Culture in Motion – Ministry for Culture & Heritage | Covid Recovery & Beyond

Pip Rudhall Hyett
May 23
2 min read

Updated: May 23

Project Overview

Supporting the Ministry through the Covid Response Programme and its transition was deeply meaningful. The arts, culture, and heritage sector gives so much to this country—and this was our chance to give something back.

The Challenge

When the pandemic hit, MCH moved fast to deliver funding across 17 initiatives. But as the dust settled, there was a new challenge—how do we transition those quick-response efforts into long-term, sustainable support? And how do we carry that work forward in a way that still honours the people behind it?

Approach Taken

Over multiple projects, I supported the operational design of customer service delivery and portfolio management and transition to business as usual. I worked shoulder-to-shoulder with incredible teams, helping them bring order to the chaos and build systems that could stand on their own.

Outcome

We didn’t just keep the momentum—we helped shape a better way forward. Dozens of initiatives transitioned into BAU, with clear reporting, strategic clarity, and strong sector support.

Without the Covid Response Programme, we may have lost some truly significant organisations—arts groups, cultural institutions, even community sports bodies—because their audiences disappeared almost overnight. That would have been a quiet but devastating blow to an industry that touches nearly every New Zealander.

Why It Matters

You might not realise just how far-reaching the work of Manatū Taonga is, but for many households—probably close to three out of four—it’s the concerts, festivals, libraries, museums, and events we just assume will always be there.

This programme helped keep the wheels turning. It gave these organisations the breathing space to adapt, to find new ways of reaching people at home, and to hold on long enough to meet their audiences again on the other side.