Funding

nzLARPS
#1

aucklandcity.govt.nz/council … /creative/

Would have to be an actual event (or series) being funded, not just the society in general.

Also, I think a non-combat event that emphasises the “art” aspect of larp would be more likely to succeed in an application. Something that stresses the interactive drama aspect of larp.

#2

Either that one or aucklandcity.govt.nz/council … /index.asp which is just about generic community groups or clubs. I’m looking into this as a possible source of funding for future BattleCry’s, especially if we want to move up to a bigger venue.

#3

I was at a wedding reception at Highwic House in Newmarket on the weekend. The interior of the house is cordoned off in that “historic house” kinda way, but I think the gardens would make an excellent venue for a high-society larp. Like a Jane Austin / Regency style of larp, or one with a New Zealand history angle, C19.

A larp with a basis in NZ history would fit the criteria for a funded arts event very nicely. Not only is it arty, but it’s culturally relevant. It would appeal more widely to the public than the common genres (fantasy, SF, horror), and there may be reenactment groups around with suitable costume. Seriously open public advertising could see an event with 200 people, I reckon. I think the venue cost around $400 to hire for the day, so venue hire could be one of the smaller expenses - leaving more budget for costuming, entertainment, etc.

A Kapcon-style larp might work well. Pre-written characters, or written in cooperation with the players. Character groups and webs of intrigue. Period newspapers with items about characters at the gathering. Plus, plenty of entertaining stuff that isn’t strictly larp-related but keeps people happy - period music, dancing, games of croquet (they have a playing green), drink and food, that sort of thing. Family fun.

NZLARPS would benefit from the public exposure, and probably gain a lot of NZ period costume.

It’s just a thought for a larp that would be suited to certain types of funding, and probably give NZLARPS a good name. Anyone be interested in running something of that sort? It would probably be possible to apply for funding now for an event for next summer.

#4

Last year’s grants can be seen here:

aucklandcity.govt.nz/council … ations.asp

Each grant is between $500 and $3000.

Live roleplaying would come under the “increase the range and diversity of the arts available to communities” criteria for funding.

#5

Under “inelligible activities” it says

  • catering costs, costumes, prize money, fundraising

So catering and costumes would have to be funded by charging participants a fee. But I think NZLARPS could apply for funding for venue hire, advertising, print costs, period musicians, etc.

Funding applications have to be for projects, not just a society’s ongoing costs. We could include requests for funding for several other upcoming projects, such as Tryst, Og, the Epic Greek game, etc. Maybe even Mordavia. However, a larp that’s clearly aimed at being more open to the public would be a great way to sell the other projects and make them easier to understand. And the Society is the right kind of banner to apply under.

#6

Problem is, most of our cost is props and costumes, or catering :slight_smile:

I know that the Lion Foundation will give funding for costumes, and there are other grants available. Once I get back from Taiwan and we’ve incorporated, we can see about arranging some community games…

#7

I guess we should make a list of all the grants available, and apply for all of them. I’m empahsising this grant because it seems like a close fit for larp and the aplication period runs out in 6 weeks or so.

I think it’s important to word each application differently to fit the criteria for the particular grant.

#8

We may not have our registration completed and accepted in time to apply for this grant. They are doing another in December, though, I believe.

#9

Ask for funding to hire the Fencible’s historical village that people were talking about last year?

Steph

#10

You don’t need to be registered to apply. An individual can apply, so I’m sure a pending society could.

#11

Now that NZLARPS is an incorporated society, let’s make a list of all the grants that might apply to NZLARPS. Here’s a couple for starters:

Others? What’s the best strategy for applying - just apply for everything?

#12

Checking these out, we cannot use the city grants for costume (this may include props). However, they both seem to qualify under ‘encouraging participation in the arts’ and the other criteria. As long as we arent classified as a sport (as line dancing is…) but as an art. Strange.

#13

No worries, it’s just a matter of tailoring the applications to specify purposes that are allowed by the grants. And then making sure we spend each grant on the correct purposes.

#14

I suggest that we place an application to the Lion foundation to do the following:

  1. buy costumes and props to improve the gear library, and
  2. use this new equipment to run a free/very low cost full-day game aimed primarily at novices – ie, experienced people would play crew (no fee) and we’d get many larp virgins to play.

(1) is what we really want (we could get a really good bulk deal from malefosse, I think). (2) is to make it appeal to the foundation, and also may result in many new members. This would have a cost (eg, if we hire Motu Moana for a day to run the game) but not much.

We could probably work out something on a budget of about 3000$, I think.

What do people think?

#15

We also have to be careful that we do not apply for the same thing to more than one place, this is a sure recipe for rejection. Maybe we can apply for a council grant to run a LARP workshop (‘interactive theatre’, push the Arts side) and a non-Mordavia game. The Lion foundation, since they will fund props and costumes, we could apply for props/costume grants and run a Mordavia game.

#16

I think Derek’s Epic Greek game would be an excellent one to apply to funding for, because it has historical/educational merit.

I don’t think Mordavia would look good on a funding appeal, and besides it won’t be going that much longer. I think we’ll have more luck focusing on the arts aspect of larp.

Don’t see why new people should be relegated to NPC in any game. Just make up a game like the NZ-history one suggested above where rules are minimise so anyone can start playing easily.

#17

This would be a good thing to use a Council grant for, billing it as an interactive theatre project. We might have problems getting enough costumes, though.

#18

I agree on this, that would work out well. I’d be worried about getting enough appropriate costume, though.

Replace ‘Mordavia’ with ‘generic medaevel swords&sorcery LARP’ then. Lion foundation are not so fixated on Arts as are the council, they are happy to fund anything that benefilts the community.

I meant that the experienced LARPers play NPCs (as this way they can make the game better for the newbies) and the new people are players. This makes a better introductory game for larp virgins, I think.

Steve

#19

This would be a good thing to use a Council grant for, billing it as an interactive theatre project. We might have problems getting enough costumes, though.[/quote]

I reckon that a “High Society” event at somewhere like Highwic House would attract a lot larger public attendance. I suspect that more of the general public like dressing up and playing someone important in a fun, happy environment than being poor farmers in a low, dirty game. The Howick village strikes me as more of a grim, edgy setting for fewer people with stricter controls over where you can wander.