Capability

building

Sharpen your skills and supercharge your creative biz know-how

Creative New Zealand has launched a range of resources and toolkits to help arts and creative practitioners develop sustainable careers and businesses.

Make connections

Sharing, communicating, building relationships, and supporting others with similar interests as part of a creative network fosters creativity across art forms. Building a sense of community through networking fosters hauora / well-being. Networking can happen online using digital and social media platforms or face-to-face through opportunities such as mentorship, advocacy and volunteering within your local arts community.
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Social media can be a tool for marketing your art form globally. Ask other artists and arts practitioners what platforms they use and tips they can share with you. Regardless of the social media platform you choose, be consistent with the regularity of your posts, whether daily, weekly or monthly. Start with one platform to get it right and then add more platforms.
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Navigate the law

Intellectual property (IP) law can protect your rights as an artist or an arts practitioner. Every time you create something original, your work becomes your intellectual property and you have IP rights. If someone uses your work without permission, there may be a breach of your IP rights. You can seek legal advice from a lawyer specialising in intellectual property rights.
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A contract is also known as an “agreement”, it outlines the terms and conditions that both parties agree to and sign. A standard form agreement means that no terms or conditions have changed. Changes can be made if you discuss the terms and both parties agree. Contracts protect you from disputes and are legally binding. If you need a contract, a helpful starting point can be looking at templates for contracts and agreements that have worked for other artists and arts practitioners. However, every situation is different. Check the terms in a template carefully before using them to make sure they apply to you. It is a good idea to ask a lawyer to look at a contract before you sign it.
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Knowing the remuneration rates and terms you are entitled to as an artist or arts practitioner can help you negotiate the terms of your contracts. You can also ask a support person to come with you to help with the process. Seek advice from more experienced artists or art practitioners on the art of negotiation.
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Navigate your finances

Your creative, critical, and collaborative skills as an artist or arts practitioner are an important part of financial planning. Use this navigator to find financial tools that will work for you at different stages of your career.
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Useful guides, tools, tips and resources for creating a business start-up as an artist or arts practitioner.
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There are many financial tools available to help you manage your time efficiently.
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You can create income in multiple ways while you build a sustainable career as an artist or arts practitioner. Ask other experienced artists or arts practitioners to share their experiences with creating income streams. Some income streams create passive income. This kind of income requires little or no effort to earn. This might come from royalties from selling your art form or investments.
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Creative NZ toolkits

The volunteer management toolkit is intended for use by boards, managers and co-ordinators to help attract, manage and retain volunteers.
Click HERE for more.
The risk management toolkit helps managers, administrators, and boards to develop and implement a risk management strategy.
Click HERE for toolkit.
This is a best practice guide to community arts projects in Aotearoa New Zealand: our Keteparaha Mō Ngā Toi Hapori (Community Arts Toolkit).
Community arts are created by, with, and for a community. The community is actively involved in creating, or learning how to create the art. Community arts projects are usually supported or led by artists who are skilled at working with communities.
Click HERE for more information.
This toolkit is for individuals, groups and organisations seeking donations. It includes advice and suggestions for approaching, securing and keeping donors.
Click HERE for toolkit.

Copyright Licensing New Zealand ensures your work as a creative is protected.

A quick and easy to read resource explaining what copyright is.
Click HERE for PDF
Or, head to Copyright Licensing New Zealand for more.
A short informational video that explains both your moral rights and your economic rights under NZ copyright law.
Click HERE to watch.
Or, head to Copyright Licensing New Zealand for more.
A quick and easy to read resource explaining what copyright protects.
Click HERE for PDF
Or, head to Copyright Licensing New Zealand for more.
A short informational video explaining what is protected under copyright, and why your mahi is valuable.
Click HERE to watch.
Or, head to Copyright Licensing New Zealand for more.
A quick and easy to read resource explaining how to get permission to use someone’s copyrighted work.
Click HERE for PDF
Or, head to Copyright Licensing New Zealand for more.
This informative video explains the three things you need to know to provide copyright infringement.
Click HERE to watch.
Or, head to Copyright Licensing New Zealand for more.
Creative Rights Education series, Karen breaks down the role of collective management organisations – just like Copyright Licensing New Zealand! Learn more about what they do, who they work with and how they advocate for your creative rights.
Click HERE to watch.
Or, head to Copyright Licensing New Zealand for more.

To support your journey, check out these additional online tools, resources and support services.

Generosity NZ is the largest digital search facility for funding information in Aotearoa. We have created two search tools that connect people to funding opportunities.
Local hint - if you have a local library card, you can access Generosity through your membership.
Click here for more.
AMA advocates for the value of artists and art in the form of more paid roles in the arts and less unpaid, volunteer based internships. We want to help Aotearoa come into step with international best practice.
The art industry has relied on the backbone of volunteer time and we must fight for this labour to be paid and valued in a way that will create more jobs and better quality of life for the creative community. Creative New Zealand advises that art workers and practitioners are paid a minimum of $25 per hour.

Fair remuneration means pay rates for more experienced artists or art practitioners should be at a level above or well above the minimum wage, be in line with their skills and experience, and recognise the duration or nature of the project (e.g. contract work).
Click here to discover more.
The Artist Resale Royalty Scheme enables eligible artists (or their successors) to receive a royalty payment each time there is a qualifying resale of their original visual artwork.

The Resale Right for Visual Artists Act 2023, and the Resale Right for Visual Artists Regulations 2024 came into force on 1 December 2024.
Click here to discover more
Whilst now specific to the creative sector, these Online digital learning resources from business.govt.nz offer a range of videos to help gain skills in our digital world. Topics include AI, Digital Tools. Finance, Marketing, Selling Online, wellbeing and more.
Check it out here.
Item The TechSoup New Zealand program supports New Zealand charitable organisations to build stronger communities through technology. Since 2007, a growing list of leading tech companies have partnered with TechSoup New Zealand to support the sector with donated and discounted IT products and online learning.
TechSoup New Zealand is free to join and access. Over 30,000 not-for-profit members rely on the program to supply them with best-in-market prices on cloud-based products, hardware, software and training.
Click HERE to find out more.