Creativity, Culture and Heritage Strategy

We’ve collaborated with the Regional Arts Organisation Three Lakes Cultural Trust (TLCT), Lakes District Museum and Kāi Tahu to develop Te Muka Toi, Te Muka Tākata | The Creativity, Culture and Heritage Strategy for the Queenstown Lakes District.

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Strategy and Reports

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FAQs

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What’s next?

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Read the Strategy and Reports

Te Muka Toi, Te Muka Tākata, the Queenstown Lakes Creative, Culture and Heritage Strategy, was endorsed in June 2024, with unanimous support from Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) elected members. Shaped through community hui, creative voices, and the guidance of Kāi Tahu as tākata whenua, it sets a clear direction: creativity, culture, and heritage are central to who we are, how we belong and how we shape a thriving, resilient district.

In 2024–2025 we have moved from vision to action. Together, we’ve delivered the first wave of projects, set benchmarks for success, and built the relationships that will sustain this kaupapa and carry it forward with clear direction.

The actions within the first annual report reflect a clear community message: protect what makes this place special, create spaces of belonging, and place creativity, culture, and heritage at the centre of our future.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • This is a strategy to drive activity and investment to realise the full potential of creativity, culture and heritage in Queenstown Lakes District.

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  • We’ve got the raw ingredients of world-class potential in this space but we’ve previously lacked a common strategy to guide our collective efforts and contributions to fully realise that potential.

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  • The Strategy will be a platform for positive change to the way we view, approach and work together to nurture creativity, culture and heritage in our district. It will help us attract and focus resources to the right areas to ensure creativity and culture thrives in our communities.

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  • The Strategy has been informed and developed through conversations with our community through a series of district-wide hui and early insights engagement in April-June 2023. 

    It has also been shaped by feedback provided through public engagement on the Draft Creativity and Culture Strategy in March-April 2024. The work has been led by Queenstown Lakes District Council and the Three Lakes Cultural Trust, in partnership with Kāi Tahu and a range of sector groups. 

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    • Alignment – Aligning resources helps us realise more impact from the resources we have available.

    • Advocacy – A strategy developed with the community is a burning platform for growth of the culture and creative sectors.

    • Investment – The Strategy sets the stage for investment and helps us become more competitive with funding opportunities.

    • Connection – A unifying vision and direction brings people together and helps connect the dots on activity that may typically be viewed separately.

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    • The Strategy is underpinned by five foundations and five strategic priorities. These identify opportunities and actions that will enable the Queenstown Lakes District to become a thriving creative and cultural place for everyone.

    • These are supported by an Implementation Plan which acts as a road map and sets out over 40 actions to be delivered over ten years.

    • The Strategy will be collectively owned and delivered – with ongoing leadership from Council and the Three Lakes Cultural Trust.

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  • The unbreakable thread connecting creativity and humanity

    Creativity, culture and heritage belongs to all of us. It is a reflection of who we are, how we see the world and the values we wish to express in ways that make sense to us. In many respects, we are all practitioners and this strategy recognises the inherent creative potential within our whole community.

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  • We’ll be checking in with our community annually to ensure the Strategy's progress, relevance and effectiveness over time.

    We aim to use social, cultural and economic evaluation tools to help measure success and help provide a detailed understanding of the impact that Te Muka Toi, Te Muka Tākata | The Creativity, Culture and
    Heritage Strategy is having on our diverse communities.

    This will include measuring meaningful progress towards achieving the district’s community and wellbeing outcomes, as defined in the QLDC Strategic Framework.

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What's next?

Following the Strategy being endorsed by Council on 27 June 2024, head to the Implementation Plan to see ways you can get involved or reach out to: