CreaTer is a national alliance of tertiary education providers dedicated to strengthening New Zealand’s Creative Sector. We foster collaboration across New Zealand’s education sector and creative economy to advance the social, cultural, and economic benefits of creative arts education. We develop and nurture creative people, organisations and businesses to thrive.

The Creative Sector includes: Architecture, Design, Fashion, Games, Media, Mixed Reality, Music, Performing Arts, Photography, Publishing, Screen, Software, and Visual Arts.

New Zealand’s arts and creative sector is a significant economic force, contributing $17.5 billion to GDP in 2024. This vital sector employed 117,912 people in the year to March 2024, demonstrating steady growth. Industry alliance WeCreate estimates the creative sector could reach $25 billion by 2030.

Employers highly value the 21st-century skills that creative arts graduates bring to the workforce. These include creativity, collaborative teamwork, personal resilience, and interdisciplinary thinking, all essential for innovation in digital technology, content creation, and creative services. CreaTer members’ programmes cultivate these valuable, transferable skills so that our graduates stand out in the rapidly evolving global creative economy.