Following the carnage of the final capped Creative New Zealand (CNZ) Arts Grants round in April - those who have successfully run the gauntlet have emerged.

CNZ announced the 119 projects that have received funding from the latest round on Wednesday (5 July) - totalling $5 million - $4,998,297, to be precise. 

After the cash injection from Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage, this fourth round of Arts Grant funding was $1.2m more than the previous round, with 38 more projects getting the green light this time around. 

The first thing that needs to be done is to congratulate those who have received funding. Anyone who has experienced the process knows how difficult it is to get to that stage - it's been hard-fought and well-deserved. Nothing should diminish their achievement in, for some, will be the biggest boost of their careers.

It's an emotional experience - as Jackie Lee Morrison, who received almost $25,000 to write the second draft of her debut novel, tweeted "It means a lot. When I got the email this morning, I cried."

Tears were also on the cards for the many who missed out after making it through the brutal battle to be in the running.

The application cap for this just-funded Arts Grant round was raised from the controversial 250 cut-off to 450, which did little to allay the pressure and bedlam that ensued - with the portal crashing and the window open for just 24 hours.

Of those 450, only 400 were considered eligible - another source of frustration for the applicants.

Those who were unsuccessful have expressed a range of emotions to The Big Idea - from 'devastated' to 'all part of the journey' - with one creative who has experienced the funding rollercoaster before stating "Long term, this destabilises plans and timelines again." 

There is some consolation in the knowledge that the deeply unpopular cap system is officially dead and buried - with the next Arts Grant (round 1 of the new 2023/24 cycle) opening early August, closing early September with results due late October. That will give far more equity of application for all creatives, which should be lauded.

Some hugely regarded names have made the cut this time around - including celebrated theatre makers Karin McCracken and Eleanor Bishop's pairing of EKBM ($75,000), Arts Laureates FAFSWAG ($50,000), musician and fellow Laureate Shayne Carter ($59,700), visual artist Jade Townsend ($35,516), choreographer and dancer Jessie McCall ($37,865), multi-discipline talents Miriama Grace-Smith ($74,047), Nisha Madhan ($74,600) and  Rosanna Raymond ($73,522).

Raymond told The Big Idea that she was "in shock", adding "I felt sick with relief on this one…almost the same feeling after missing the cut-off for the previous round. 

"I spent the next 3 months preparing for this round - so about a total of 6 months in preparation - then the craziness of dealing with the portal (on application opening day in April). Even though I was 100% ready at 9am, it took me until 2pm to actually be able to submit - what a nightmare. 

"Today I was relieved but also had feelings of 'survivor's guilt' - and a sense of responsibility to make sure the investment is going to make everyone proud of what we produce. So no hating please, I’ve worked hard for this."

Full list of CNZ's fourth round Arts Grant Recipients 

Allen & Unwin New Zealand $24,000 - to publish a memoir by Māori activist and artist Tame Iti.

Anthony Lapwood $13,650 - towards the final draft of a new novel - Louis Johnson New Writers Bursary.

Antonia Barnett-McIntosh$16,000 - towards research and development phases to support a commissioned composition.

Aotearoa Community Wellbeing Trust $26,442 - towards delivering Fire Performance Training at Aum NYE Festival 2023.

Areez Katki $72,712 - to develop, craft and deliver a new body of work to be exhibited at Palazzo Mora during La Biennale di Venezia 2024.

Arohanui Strings - Sistema Hutt Valley $75,000 - towards Arohanui Strings performance and development opportunities to underserved tamariki in Hutt and Wellington Cities.

Art Attic Gallery $25,842 - towards Art Attic Gallery, an artist-run project space in central Invercargill.

Arts Makers Aotearoa $74,508 - to create a guidebook for visual artists that advocates for best practice and artists’ rights in Aotearoa.

Auckland Museum $60,000 - towards the exhibition of Te Rā, the only known Māori woven sail in existence at Tāmaki Paenga Hira, Auckland Museum.

Birdlife Productions $12,915 - towards the creation of a new Puppet Theatre show for children aged 3 to 7 years.

BLOT $74,830 - to curate, commission, and publish three issues of an online journal.

Borderline Arts Limited $75,000 - towards the research and development of a new work of dance-theatre, Oh Dear.

Brendan McKenna $9,117 - towards costs to perform at least two high profile music festivals in Canada in August 2023.

Brynley Stent $6,819 - towards presentation of solo work ‘Soft Carnage’ at Soho Theatre in London.

Brynne Tasker-Poland $18,971 - towards a multidisciplinary performance focusing on the frustrations and repercussions of burnout.

Caitlin Devoy $51,091 - towards a new collection of sculptures to be exhibited with ECC, Personal Structures, Venice 2024.

Caitlin Smith $74,820 - to record and manufacture a double album of 20 new original songs.

Candy Keelan $21,017 - towards research, development and the creation of new works to be presented at the 2023 XIV Edition Florence Biennale.

Chloe Loftus $43,694 - towards a tour of outdoor, inclusive aerial dance performance to four UK arts festivals.

Colville Junction $74,844 - to create a ‘Pop-up Creative Pod’ as a central hub for our communities to participate in the arts.

Crescendo Trust of Aotearoa $74,826 - towards Crescendo’s mentoring programmes to provide workshops to rangatahi to develop artistic skills and future opportunities.

Dead Bird Books $36,465 - to publish four books.

Deaf Wellbeing Society Incorporated $27,450 - towards a series of workshops exploring art forms in NZ Sign Language.

Depot Art and Music Space Trust $65,000 - towards the delivery of an annual portfolio of artist and community development programmes.

Desiree Gezentsvey $12,800 - towards a stage adaptation of playwright Desiree Gezentsvey's 'A Good Winter'.

EBKM $75,000 - towards final development and rehearsal costs for ‘Gravity & Grace’

Elise Koncsek $33,094 - towards a pop-up studio housing a walk-in diorama with interactive sculptures which tell a cohesive story.

Emerita Baik $58,762 - towards the first year of the Columbia University MFA programme.

FAFSWAG Arts Collective $50,000 - towards presenting Mixed Media Exhibition 'ALTERATION' in Toronto, Canada.

Festival Opera Limited $65,120 - to present The Magic Flute for audiences in Te Matau-a-Māui affected by Cyclone Gabrielle.

Fresh Movement Arts Trust $40,000 - towards remounting and touring theatre show, Māui, to the Hawai'i Kuauli Cultural Festival.

Hannah Hallam-Eames $15,186 - to present an installation-based research project, Industries of Excess, at the Matadero Museum, Madrid.

Hapai Productions Ltd $75,000 - towards the re-rehearsal of Witi's Wāhine in 2024.

Hawaiki Tu Productions Limited $74,910 - to support the remount of Taurite and tour to Whangarei 2023.

Headland Journal, Lena Fransham $6,500 - towards two special issues of Headland.

Heather Galbraith $27,463 - towards creating new work for and exhibiting Deep Material Energy II at Australian Design Centre, Sydney.

Helena-Jane Kilkelly $17,955 - towards remount costs for festival presentation.

Henry Tahuri $19,225 - towards research, development and creation of new work to be presented at the 2023 XIV Edition Florence Biennale.

Hic Sunt Dracones $19,750 - towards the rehearsals and multi-media presentation of the award-winning show, CONSTELLATIONS, at Tūhura Otago Museum.

Huia O'Sullivan $52,450 - towards Manawa Ora, a rangatahi-led theatre project.

Igelese Ete $75,000 - towards a new Samoan/Pacific Opera fusing traditional, contemporary, classical and Koniseti.

Ingrid Horrocks $35,700 - towards a new work of fiction, a collection of short stories, Oscillations.

Jackie Lee Morrison $24,882 - to write the second draft of a debut novel.

Jade Townsend $35,516 - towards a new body of work to be exhibited internationally.

Jan Warburton Charitable Trust $7,600 - towards a three-month fully funded research residency for Sorawit Songsataya at Gasworks London in 2023.

Jennifer Cheuk $9,140 - towards a 4-week development of a biracial, bilingual theatre script, 'Notes Underground'.

Jessica Ducey $30,000 - towards an international tour of two original musical works celebrating queer and trans joy.

Jessie McCall $37,865 - towards the development of a choreographic/scenographic work.

Johanna Emeney $56,578 - to research and write a creative nonfiction book for young people 9-14, collaborating with graphic artist Zak Waipara.

John Smythe $49,927 - to commission, edit and publish online reviews, with production details of professional performing arts productions.

Jonathon Heyes $11,752 - towards promotion for the release of 'Beehive'.

Kaaterina Kerekere $74,400 - towards the Installation, presentation of an exhibition of Contemporary Māori Art at the 2023 Florence Biennale by Tāhū Collective.

Kate Mitchell $7,528 - to attend an advanced glass blowing course at the Corning Museum of Glass in the United States.

Katherine Johnstone $16,475 - towards the debut of a New Zealand theatre play.

Kenneth Rea $10,669 - to write and develop a book about the Living Theatre Troupe in 1970s Aotearoa New Zealand.

Kerry Ann Lee $74,972 - towards a public programme & legacy publication.

Khali Philip-Barbara, Te Kahureremoa Taumata $75,000 - towards a collection of kōrero tuku iho embellished by taonga puoro soundscapes.

KOKOKO Creative $31,660 - towards the development of a new theatre script based on the battle of Orakau.

Kriselle Baker $30,855 - towards a major publication on the life and work of the Māori documentary photographer John Miller.

Kshetra Collective $31,500 - towards Invisible Narratives, an exhibition by the Kshetra Collective at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery investigating diasporic perspectives.

Landing Press $9,236 - towards an anthology of diverse poems about 'generations' written by new to renowned poets from across New Zealand.

Laser Kiwi $39,896 - to tour 'Laser Kiwi - Rise of the Olive' the award winning surreal sketch circus show to the UK for Edinburgh Fringe.

Lucien Johnson $28,413 - to record and produce a new LP of original music.

Lynne Cardy $72,380 - towards a 9-month sector consultation process to develop Theatre in Schools Aotearoa (working title).

Makers 101 Ltd $75,000 - towards an artistic development progamme for 12 New Zealand jewellery artists.

Malcolm Lakatani $72,500 - towards a digital home of Niuean ancestral songs and chants.

Manea Footprints of Kupe $50,000 - towards reviving the practice of building traditional waka tangata in Hokianga.

MARINADE $50,000 - towards the production, publication and distribution of Marinade Issue 03.

Massey University Press $65,500 - towards five new books to be published in 2024.

Matthew McIntyre Wilson $51,350 - towards the creation of a large scale woven sculptural installation at Sarjeant Gallery Te Whare o Rehua, Whanganui.

Megan Brady $26,930 - to develop a body of work from relocating the artist's tūrangawaewae and looking at the memories of their awa; Rakahuri.

Melanie Luckman $69,995 - to research, develop and write a musical play about anxiety in children.

Michelle Elvy, James Norcliffe $23,610 - towards a year of flash fiction, with special focus on Katherine Mansfield in October.

Miriama Grace-Smith $74,047 - to paint a seven storey mural in the heart of Rotorua CBD during the ARONUI Arts Festival 2023.

Motone Productions $6,134 - towards a programme of Pacific Opera in the Cook Islands.

Movement Art Practice Ltd -$72,498 - towards a 10 month programme that incorporates four different residencies.

Moya Lawson $33,956 - to create a publication with the artist Debra Bustin, the first dedicated to her career and community work. 

MTG Hawke's Bay $24,118 - towards a large format, bi-lingual publication to accompany the exhibition 'Stories of Our Place' at MTG Hawke's Bay Tai Ahuriri.

Mud Studios Limited $31,329 - to expand and improve MUD Studio Services.

Newzician Magazine $6,237 - towards publishing the third issue of Newzician Magazine.

Ngati Koata Trust $53,600 - towards two animated videos depicting tupuna stories to be created as educational resources.

Nisha Madhan $74,600 - presentation of large scale public art work.

Octavia Cade $36,800 - towards a magical realist novel written to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the Rainbow Warrior bombing.

Okareka Dance Company $50,000 - towards taking the production to the people of North Carolina and Cincinnati in the United States of America.

ONEONESIX $17,119 - towards a project developing audiences and professional contexts for performing arts in Tai Tokerau.

Opus Orchestra $75,000 - towards Opus Orchestra touring two concert programmes to Hamilton, Tauranga, and Rotorua in July and October 2023.

Oranui Press $12,512 - to publish a second edition of Global Roaming and develop a digital dimension to the book.

Otaiatoa LTD $73,500 - towards Te Rau o Ahorangi to hold specialist mau rākau wānanga once a month in Taupō.

Pacific Music Awards Trust $50,000 - towards supporting services and activities to nurture Pacific artists through their journey in music.

Pa’oa Revival Collective $35,000 - to travel to museums in the United States of America that house Aitutakian pā'oa.

Parachute Music $15,000 - towards a professional development initiative that brings song creators from around New Zealand to attend songwriting events.

Paul Maseyk $32,000 - to create new large scale Jugs for exhibition at the Dowse and Sarjeant Art Galleries.

Petera Hatea $20,520 - to research, develop and create new work to be presented at the 2023 XIV Edition Florence Biennalle.

Potentially Playing Productions $39,990 - towards the premiere production of a joyous play about queer relationships in the animal kingdom.

Robert Jahnke $60,000 - towards a body of new work.

Rosamund Philpott $38,840 - towards stage one development for a new independent contemporary dance theatre work by Rose Philpott and collaborators.

Rosanna Raymond $73,522 - to develop and create new works for the Performance Space Liveworks Festival in Sydney 2023.

Sally Stockwell $50,294 - to tour We've Got So Much To Talk About across Aotearoa.

Seidah Tuaoi $49,140 - towards a show based on fusing Siva Samoa and Popping at the Hawkes Bay Arts Festival 2023.

Selina Ershadi $24,638 - to research and develop new moving image works towards an exhibition at The Physics Room in 2023.

Shayne Carter $59,700 - to record and release an orchestral album of Shayne Carter's material.

SOFT.co $37,927 - towards the development of a new collaborative interarts work examining the intersections of artmaking, identity and AI.

Somi Kim $25,710 - to record an album of New Zealand piano music.

Story Morehouse $69,158 - towards a graphic novel aimed at rangatahi and young New Zealanders.

Susan Elliott $43,000 - towards a series of Karanga Wananga, noho Marae to be held at Whakaue Marae to maintain our traditions and ensure they thrive.

Taane Mete $38,414 - towards Phase 3 development of Te Mata.

Te Ora Auaha $74,000 - towards sector resilience for the creative sector by Te Ora Auaha developing communities of practice, hauora resource and tangible network opportunities.

Te Wehi Haka Limited $50,000 - towards Te Wehi Haka participating in an international cultural exchange to maintain traditional artforms for New Zealand.

Terri Te Tau $54,920 - towards a collection of short stories and embroidery.

Tessa Mitchell $72,750 - towards a feature length documentary on the life and work of typographer, printer, publisher, artist and agitator Bob Lowry.

The Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora $14,993 - towards the presentation of Maisey Rika at Te Matatiki Toi Ora 2023 Matariki Festival.

The Rebel Alliance Limited $75,000 - towards the creation and premiere of 'The Valentina' by Anders Falstie-Jensen.

The Spinoff $60,700 - towards two strands that collectively support the development and sustainability of high quality, New Zealand literature.

Thelonious Records $8,600 - to mix and master two previously recorded, unreleased, live gigs from the Thelonious Records library of recordings.

Titus Books $7,000 - to publish a creative non-fiction Waikato travel journal by Richard von Sturmer.

Ubud Writers & Readers Festival $5,000 - towards two NZ writers attending Ubud Writers & Readers Festival.

Wairarapa Youth Orchestra $35,480 - towards an educational youth orchestra open to all primary and secondary school aged students across the entire Wairarapa.

Yana Dombrowsky-M'Baye $6,180 - towards a new experimental moving image work that will contribute to the RM Gallery and Project Space Women’s Moving Image Archive.

Yona Lee $69,316 - to create new work for a solo exhibition at the Art Sonje Center, Seoul to coincide with Frieze Seoul 2024.