From Parliamentary Question Time - Thursday 25 March 2004
Speaker of the House: Number nine. The Honourable Diane Yates.

Hon. Diane Yates (Labour List MP): Mr Speaker my question is to the Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage and asks how did the government support the presentation of New Zealand works in the 2004 New Zealand International Arts Festival?From Parliamentary Question Time - Thursday 25 March 2004
Speaker of the House: Number nine. The Honourable Diane Yates.

Hon. Diane Yates (Labour List MP): Mr Speaker my question is to the Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage and asks how did the government support the presentation of New Zealand works in the 2004 New Zealand International Arts Festival?

Speaker of the House: The Honourable Judith Tizard.

Hon. Judith Tizard (Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage): Mr Speaker, over the past four years the government has significantly increased support to Creative New Zealand, Te Papa, the NZSO and the Royal New Zealand Ballet, all of whom supported or presented works in the festival. Creative New Zealand specifically supported 12 productions in the festival and gives on-going support to at least six further organisations who participated in the festival which in turn makes a huge contribution to Wellington and to New Zealand.

Speaker of the House: Supplementary question Diane Yates.

Yates: Supplementary to the Minister. What reports has she received as to the impact of increased government support on the New Zealand programme in the festival?

Tizard: Mr Speaker.

Speaker of the House: Honourable Judith Tizard.

Tizard: Mr Speaker as a result of the major funding boost to Creative New Zealand Black Grace Dance Company has been able to... Has been made a full, annual client of Creative New Zealand. This company tells me that, that extra funding it now receives has allowed its choreographer Neil Ieremia to develop more substantial work which was... Which got critical acclaim; attracted the interest of international media and festival bookings from agents who were at the festival. They have also had great reports from their attendance at the Perth International Arts Festival so arts can be exported as well.

Speaker of the House: Supplementary question Diane Yates.

Yates: Thank you Mr Speaker. To the Minister again. What is the value of the New Zealand International Arts Festival to New Zealand?

Speaker: The Honourable Judith Tizard.

Tizard: Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker the financial information for this year's festival is not yet available but in 2000 the International Festival of the Arts generated $39.7 million for the Wellington region. It also makes a huge contribution to tourism, to audience development and artistic excellence. It's also attended by international media and festival booking agents. It is contributing a great deal to our economy.