‘Premier events’ receive $250K

MORE than $250,000 was given to ‘‘premier events’’ in Dunedin last month, the Dunedin City Council has revealed.

Council grants subcommittee chairwoman Cr Christine Garey said in a statement yesterday the subcommittee was ‘‘very conscious’’ of strained finances, particularly for social service groups, in the wake of Covid19.

But through the council’s ‘‘city service, city project’’ grants, the council had supported larger social sector and arts groups.

And, further, through the events grants, the council continued ‘‘to show encouragement and support for a wide range of events which can bring Dunedin people and domestic tourists together over the coming year’’.

At a publicexcluded subcommittee meeting on June 24, the iD Dunedin Fashion Incorporated Society received $60,000; the Otago Festival Of The Arts Trust got $65,000; the Otago Sports Car Club received $65,000; and the recent International Festival of Environment, Science and Technology Dunedin NZ got $85,000 — a total of $275,000 in grants for Dunedin’s premier events.

The Dunedin Wildlife Trust ($27,500); the Dunedin Fringe Arts Trust ($65,000); the board of Dunedin Writers & Readers Festival ($35,000); Te Mana Ahua Ake Charitable Trust ($56,300); and the Dunedin Midwinter Celebrations ($49,900) received a further $233,700.

The following day at a public meeting, 20 further groups received another $408,100.

In total, 23 projects worth $8.8 million applied for $798,877.70 in city service and city project funding this year.

But in total only $408,100 was available for the 202021 financial year, council events and community development manager Joy Gunn wrote in her report to the subcommittee.