Local artists (in any discipline), performers, venue owners, space-holders, and anyone interested in creativity, placemaking, and community connection.

This is about bringing spaces to life, offering visibility to artists, and contributing to a wider cultural story for our district. It’s an opportunity to build new collaborations between artists, performers, venue owners, and creative thinkers — and to help shape something uniquely local.

If you’re a local artist living in the Queenstown Lakes District and have work you’d like to share — we want to hear from you.

We’ve connected with a range of venues across the district that are excited to celebrate creativity and showcase local artists throughout November. Your work might be:

• Something already created and ready to show

• A new project you’d like to develop

• A live performance or an artwork made in real time

This is an opportunity to promote your work, share your practice, and be part of a district-wide celebration of creativity.

Each venue is different — from shopfronts to lobbies, libraries to restaurants — and varies in size, setup, and style. Once you submit a short proposal, we’ll aim to match your work with a venue that best suits your idea. We’ll then introduce you to the venue so you can discuss the details together.

This is primarily a visibility and profile-raising opportunity, a way to showcase your work and you as an artist, and most venues are offering space and promotion rather than payment. We encourage transparency in your proposal if you have costs occurring (e.g. performance fees, materials). The Creative Spaces Project does not fund projects. If funding is required, we recommend applying to the following arts funds:

• CCS: Creative Communities Scheme (around $2,000 per project). This fund is open in August only.

• CLASS: Central Lakes Arts Support Scheme (around $2,500 per project). This fund is open monthly.

More information can be found at https://www.qldc.govt.nz/community/community-funding/arts-culture-and-heritage-funds/

Expressions of Interest for the 2026 Creative Spaces Project are open from 12 June – 31 July 2026.

The Creative Spaces Project will promote the project collectively, however we do expect our artists to support marketing and promotion of their own projects to friends, family and the wider community.

We encourage both artists and venues to share their involvement through their own channels — more voices create a louder collective impact. We’ll provide social media templates and assets you can use, but feel free to get creative and share your own content too.

Every participating venue will include a displayed artist and venue profile sign alongside the work — featuring a short bio and a QR code linking to a digital map including information on the venue and artist. This ensures people engaging with your work in person can easily connect with you and explore more of what you do.

Have photos or something exciting to share along the way? Send it our way — we’d love to help spread the word.

Let’s get the district talking.

#creativespacesproject

Unfortunately, no. While we’d love to place every creative, a match isn’t guaranteed.

The Creative Spaces Project is designed to connect artists with venues in a way that suits both parties. Once we receive proposals, we’ll review them alongside the interests and capacity of each venue. We’ll then send selected proposals to venues that align with what they’re looking for — and they’ll make the final call.

For example, if a venue is interested in showcasing sculpture, we won’t send them proposals for live music.

If a match is made, we’ll introduce the artist and venue to work through the details together. If a match isn’t found this time, we’ll keep your proposal on file and let you know about future opportunities where it might be a better fit.

Matchmaking is what we’re here for — it’s a core part of the support this project provides. We’re not expecting you to speak to venues before a match is made.

That said, if you already have a venue in mind or conversations have already begun, please let us know in your proposal so we can follow up from there. We’ll take it from there to make sure both parties have everything they need to make it work.

If you and your matched venue hit it off and want to continue working together beyond November — amazing! That’s entirely up to you and the venue, and we’d love to see those relationships continue.

We’ll be gathering feedback from both artists and venues at the end of the project to help us shape what comes next — your insights will be really valuable.

• 12 June – 7 August 2026: Expressions of Interest for the 2026 Creative Spaces Project are open.

• Across August 2026: Matchmaking phase. We may contact you to gather any missing information and connect artists with suitable venues.

• 1 September 2026: Matches confirmed. Artists and venues will be introduced and can begin working together.

• 30 September 2026: You confirm all details of your artwork and display with the Creative Spaces Project Team.

• 25 – 31 October 2026: Installation week.

• 1 – 30 November 2026: The Creative Spaces Project is live and open to the public.

The Creative Spaces Project does not fund projects directly, but there are two arts funds that may support your involvement. You don’t need a confirmed match to apply — the CCS window opens in August, right during the matchmaking phase, so it’s worth planning ahead.

CCS: Creative Communities Scheme

Grants are usually around $2,000. Applications are open 1–31 August only — so if you’re thinking about applying, plan ahead. Your project must do at least one of the following:

• Encourage participation — creating opportunities for local communities to engage with and participate in local arts activities

• Support diversity — supporting the diverse artistic and cultural traditions of local communities

• Enable young people — providing opportunities for those under 18 to engage with and participate in the arts

CLASS: Central Lakes Arts Support Scheme

Funding of up to $2,500 per applicant per project. Decisions are made monthly — submit your application before the 15th of each month.

• Queenstown applicants: apply through QLDC / Jan Maxwell — jan.maxwell@qldc.govt.nz

• Upper Clutha applicants: apply through the Upper Clutha Community Arts Council

More information on both funds: https://www.qldc.govt.nz/community/community-funding/arts-culture-and-heritage-funds/

Expressions of Interest for the 2026 Creative Spaces Project will open 12 June 2026.

We will continue to keep the process as simple as possible, while also trying to facilitate the perfect match.

To help us match you with the right venue, we need a bit of information from you. This will be collected through a short Q&A form.

The form will ask you things like:

• Who you are and what you do

• A quick summary of your creative proposal

• Links to your work (e.g. website or Instagram)

• Images, sketches or concepts

• Details on installation — what you know now

• Your promotion plans

If you need help with installation, please let us know in your proposal — installation support may be available.

If you’d prefer to submit your proposal in a different format (e.g. video, document) feel free to get in touch with us directly. We’re trying to keep the process simple — please contact Marie Schmidt: marie.schmidt@qldc.govt.nz

The Terms and Conditions for the 2026 Creative Spaces Project are below.

2026 T&Cs

By participating in the Creative Spaces Project and agreeing to work with a venue, you agree to the following:

1. Deadlines & Dates. You’ll stick to all key dates and deadlines set by the Creative Spaces Project, as well as any timelines agreed on with your matched venue.

2. Communication & Follow-Up. You’ll keep in regular contact with your matched venue and make sure they have the information they need to support your creative proposal.

3. Payment & Costs. The Creative Spaces Project does not fund projects. If funding is required, we recommend applying to the following arts funds: CCS: Creative Communities Scheme (around $2,000 per project, open in August only); CLASS: Central Lakes Arts Support Scheme (around $2,500 per project, open monthly). More information can be found at https://www.qldc.govt.nz/community/community-funding/arts-culture-and-heritage-funds/

4. Insurance and Risk. Artists and venues are responsible for discussing and agreeing on insurance and risk management. The Creative Spaces Project does not provide insurance for artworks, equipment, or activities.

5. Installation. Artist is responsible for the installation of the work, however the venue will support the artist where reasonable and make the artist aware of any H&S risks or other requirements.

6. Ticketing. If your Creative Spaces Project is on a set date and time (e.g. a performance), you are to manage your own ticketing process.

7. Promotion. The Creative Spaces Project will promote the project collectively, however we do expect our artists to support marketing and promotion of their own projects to friends, family and the wider community. We will provide templates and tools to support your promotion.

8. Respect for Space. You agree to use the venue respectfully and leave the space in the same condition you found it, unless otherwise arranged.

9. Safety & Permissions. You’re responsible for ensuring your work is safe to display or perform in a public space and that all permissions (e.g. use of images, sound, copyright) have been secured if needed.