Creative New Zealand announced a significant multi-year investment in the arts on 9 September 2026, confirming 183 grants across four funding tiers. The agency will invest $40.8m in 2026/27 alone, with $116m committed over three years, and 159 organisations will receive multi-year support. The announcement is one of the largest recent funding commitments in New Zealand's arts sector and provides longer-term stability for companies and artists.