QLDC announces funding for major events

Support worth $332,732 has been allocated to 14 major events planned for the Queenstown Lakes District in the next 12 months.

The Queenstown Lakes District Council has approved the grants and in-kind support from its events fund after considering the recommendations of the event funding panel last week.

Mayor Vanessa van Uden said the support reflected the priorities in the Council’s events strategy, which is designed to support community and commercial events that meet criteria ranging from economic benefit and increasing the district’s profile to bringing the community together.

The strategic goal is to provide assistance while events are in development, so that they become self-sustaining.

An exciting new event will be receiving funding this year. “The LUMA Southern Light Project lines up well with our priorities for providing events funding. We’re thrilled to be able to support such an innovative and exciting event that will not only inspire interaction and participation between a large range of local artists, businesses and key entities, but attract visitors to the region during the shoulder season,” Mayor van Uden said.

Further the Council had applied the principle of ‘anchor events’ as prescribed by the strategy for the first time in 2016. The strategy is designed to give events a ‘step up’ over a maximum period of three years to cement a place in the local event calendar and attract sponsorship. Anchor events are typically large events with distinctive qualities. Receiving a fourth year of funding, Challenge Wanaka, Festival of Colour and Winter Festival were all deemed anchor events in the 2016 round.

“This is something that needs to be revisited on an annual basis because we will always have to consider and weigh the wider pool of applications,” Mayor van Uden said.

The grants approved for 2016-17 are:

· 2016 Queenstown Jazz Fest - $10,000;

· Air New Zealand Queenstown International Marathon - $41,000;

· Arrowtown Autumn Festival - $10,000;

· Arrowtown Spring Arts Festival - $5,000;

· Festival of Colour - $30,000;

· BMW New Zealand Open - $50,000;

· Challenge Wanaka - $30,000;

· Gibbston Wine and Food Festival - $10,000;

· LUMA Southern Light Project 2017 - $80,000;

· The Pioneer - $15,000

· Light Up Wanaka - $5,732

· Starlight Spectacular - $16,000;

· Winter Community Day as part of Winter Festival - $75,000;

· Michael Hill International Violin Competition - $10,000;

· Iron Run - $10,000

The Council has given early approval for a grant to the Audi Quattro Winter Games New Zealand 2017 ($41,000).

The next funding round will be in April 2017. Applications for up to $30,000 are considered by the Events Funding Panel, while applications for larger amounts are determined by the full Council.

Local Community Support applications towards in-kind costs under $5,000 are received year-round and are considered by the Events Office.

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