Arts Action Now
is an advocacy rallying point for artists and creatives across Aotearoa.

Arts, culture and creativity and your local council’s long-term plan - 2023-2024

Local councils provide funds, and resources such as venues and public programming, to support arts, culture and creativity in their communities. Council support is often critical to enabling the work of artists and arts organisations for local and regional communities.

This year councils are developing their Long-Term Plans for 2024-34.  A long-term plan (LTP) sets out the work a council plans to do over ten years (or longer). The plan describes how the infrastructure, services and activities that a council invests in and delivers will improve the social, economic, cultural and environmental wellbeing of Aotearoa New Zealand’s communities. 

Councils are required to consult the public on their draft plans. These consultations are an important opportunity. As long-term plans are being developed, we need mayors and councillors to hear how important arts, culture, creativity and ngā toi Māori are to you and your community.

Arts Action Now is developing resources to support artists, makers and arts enthusiasts’ to make submissions that reflect a future with thriving communities rich with arts and culture.

Why is it important to make a submission?

Councils are responsible for many services. They are currently facing many challenges including high inflation, infrastructure costs, and climate change. So, it’s important to remind them of the value of investing in arts and culture.

Arts, culture and creativity are often be the first place councils look to when cutting costs. In Auckland in 2023, for example, the Council’s draft budget initially proposed funding cuts that would have had a significant impact on the viability of many of the arts and culture festivals, events and facilities that bring the city to life. Push-back from artists, arts organisations and the wider community helped roll back much of what was proposed.

The consultation process is an opportunity to have your say on what you want your community to look and feel like, now, and in the future.

Community feedback can influence a council to make changes to its draft plan. The more focus or ‘noise’ there is on an issue or opportunity, the more likely a council will listen. Your submission is your chance to let your Council know how much arts and culture activities and resources, from festivals, to performing arts, ngā toi Māori, public art, and galleries, contribute to the quality of life of your community.

The consultation process:

Each council will have a different process for seeking feedback from its community. Some councils may use a submission template or ask a series of specific questions for you to respond to.

If there is an arts advocacy group in your town, city or rohe, it pays to check whether it is also engaging with the LTP. Many of these groups support their communities to contribute to the consultation process, for example by sharing information on key proposals relating to arts and culture, or a template submission for you to use. There are also often arts advisory staff working at the councils who you can reach out to.

See the list below to find consultation dates and links to resources for each council.

WHAT’S NEXT:

  • Find your Council below and see when the Long-term Plan Consultation opens and closes (updated frequently)

  • If your Council has begun consultation, there will be a link to submission templates, guides and any specific resources from your region to support your submission

  • Sign up for our mailing list! We will notify you when consultation opens up in your region and we have a submission guide for you

  • Consultation TBA Late April

  • Long-term Plan

    Consultation 19 March - 21 April 2024

    The team at Creative Waikato have been working through the council consultation documents to try and support our communities to highlight key relevant parts of the process.

    You can use this information to help guide your submission. Or you can just tell them why arts, culture and creativity are important to you and should be a priority for them.

    Click here for the guides

  • Long-term Plan 2024-2034

    Consultation March 18-April 19

  • Draft LTP 2024-2034

    Consultation: 18 March - 21 April 2024

  • Council decided on 27 Feb to defer LTP and prepare an Annual Plan 2024-25

    Consultation: 28 March - 24 April.

  • Long-Term Plan 2024-34

    Consultation: 1 April - 9 May

  • Porirua City’s Long-term Plan 2024-2034

    Consultation: 26 March and 26 April 2024

  • Te Mahere Hukihuki Pae Tawhiti - Draft Long Term Plan 2024 - 2034

    Consultation open: 4 April-6 May

  • Long-term Plan Pre-engagement

    Early engagement has concluded. The draft 2024-2034 Long Term Plan will be released for public consultation this year.

    Consultation: 28 June - 29 July

  • Auckland Council Long-term Plan

    Consultation Open 28 Feb - 28 March

    Long-term Plan summary and submission guide available here

  • Consultation Closed 15 Dec 23

  • 2024-2027 Three Year Plan

    Consultation Closes April 19 2024

  • Long-term Plan 2024-2034

    Consultation opens: 12 April - 12 May

  • Long-term Plan 2024-2034

    Consultation: 28 Feb - 02 April

  • Waitaki District Council Annual Plan 2024-25


    Consultation open: 28 March - 30 April

  • Long Term Plan 2024-2034

    Consultation closes 28 April

JOIN THE KAUPAPA

The Regional Arts Network Aotearoa (RANA) is lobbying for a thriving arts, culture, and creativity sector in Aotearoa. 

We can't do it alone, we as artists, creatives and cultural enthusiasts must unite to demand action from our government.

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