Arts Media “On Edge Of Collapse” – How To Rebuild It

“We found that it all goes back to value – when arts and culture is treated as a ‘nice to have’ it gets deprioritized, and this is what we’ve seen play out in the media industry. We need to flip this so arts and culture gets valued for the central importance it plays…”

Dr James Wenley
academic, practitioner, and critic

The state of arts and culture media is at a critical juncture, with a recent report, “New Mirrors,” describing it as being “on the edge of collapse.” Commissioned by Creative New Zealand, the research highlights systemic barriers such as declining arts coverage, underrepresentation of diverse communities, and cuts to dedicated arts journalist roles in legacy media.

Despite these challenges, the report offers a clear pathway for rebuilding, including the creation of a dedicated arts media fund and an independent Arts Media Centre to foster journalist-artist collaboration, enhance coverage, and improve accessibility. Strengthening this relationship could not only revitalize the arts ecosystem but also deepen public engagement with arts and culture as a core part of society.