Help boost Palmy’s potential with the Creative Communities Scheme

Published on 07 August 2025

Are you passionate about the arts? Do you have a project that could add something special to Palmerston North's vibrant culture?

Funding is now open for the first round of our annual Creative Communities Scheme, a partnership between Palmerston North City Council and Creative New Zealand that could help make your artistic ideas a reality.

Applications are open until 1 September 2025.

One of the recipients of our most recent round of funding was the Shree Dance Academy NZ which ran a series of workshops offering the opportunity to learn the Indian classical art form, Kathak. Kathak is a vibrant and expressive classical Indian dance form of storytelling, known for its intricate footwork, graceful movements.

Teacher Neha Jha says Creative Communities funding helped last year’s participants learn the ancient art form and perform in front of an audience.

“While Bollywood is widely recognised, many people are less familiar with India’s classical and regional dance traditions. This project offered participants not only an introduction to the movements but also an understanding of the rich cultural and historical context behind them.

The workshops were designed to actively engage participants from various backgrounds and age groups, promoting inclusivity, community involvement, and artistic collaboration.”

She says the Creative Communities funding helped cover a range of costs and that the process was fairly simple.

“The funding enabled us to cover costs such as hall hire and facilitator time, which meant we could offer the workshops free of charge to participants. This helped remove financial barriers and made the workshops more accessible to all.

“The application process was clear and straightforward. I would definitely encourage others in the community to apply for this fund if they have a creative or community-focused idea. It’s a wonderful opportunity to bring people together and celebrate diverse cultures in meaningful ways.”

The Creative Communities Scheme provides funding to local arts projects that create opportunities for people in Palmerston North to participate, support the diverse artistic and cultural traditions of our local communities and encourage under-18s to engage with the arts.

To be eligible for funding, your project needs to have an arts or cultural focus and take place within Palmerston North City Council boundaries.

For help preparing your application, check out the Creative Communities Scheme Application Guide on our website.

Learn more about Creative Communities Scheme