Barriers to access for Māori, d/Deaf, and disabled music-makers

In 2024 NZ On Air commissioned research by a team at Massey University into the accessibility of our Music funding processes.

Funded musicians image

In November 2024, NZ On Air received a report titled Barriers to access for tāngata whaikaha Māori, d/Deaf, and disabled music-makers: Pathways, recording and releasing music, and funding. It was written by a team of musicology and disability researchers who had been commissioned by NZ On Air to provide recommendations for how we could improve the Music Funding processes for artists with disabilities.

NZ On Air is deeply grateful to the researchers, their expert advisers and those musicians who participated in the research.

As a result of the research we are taking an organisation-wide approach to addressing accessibility of funding processes.

The full research report is published below, along with a paper outlining NZ On Air's response to the recommendations made.

Download: Barriers to access for tāngata whaikaha Māori, d/Deaf, and disabled music-makers: Pathways, recording and releasing music, and funding

Full report from Massey University researchers on barriers to NZ On Air funding processes for disabled music-makers

PDF 873.5 KB

Download: Response Paper - Music and Accessibility Research_ April 2026

NZ On Air's responses to 18 recommendations from Massey research team on disability access issues in music funding

PDF 274.6 KB

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