In arts organisations are awaiting news of their futures.
Creative New Zealand will announce new funding levels for the Fortune Theatre and Southern Sinfonia on Friday, after a review of its funding regime last year.
Both organisations are traditionally recurrently-funded, but were turned down for the premier Arts Leadership Investment Programme (Toi Totara Haemata), as they did not make "a compelling case" for inclusion.
"What we're looking for is organisations to play a leadership role in their art forms," CNZ chief executive Stephen Wainwright told the Otago Daily Times.
"They threw their hats in the ring, but what we're saying to the Fortune and Southern Sinfonia is: 'You gave it your best shot, but we're not confident at the moment that you've made a compelling case'." The criteria were "strong governance, management, artistic management and direction", Mr Wainwright said.
"They [Fortune and sinfonia] do a lot well, in a very challenging environment. We know arts organisations play an important part in the communities in which they reside and we're mindful people in Otago and Southland should have access to quality arts," he said.
"Resources may or may not change. We try not to do that in a way that will do harm to the arts community. But, it's a dilemma in a country the size of New Zealand how many organisations you can look to to play a key leadership role."
Twenty-two organisations were accepted into the ALIP, and 10 - including the Fortune and sinfonia - were asked to supply further information to be considered for the premier programme.
In Dunedin, the Fortune Theatre ($480,000 per annum), the Southern Sinfonia ($315,000 pa) and the Blue Oyster Art Project Space ($85,000 to $89,000 pa) are all reliant on CNZ funding.
The Fortune and sinfonia have traditionally been in CNZ's premier funding programme but, if unsuccessful, will slip into the second tier contestable funding programme, the new Arts Development Investment Programme (Toi Uru Kahikatea),The ADIP offers short-term funding from six months to two years for organisations not fulfilling a key role.
The ODT understands that while the Fortune is likely to secure long-term, premier funding, the future of the sinfonia could hang in the balance.
CNZ has only committed to funding two high-standard orchestras, in the North Island and South Island, and the Wellington-based New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
The announcement on Friday will confirm which arts organisations have been accepted into the two programmes and detail funding levels.
CNZ's existing funding arrangement ends in December and the changes take effect from January.
