Ngā Toi in Aotearoa was a brief prepared on behalf of the Ngā Toi Advocacy Network following a 2020 pre-General Election forum with the Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, and arts spokespeople from other parties on arts and culture policy. 

The brief was designed to help shape a dialogue about strengthening the sector, addressing the immediate challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic while also laying the foundations for the long-term support and investment needed to strategically strengthen ngā toi in Aotearoa.

To help shape a dialogue about strengthening the sector, representatives from the Ngā Toi Advocacy Network identified key issues for consideration, through hui, email networks and conversations. The intent was to bring forward proposals that could lead to: 

• Greater understanding of the role of ngā toi in wellbeing and the COVID-19 recovery •

• Reflect Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles 

• Support a joined-up government approach to ngā toi 

• Bring government and the ngā toi sector closer together 

• Improve funding equity

•  Increase investment in ngā toi and strengthen infrastructure supporting ngā toi. 

Five action areas were identified. We urge the next government to engage in inclusive conversations with the ngā toi sector about these action areas and commit to progressing them in the next term of Parliament.

You can read the full report here.