An Ashburton committee charged with administering funds from Creative Communities New Zealand has granted 17 applications and handed out a total of nearly $25,000 to local arts groups.

Council supports the committee, which completed the first of two grant rounds recently; there will be another in February.

Group Manager of Democracy and Engagement Toni Durham said Creative Communities New Zealand set formal criteria and rules and a total of 19 applications were assessed by the local committee.

“The committee then decides how much is given out. This round was oversubscribed, but there will be another opportunity for creative groups to apply for funds in the new year.

“The recipients in this round included some well-supported annual projects and some new and exciting ones.”

The total amount allocated was $24,735.

The first round recipients of Creative Communities funding were:

Ashburton Pipe Band - $545 to help run its annual pipe band competition.

Connecting Mid Canterbury Charitable Trust - $2000 to put towards a workshop entitled Creativity and African Experience.

Hakatere Ceramics and Pottery - $1800 for its annual pottery exhibition, All Fired Up.

Heather Joy Milne - $1938 for a visual arts workshop called Inside Stories: Ashburton District.

Hinds and District Women’s Dinner Club - $864 to host episode four of The Bitches Box.

Methven and Foothills Walking Festival - $1000 to help cover costs associated with the Fairy Walk during its annual festival.

Mid Canterbury Children’s Trust - $2000 to help run Mid Canterbury Children’s Day.

Mid Canterbury Children’s Trust - $173 for Light up the Night activities.

Mount Hutt College - $1500 for its mural project

Mount Hutt College - $733 for its 2025 production

New Zealand Bands Ltd - $2198 to support the 2025 National Youth Brass Band.

Refugee Settlement Support/Safer Mid Canterbury - $1938 to present an Afghan Youth Voice photo project.

Staveley Campsite Committee - $800 for a wildlife mural

The Big Little Theatre Company - $3205 to stage The Two Gentlemen of Verona.

Wellbeing Ōpuke Charitable Trust - $787 for Give it a Go Mayfield

Wellbeing Ōpuke Charitable Trust - $1254 to run Give it a Go Methven

Zonta Club of Ashburton - $2000 to help support the Zonta Ashburton Women’s Art Awards and Exhibition.