Not since 2024 have we seen a more spectacular art world implosion.
What happened in 2024? That would be the now legendary interview of Todd Stephenson, Act’s spokesman for the arts, by Newsroom literary editor Steve Braunias. Todd, it turned out, knew nothing about the arts, or even the guy he had bumbled into an interview with – the most lacerating arts commentator in the country.
Steve was curious to know why a spokesman for the arts didn’t think the government should fund them.
“I think that the arts and creative sector is very important to the culture of society,” Todd told him, “But I want to see that supported by individuals and, you know, very much not have the government involved.”
This is the theory that the market alone can keep artists, writers and musicians afloat, a view at odds with Todd’s own reluctance to visit a gallery or shell out for a book or concert ticket. The only artistic experience he could remember was a musical he’d seen in New York. Excruciatingly, Steve kept prompting him to name a single homegrown author (“Any New Zealand authors come to mind yet? Any? While the interview has progressed, I thought maybe one might have occurred to you”). A second’s pre-interview prep would have revealed the interviewer had written, at that stage, 13 books.
Steve did not hold back. “I’m a little bit mystified as to why you’ve chosen this spokesman role when your knowledge of the arts seems to be just about zero… You’re kind of an arts ignoramus, really, by your own reckoning.”
The story went nuts, viral, took off, broke the internet.
Todd Stephenson is still the official Act Party spokesperson for Arts, Culture and Heritage.
National’s Louise Upston, Minister for Social Development and Employment, might be too smart to be interviewed by Steve Braunias, but she has had a shocker of a week – having to apologise for blunders by her ministry impoverishing tens of thousands of people.
She also faced a flame-grilling after it was revealed that, as Minister for Tourism and Hospitality, she ignored expert advice recommending against a pet project: a $40 million ‘Events Attraction Package’ for international shows like Robbie Williams.
The report, from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), makes for incendiary reading for those who care about New Zealand music.
MBIE, we now learn, urged that international concerts should not be funded by the government. “The sector is largely self-sufficient… it is unlikely the benefits will outweigh the costs…”
Point 38, out of 50 in the report: “If the government invests in concerts, then the investment may not stay in New Zealand.”
Point 43: “Government investment into the festivals sector is more likely to deliver economic benefits and increased international visitation. The next section of your briefing outlines how this could be done with your existing $5 million investment.”
This is hard to read as music festivals including Splore combust around us. According to Henry Oliver in The Guardian, at least 30 of the music festivals held in the summer of 2023-2024 were cancelled, shut down or postponed, as costs soar and ticket sales dip. Splore had sought a $240,000 government grant without success.
Oliver quotes Flying Nun’s Ben Howe: “Culturally [music festivals] are really important. The success of artists such as Lorde and Aldous Harding was buoyed by their early-career appearances at local festivals.”
Meanwhile, Upston has poured tax-payer’s money into seven major international tours so far, including Linkin Park, System of a Down and Bruno Mars. The minister enjoys getting in on the act, appearing in social media linked with the stars.
How much has each of these shows cost tax-payers? Tens of thousands? Millions?
We don’t know. The books are sealed until the end of the funding round – in late 2027 perhaps, Upston told The Spinoff this week.
A secretive golden fund for one-off performances is hard to defend when her own advisors told her the blooming obvious – longer music festivals encourage people to stay longer in a region than a one-off gig.
Perhaps musicians or festival–goers aren’t National’s core demographic.
Upston’s focus on the needs of big event managers and ‘providers’ (important as they are) comes at the expense of another constituency, one you might think should be at the core of arts policy.
What has Upston’s $40 million ‘Events Attraction Package’ done for New Zealand artists?
Art isn’t a luxury. It isn’t a ‘nice-to-have’. It isn’t an American TV show, or a musical we saw once in New York. The government is uniquely able to build resilient art infrastructure.
Ireland, with a population close to New Zealand’s, trialled a three-year stipend for 2000 artists. It paid for itself, and was so successful it is now permanent policy and likely to be extended. Artists selected through a random lottery receive €325 (NZ$640) a week support. Under the scheme, artists increased their arts-related expenditure by €333, and arts-related income by more than €500 per month on average.
According to The Guardian, the scheme “recouped more than its net cost of €72m (NZ $144m) through “increases in arts-related expenditure, productivity gains and reduced reliance on other welfare payments”, according to the government’s cost-benefit analysis.
While we are tossing around ideas, I love this one, suggested by columnists Jolisa Gracewood and Khylee Quince, inspired by policies in France, Italy and Germany.
How about a ‘culture pass’ given to everyone on their 18th birthday? A credit-loaded card to spend on cultural activities, gigs, plays, books or art as they see fit would be “an instantly effective and productive policy a government could consider, if it wants to boost the arts-based economy,” says Jolisa.
Genius!
• Jenny Nicholls
© Gulf News & Waiheke Weekender Ltd 2026
