$1 million arts fund ‘would transform Hamilton’

A tenfold increase in funding for the arts sector is needed if Hamilton is to become the fun, attractive place its residents want it to be.

A delegation of arts advocates converged on the Hamilton City Council’s long term plan hearings yesterday, where, led by Hamilton Arts Trust chairman

they asked for an annual budget allocation of $1 million that – in the right hands – would be used to transform the city.

What they are currently being offered is 10 per cent of that

Bradley,

Paul

figure. In its draft long term plan, the council is proposing to set up a three-year creative sector match funding trial.

The trial would involve $100,000 from council coffers being ring-fenced each year for the next three years for creative initiatives like performance, artwork, and multicultural activities.

In return, the city hopes to attract at least a further $100,000 from external sources.

Under the council proposal, Creative Waikato would administer the funding – but no council money would be released unless matching finance from an external party was in place.

As Bradley told the politicians seated around the council table, while he and his arts sector colleagues were grateful for any funding there was no way Hamilton’s arts scene could grow to its full potential without some bolder spending.

‘‘With $100,000 we would see some really good stuff happen. However . . . it doesn’t go far enough.

‘‘We support a new $1m fund that doesn’t require any match funding.

‘‘Currently arts funding in Hamilton is oversubscribed and the overall potential of the arts scene is limited by the funding that is available.

‘‘We want to see high quality, high-impact arts projects that will shape a city that people love and are proud of.

‘‘A growing city needs a growing arts scene and a growing arts budget.

‘‘A million dollars might seem like a lot, if you are not used to spending money on the arts. I recently heard that a typical roundabout costs $1m. For the price of a roundabout per year we could do incredible things – things we can’t even imagine now, but would add surprise, delight and richness to our lives. We would see, hear and feel these things and wonder how we ever did without them.

’’You would see incredible returns on the money, as creative people are used to making money go a long way.’’

Arts should not be something that the council scraped money together for. Rather, it should be a central part of the organisation’s budget, he said.

‘‘Everyone is an arts supporter, even if you don’t think you are. We all have favourite songs, favourite movies and memorable arts experiences.’’

The trust runs the annual Boon Hamilton Street Art Festival and the occasional Boon After Dark events. Boon ‘‘has literally changed the face of Hamilton’’, Bradley said.

The council’s long term plan hearings will continue today.