Music Commission News

The Aotearoa Touring Programme invests in approved domestic touring costs, to enable more NZ artists to grow sustainable careers and increase the access to live music for NZ audiences. The Aotearoa Touring Programme is a contestable fund intended to reinvigorate the live music sector and assist in the recovery from the effects of COVID-19 in the domestic touring market.

As one of the initiatives in the Government’s New Zealand Music Recovery Fund, the Aotearoa Touring Programme is part of the Manatū Taonga Ministry of Culture & Heritage led Arts & Culture COVID Recovery Programme, which is focused on the recovery, regeneration and revitalisation of the cultural sector.

The Programme is run by the NZ Music Commission to grow the potential for original New Zealand artists touring across Aotearoa and enable more New Zealanders to experience live, local music. It is a matched investment programme (i.e. the Programme will match your investment), so applicants can apply for 50% of the eligible costs for undertaking national tours across Tiers 1 and 2. The different Tiers have a maximum limit for each grant.

Applications for this round closed on 23 March 2022

Aotearoa Touring Programme Tier 1 – Thirteen Tier one grants were confirmed this round:

Pull Down The Sun 9 shows across the North and South Islands

Masaya 8 date tour of North and South Islands in support of debut album

Henika 8 date tour of North Island in support of debut album “Strange Creatures”

Proteins Of Magic 9 date tour of the North and South Island in support of sophomore album

DARTZ 8 date national tour in support of single “Hoons”

Miles Calder 10 date national tour in support of single “Pushing & Pulling”

Pipsy 8 date tour of the North and South Island as openers for Jordan Luck Band

Ben Woods 4 date tour in support of the new album ‘Dispeller’

Wiri Donna 6 date tour of the North and South Island in support of 6 track EP release “Being Alone”

Nicholas Joseph 4 date North Island tour in support of debut album.

T-Bone 6 date North Island tour in support of debut album “Medium Rare”

Ingrid and the Ministers 6 date North Island tour to celebrate sophomore album release “Boofhead”

Saint Peter’s Thursday 6 date national tour in support of debut single “Fisherman” and follow up “Caroline”

Aotearoa Touring Programme Tier 2 – Six Tier 2 grants were confirmed this round:

Mel Parsons 5 date national tour

The Black Seeds 8 date national tour to celebrate 7th studio album “Love & Fire”

Nadia Reid & Her Band, with the NZ Trio 5 date national tour and a performance with the APO in Auckland

Devilskin 14 date New Zealand tour

The Feelers 16 date national tour to celebrate the 21st anniversary of album “Communicate”

Rodger Fox Big Band (RFBB) Tour to celebrate album of new compositions inspired by the poems of Hone Tuwhare

About the Purpose and Criteria of the Aotearoa Touring Programme

The overarching goal of the Aotearoa Touring Programme is to increase national touring activity by New Zealand musicians performing original, live New Zealand music.

The objectives of the Programme are to:

Maximise the New Zealand live music industry’s economic recovery from COVID-19
Create skill development opportunities in live music performance and touring to strengthen and grow the New Zealand live music industry
Support New Zealand artists to grow viable and sustainable careers
Promote more opportunities for audiences across New Zealand to access original, live New Zealand music.

Applications to the Aotearoa Touring Programme will be limited to:

1. Businesses or individuals that are registered in New Zealand, physically located in New Zealand, and

employing individuals who are working legally in New Zealand.

2. New Zealand artists performing original New Zealand music. For the definition of ‘New Zealander’ and

‘original New Zealand music’.

3. Tours that comprise at least three venues or locations outside of the performer’s home town.

Applicants also need to fulfil the following criteria:

· Be financially viable to the extent that they can demonstrate how they can finance at least 50% of the cost

of the touring project.

· Be able to demonstrate they have the capacity and capability (including financial, business planning and

delivery support) to undertake the touring project.

· Are not crown entities, government departments or their agencies. This includes any organisation that receives baseline funding from Creative New Zealand’s Toi Tōtara or Toi Uru Kahikatea investment programmes.

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More information on the programme can be obtained by contacting Emily Crowther at the NZ Music Commission on (09) 376 0115, or by emailing touring@nzmusic.org.nz

Media enquiries should be directed to touring@nzmusic.org.nz

Artist photos are available upon request.