Last Month the CEO of Creative New Zealand (CNZ), Stephen Wainwright, announced that due to a decline in funding from New Zealand Lottery Grants Board (NZLGB), CNZ would have to reduce funding by $2.31million in the 2016-2017 financial year and organizations receiving funding will have cut budgets by as much as 10%. Since arts organizations use the backbone of government money to leverage other support, a drop in this funding has the potential to seriously damage the sector.
“It’s time for the government to make a contribution to the arts that matches the good that they do socially and financially for New Zealand” says Creative Coalition board member and Co General Manager of the Basement Theatre Sam Snedden, “To be reliant on a game of chance for our industry’s survival is ridiculous and we want to highlight that by holding a Bingo night to raise awareness of the precarious situation that we are in. And also show that we haven’t lost our sense of humour”
The event will be hosted by Jeremy Corbett, and will have games of bingo, speeches and provide people with some tools to advocate for the arts sector. There will also be a petition launched at the event. “The Budget is being released on the 26th of May” says Snedden “and we want emergency funding to be allocated in the short term to cover the loss in lotteries money, and a plan put in place to change the way that the sector is funded so that we aren’t in this position ever again’’.
The Arts is Not a Lottery Bingo Night plays
Dates: 9th May, 8pm
Venue: Basement Theatre
Tickets: $5
Visit the Basement’s Facebook page for more information