Fine Thyme Theatre Company produced and presented Shortland Street – The Musical held at the Cromwell College Auditorium last winter. The performance entertained 1,235 audience members over seven shows with rave reviews. There were over 40 volunteers involved in the production with 22 people in the cast, over ten in the crew, with others helping with ‘front
of house’ and other backstage activities. In total an estimated 11,000 volunteer / performer hours.
The cast and crew had the most wonderful enriching experience. Many commented on how good it was to have a show over winter, to beat those winter blues! The cast had been together since April, many new friendships was seen.
A CLT grant towards the sound was a key component in being able to put on a show. Quality tech gear was vital to ensuring a stellar performance.
Wakatipu Music Festival
Wakatipu Music Festival celebrates NZ talent when international event cancelled, June 2021
As a temporary alternative to the Michael Hill International Violin Competition, the Wakatipu Music Festival was conceived to be a classical music festival bringing together New Zealand’s outstanding emerging artists and leading professional musicians, together with local performers, expert speakers, grassroots music initiatives and dedicated local and national educators.
It was devised to partially fill the void of opportunity and activity in the region caused by the cancellation of the international event.
Over four days, 33 performances were held by local and New Zealand’s top classical musicians including concerts, public talks and workshops. 148 musicians participated, 1,500 people attended with 33,500 livestream views.
It included 13 of New Zealand’s most talented and promising musicians, who, were it not for COVID-19, would normally be offshore representing New Zealand in competitions and major events, but instead were auditioned and selected to participate in the festival’s Young Artist Programme – receiving coaching, essential career development, and performance opportunities. These inspiring musicians are on their way to becoming our musical stars and will be the pride of New Zealand.
The festival also included eight free community music workshops addressing teacher training and general interest, as well as four school visits.
“Please do this training ground programme again, it really does so much for the community and can change lives!” - A training ground apprentice.
Legally Blonde - The Musical
Legally Blonde - The Musical entertains the Wakatipu, May 2021
Often the Trust will support community charitable events with a ‘guarantee against loss’ so that should the worst happen, the event can cover costs. Well, COVID-19 postponed Showbiz Queenstown’s 2020 event and to provide some certainty for the 2021 version of the musical, the Trust provided a mixture of both a guarantee against loss and a grant.
Legally Blonde – The Musical was planned to run in Queenstown in May 2020. Planning and expenditure was in an advanced stage when the pandemic struck forcing the show to postpone a year. Fortunately the majority of the cast, crew and creative team were still available 12 months on.
It proved to be Showbiz Queenstown’s most successful show ever in 45 years of staging musical theatre productions. Over nine nights, occupancy was over 95% with close to 4,000 people enjoying the show. Comments such as “The best show I have ever seen...” and “This show way exceeded my expectations...” were regularly heard at the end of each night.
“The Central Lakes Trust has for many years, generously supported our society by way of a ‘guarantee against loss’ and while we have not often had to use it, it is always comforting to know that we have a backstop in place should we need it.”
– Peter Waaka, Showbiz Queenstown
Festival of Colour 2021
Festival of Colour 2021 profiles Kiwi talent, April 2021
Known as ‘the best little arts festival in New Zealand’, the ninth Festival of Colour brought heart, soul and creative joy to Wanaka and the surrounding area.
Bringing the community together, the festival attracted new audiences, featured a world-class programme
of performers from around Aotearoa, and the largest community and educational programmes yet. COVID-19 meant the festival celebrated the huge range of talent right here in New Zealand, including three world premieres.
It opened with a free outdoor concert including a live performance of Te Taki o te Ua / The Sound of Rain. The work, on display throughout the festival, weaved together contemporary dance, waiata, taonga pūoro, animation, video and soundscape.
The schools and educational programme gave 2,340 primary and high school students (up from 1,690 in 2019), as well as other community members, the chance to work with the kind of top professionals they would not normally have access to in a rural environment.
This included the Royal NZ Ballet Dance Educator working with dancers all week. She worked with 640 locals, including young dancers at several primary schools and dance schools, elderly residents at both Emslie House and Aspiring Retirement Village, and a differently-abled group who took part in an adaptive dance workshop through Mint Trust.
After a tough 2020, the festival fulfilled a hunger for arts events in our region, and brought thousands of people into the Wanaka CBD, giving local businesses a much- needed boost.
ARTS ON TOUR
Central to the Soul Documentary
The ‘Central to The Soul’ documentary is a snapshot of Central Otago today through the eyes of touring artists and residents. Filmed through 2018, it offers a gentle excursion into the heart of a region that has become known for social, economic and environmental change.
The 60-minute film explores the resilient communities of Central Otago, as they gather to enjoy Arts on Tour performances at various venues throughout the Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes district. It depicts our cultural heritage and showcases the present cultural health and wellbeing of our communities in rural New Zealand.
The documentary premiered at the 2019 Doc Edge Film Festival, and is now available for screenings within the district.
SOUTHERN LAkES ARTS FESTIVAL TRUST
Festival of Colour 2019
The Festival of Colour, a seven-day world-class festival of arts, ideas and education. It is about bringing our community together to experience arts and cultural activities, as well as educational programmes not easily available to the Central Lakes region.
As well as ticketed shows, the trust ensures it reaches the wider community with a broad range of free public events, and by producing at least one community production and delivering a schools programme for all the primary and high schools in our region.
LUMA LIGHT FESTIVAL TRUST LUMA
Light Festival 2019
LUMA is an award-winning arts and culture festival based in Queenstown.
For four-days each Queen’s birthday weekend, LUMA uses Queenstown’s unique alpine canvas, as a giant amphitheatre for local, national and international talent to paint with light.
Since 2015, the event has grown exponentially in popularity, with an estimated 55-60,000 mainly local people attending, offering a wide appeal across all ages and demographic.
This free family-friendly event celebrates art, our environment and our community, covering all areas of the arts including performance, dance, sculpture and design. This year’s event had a strong interactive theme throughout. The event runs a local school’s programme where artists work with students, the results showcased at the event. There was also more engagement with the local community through the activities on offer at the light show. LUMA also supports an increasing number of local amateur artists and community groups to showcase their work, linking them to international talent.
ARTS ON TOUR NZ
Bringing up-and-coming artists to the rural community
Arts On Tour plays at 60 venues around the country, from 40- 400 seat theatres. This year 40 artists applied for just 10 performance spots. “There is so much talent in New Zealand,” states Steve Thomas, who for 35 years, has been ensuring performing artists are seen in the regions.
The tour focuses its programme on rural and remote communities, providing opportunities for these communities to access quality performances. Up-and-coming touring artists tour New Zealand visiting towns including Roxburgh, Alexandra, Wanaka, Queenstown, Tarras, Bannockburn, Cromwell and Lake Hawea.
An AOTNZ performer says, “I used to turn up in towns thinking I was the most important thing happening that night. I came to realise I was just a focal point for something much more important – the chance for a community to gather.”
Ticket sales provide about 40% of revenue, the remainder is supported by Creative NZ, charitable and community trusts.
A documentary of this year’s tour of Central Lakes towns is being filmed
CENTRAL OTAGO REGIONAL CHOIR
"May I, on behalf of the Central Otago Regional Choir, offer you and the Trust our most grateful appreciation for your recent Grant payment under our current Guarantee Against Loss.
The financial reassurance which your Grants have provided the Choir over many years has been a very significant factor in its on-going public performance programme."
- Gavin D M Jack, Treasurer, Central Otago Regional Choir Inc
LUMA LIGHT FESTIVAL
Free family friendly festival attracts 35,000 locals
LUMA is an award-winning arts and culture festival based in Queenstown. Transforming Queenstown’s famous Botanic Gardens and lakefront into a dazzling display of glowing art, it uses Queenstown’s unique alpine canvas, as a giant amphitheater for local, national and international talent to paint with light.
This free, family friendly event illuminated with art and sculpture, attracts a large number of visitors; and appeals to a wide-ranging audience; 35,000 locals from throughout our region, and a total of 40,000 – 50,000 visitors. Up until last year the event was entirely volunteer based.
The festival aims to educate our community in the arts and encourage awareness of the physical and cultural heritage of the region. The festival this year offered a dedicated school’s area for primary school exhibitions, and a spot with the main artists for the high school to create an installation. With a dedicated Schools Programme Coordinator and the opportunity to showcase work on such a high profile stage, LUMA provides a fantastic opportunity for students to gain confidence in the arts, and a pathway into the Arts and Culture sector.
"Many thanks indeed. That is the best news we have had in quite some time - amazing - just amazing.
Thank you for showing us this level of faith in what we are doing - it means a lot to us."
- Duncan Forsyth, Chair, LUMA Light Festival Trust