Sector support in 2025-26

Through the Capability stream of our Investment Strategy, we invest in initiatives that strengthen the creative workforce and support the long-term health of the sectors we serve. This includes targeted professional development, upskilling and sector support across screen and music, helping build the skills, knowledge and resilience needed for local content to thrive.

By investing in the people and organisations behind the work, we help strengthen the pipeline for future funded content and support the creation of stories and songs that audiences want to enjoy.

In 2025-26, we invested $704,888 in 24 industry capability projects across the screen and music sectors, including professional development and upskilling and wellbeing initiatives. These included support for projects such as NextWAV., Elevate 2026, Kahurangi Toi Ātea, Niu Waves 2026, ScreenSafe Mental Health and Wellbeing Programme, MusicHelps Wellbeing Service and SoundCheck Aotearoa.

Building a more sustainable screen sector means investing not only in the content itself, but in the people and skill base that sit behind it. In 2025-26, our screen capability work continued to focus on strengthening career pathways and supporting practical workforce development.

Rupture 2026

Rupture 2026 provides the opportunity for six high-calibre writer-creators to have the resources and time to tackle creatively risky and bold projects that have the potential to have a strong impact locally and internationally once they are produced.

The selected writers are: Brynley Stent; Cushla Dillon and Tim Worrall; Malinna Liang; Paula Whetu Jones; Todd Karehana; and Vela Manusaute, Anapela Polata’ivao and Stacey Leilua. Over 14 months these creators will receive professional development opportunities to lift their skills, as well as tailored resources to facilitate the development of their projects to a stage where it can ideally attract international and local commissioning and funding support.

Funded $123,988 in 2025-26 and allocated $420,000 development pūtea for the six projects.

The programme included Song Week, a five-day songwriting camp with leading local and international talent creating new waiata, and a series of Writing Nights designed to connect artists, producers and songwriters through collaborative songwriting sessions.

Song Week welcomed acclaimed Australian artist and producer Alice Ivy alongside mentors Ladyhawke, CHAII and Missy, bringing together leading and emerging women and gender-diverse musicians including Alisa Xayalith, Gin Wigmore, JessB, Venice Qin, Rita Mae, Emerson, ASHY, JARNA and others for a week of songwriting, mentorship and collaboration.

The Writing Nights, curated by Riiki Reid, WHO SHOT SCOTT (Zaidoon), and Parachute's Studio Boost residents, connected more than 40 artists and collaborators across multiple creative sessions, generating new work and strengthening industry networks.

Funded (2024) $20,000 for Musician Pathway Initiatives

Under our Discoverability funding stream, we support several events that bring sector participants together at conferences and awards shows to network and exchange ideas, and to celebrate the quality of content being created. By sponsoring these events we help ensure the industry remains informed and exceptional work gains the visibility it deserves, creating pathways for creators to reach wider audiences, and attract further engagement and potential investment in their projects.

Big Screen Symposium 2026

NZ On Air supported the 2026 Big Screen Symposium (held 3-4 July 2026) that once again provided an opportunity for the screen sector to get together, learn and engage in meaningful conversations over two days. We took the opportunity to update the industry about our refreshed investment model and answer questions from attendees.

Funded $30,000 for Big Screen Symposium 2026

NZ Screen Awards 2025

The NZ Screen Awards continues to be an important opportunity for NZ On Air and the wider industry to recognise excellence in the screen industry and honour the special skills and unique talents of companies and individuals who create, produce, and perform in, screen content in New Zealand.

The November 2025 awards were expanded to include feature films for the first time, which makes these awards the country’s most high-profile screen industry honours with over 500 entries received in more than 40 categories. The awarding of the Screen Legend Award to Sir Sam Neill in 2025 was particularly poignant with his unexpected passing in July 2026.

Funded $60,000 for NZ Screen Awards 2025

Aotearoa Music Awards 2026

NZ On Air supported the Aotearoa Music Awards 2026, Aotearoa New Zealand’s premier annual music industry celebration. Held in May 2026, it marked the 61st year of the Awards and more than 50 years of the local music charts. The event featured performances from some of the country’s leading artists.

NZ On Air-funded artists were strongly represented among the winners, with awards going to Riiki Reid, Beastwars, Te Wehi, Alien Weaponry, Scribe, Mokomokai, Ny Oh, Tami Neilson, Balu Brigada, Borderline, and Tawaz.

NZ On Air has been a long-standing supporter of the Aotearoa Music Awards, as a place to celebrate excellence and promote the success of New Zealand music.

Funded $60,000 for Aotearoa Music Awards 2026

The awards held in August 2025 recorded the highest number of entries, first-time finalists and total finalists in the event’s history. Finalists reflected the rich diversity of Pacific communities, representing Samoa, Tonga, the Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, the Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tuvalu, Tahiti and Aotearoa New Zealand Māori, with many artists drawing on multiple cultural heritages. The breadth of Pacific culture was further highlighted through music performed in Cook Islands Māori, Fijian, Niuean, Samoan, Tokelauan and Solomon Islands languages.

Fifty percent of the awards went to projects and artists funded by NZ On Air. This highlights the important role public media funding continues to play in supporting Pacific artists, amplifying Pacific stories and languages, and helping grow the reach and success of Pacific music.

Funded $30,000 for Pacific Music Awards 2025

Taite Music Prize 2026

The Taite Music Prize is one of Aotearoa’s most respected music awards, celebrating outstanding creativity in recorded music. Named after late music journalist Dylan Taite, the main prize is $12,500 cash, alongside four additional awards recognising independent music, debut releases, industry contribution and music journalism.

In addition to supporting the April 2026 event, NZ On Air supported the Outstanding Music Journalism Award, which in 2026 was awarded to Rosa Nevison, Flynn Robson and Sam Elliott for Newzician Magazine.

NZ On Air has long supported the Taite Music Prize, recognising its contribution to a vibrant and critically engaged music sector in Aotearoa.

Funded $12,500 for the Taite Music Prize 2026