Te Taumata Toi-a-Iwi
Arts Regional Trust

Te Taumata Toi-a-Iwi is Auckland’s regional arts trust. We work across the arts, culture and creative landscape to facilitate conversations, build connections, provide impactful research, support artist development, and advocate for the infrastructure our sector needs to make Tāmaki Makaurau a city alive with creativity.

Partnerships are an important part of our kaupapa and help to connect with the wider creative ecosystem. We have managed successful partnerships and collaborations - from the co-funding of Te Manawa through to working with various organisations in advocacy campaigns. Our ability to collaborate, co-design and co-fund initiatives enables us to meet essential sector needs and achieve substantial impact in the creative community.

What We Do

  • Insights

    We platform research, reports and think pieces that respond to a range of creative sector topics - from timely issues such as the potential impact of Council budget cuts, to the visionary future of Rosabel Tan’s think piece on reimagining Aotearoa’s post-Covid arts and culture sector. Our insights are a way of capturing and telling stories that uplift our creative community, as well as providing the evidence and data to advocate for change. 

  • Advocacy

    Backing creative practitioners and advocating for tangible change in the sector. We understand that championing the arts also means being actively involved in the community and supporting the policies, practices and investment that will benefit the sector. Te Taumata Toi-a-Iwi facilitates and participates in important campaigns to support systems change. 

  • Creative Capabilities

    Providing opportunities for artist development and leadership is a key part of building a sustainable and lasting creative sector. From strengthening creative sector governance to facilitating leadership programmes, our Creative Capability Programmes identify the gaps in our sector and deliver important initiatives to bridge those gaps. Beyond just supporting career and leadership development, Te Taumata Toi-a-Iwi also builds relationships with current and emerging regional sector leaders. 

Featured Articles

RESOURCES
Submission to the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill.
Submission to the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill.

Te Taumata Toi-a-Iwi submission to the Principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. 

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Te Taumata Toi-a-Iwi submission to Amplify: A Creative and Cultural Strategy for New Zealand
Te Taumata Toi-a-Iwi submission to Amplify: A Creative and Cultural Strategy for New Zealand

The Government’s draft creative and cultural strategy, Amplify, aims “to spark a conversation’ about the direction of the sector.

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Creative Sector Investment Case Studies
Creative Sector Investment Case Studies

Te Taumata Toi-a-Iwi has co-invested alongside Creative New Zealand and Auckland Council to produce a series of case studies that examine funder intersections and funding challenges in the creative sector.

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Mapping the Auckland Funding Ecosystem for Ngā Toi – Culture, Creativity and the Arts
Mapping the Auckland Funding Ecosystem for Ngā Toi – Culture, Creativity and the Arts

Mapping the Auckland Funding Ecosystem for Ngā Toi – Culture, Creativity and the Arts’ research report (2023) reviews funders and funding for regional for arts, culture and heritage.

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Creative sector governance - a reflection
Creative sector governance - a reflection

Creative sector governance–a reflection.

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Creative Capital: Radical joy with Lissy and Rudi Robinson-Cole
Creative Capital: Radical joy with Lissy and Rudi Robinson-Cole

Lissy and Rudi Robinson-Cole, creators of Wharenui Harikoa, discuss their journey from diverse backgrounds to crochet artistry. They explore ancestral ties, cultural identity, and the transformative impact of crochet workshops in prison. The conversation highlights the joy of collaboration, conveying warmth through creativity, and celebrating Māori art without limitations.

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Creative Capital: Community representation with Jonjon Tolovae Cowley Lupo
Creative Capital: Community representation with Jonjon Tolovae Cowley Lupo

Jonjon Tolovae Cowley Lupo, an original member of No.3 Roskill Theatre and part of its core group of creatives, discusses the impact of art on addressing cultural displacement, the inception of No. 3, and the importance of dedicated creative spaces for emerging artists.

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Creative Capital: Artist-led spaces and mentorship with Lance Fepuleai
Creative Capital: Artist-led spaces and mentorship with Lance Fepuleai

Lance Fepuleai, founder of Sky Pirates, shares insights on the value of hand-drawn designs, challenges of running a gallery, and the importance of self-belief for emerging artists. He discusses the impact of hip-hop on creativity, the success of Sky Pirates as a social enterprise, and the need for increased support in the creative community.

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