Supporting locally grounded, globally connected culture

The digital world gives us unprecedented ability to access and share our history, our stories and our taonga with each other and the rest of the world. Content can be created and delivered in new ways, reflecting community voices and transmitting creative expression.

Artists and creative producers contribute to our sense of national identity and enrich our lives. The cultural industries – including publishing, advertising, architecture and the art market – also make a significant economic contribution. Sales of goods and services and other income from cultural industries were $9.7 billion in 2004.¹ Digital production means content creators and providers can use digital networks to reformat, package, disseminate and commercialise their work beyond national boundaries and direct to consumers. It also makes possible the creation of new kinds of content, such as ‘born-digital’ arts.

As well as allowing us to create and share more New Zealand content, the digital world also challenges us to ensure that locally produced and public service content continues to be created and made accessible to a wide audience. The government will continue to engage with and support the production, distribution and archiving of content across new digital platforms, as well as supporting digital broadcasting and the visibility of New Zealand culture online.

The digital world offers opportunities for strengthening Mäori identity, expressing a Mäori world view and communicating in a global context. Digitising mätauranga Mäori can be a powerful way to transmit aspects of culture, heritage and identity to future generations and those who have moved away from their rohe. Digital broadcasting has already increased the cultural diversity of television and radio. In 2008, a government-funded digital channel broadcasting in te reo Mäori was launched – a Treaty of Waitangi partnership in cyberspace.

Case studies on multi-media theatre, web 2.0 technologies for Maori language and marae enhancement, and using digital technologies to improve productivity and services in the heartland.

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^{1   Cultural indicators for New Zealand 2006. www.stats.govt.nz}