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Boosted Raises Half a Million for the Arts

Published: Wed 9 Jul 2014 01:50 PM
EMBARGO - FOR RELEASE FROM 7AM WEDNESDAY 9 JULY 2014
Boosted Raises Half a Million for the Arts
With the success of the theatre project The Generation of Z, crowdfunding website Boosted.org.nzhas now successfully raised half a million dollars for the arts in New Zealand.
“Boosted allows everyone to contribute and be part of upcoming arts project, be it as little as a $5 donation”, says Mark Michel, Boosted Manager. “We’re proud to have supported the 74 talented projects that have successfully used Boosted, who have in turn inspired their communities to be active in making arts projects happen.”
The Generation of Z raised over $20,000 on Boosted. Charlie McDermott, Artistic Director for the immersive theatre experience, says having community support has been “beyond amazing.” With over 210 individuals offering their support, Charlie sees Boosted as tapping in to “what typifies us a nation to a certain extent, a combination of network, community spirit and can-do attitude.”
A BOOST for the Edinburgh Festival
The Generation of Z is one of a half a dozen already successful Boosted projects heading to the prestigious Edinburgh Festival this July.
Boosted has raised $55,000 to help these projects take part in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “[Edinburgh is] the largest and most prestigious Arts Festival in the world, one that houses up to 3,000 productions each year and [we will] show them something utterly unique and individual… We want to blow Edinburgh audiences minds. And nothing short of this,” says Charlie.
Creative New Zealand (CNZ), the Government-managed funder for the arts, has ensured that kiwi talent has a big presence in Edinburgh for the 2014 Festival. 60 shows will travel to Edinburgh as part of its ‘NZ at Edinburgh’ campaign.
“Boosted is being well used by the ‘NZ at Edinburgh’ projects to add value to their Edinburgh experience, and therefore extending the reach of the opportunity provided by CNZ” says Mark.
And it’s not over yet - three projects from the 'NZ at Edinburgh' group are currently fundraising on Boosted. If they are successful, the total raised on Boosted from private donors for the Edinburgh Festival 2014 will be in excess of $80,000:
• BLACK FAGGOT is award-winning playwright Victor Rodger's response to the debate over New Zealand's same-sex marriage bill;
• ON THE UPSIDE DOWN OF THE WORLD is the story of Lady Mary Ann Martin, wife of the first NZ Chief Justice, and journey as one of the first settlers in our country; and
• STRANGE RESTING PLACES shines a light on New Zealand’s wartime history and the complex bonds Māori shared with the Italians through whānau (family), kai (food) and waiata (song).
LINKS:
www.boosted.org.nz
Generation of Z:
http://www.boosted.org.nz/projects/the-generation-of-z-edinburgh
The full Q is on the Boosted blog: http://boostednz.wordpress.com
NZ at Edinburgh on Boosted:
http://www.boosted.org.nz/projects/black-faggot
http://www.boosted.org.nz/projects/on-the-upside-down-of-the-world
http://www.boosted.org.nz/projects/strange-resting-places

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