# Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage

The Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage is a minister in the New Zealand Government with responsibility for arts, culture, heritage, and broadcasting, and is in charge of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage. The position was established in 1975 as Minister for the Arts.
The present Minister is Paul Goldsmith.

## History

The Third National Government of New Zealand established a ministerial portfolio with responsibility for the arts at its election in 1975. This reflected a growing interest of the Government in the cultural sector. The name of the portfolio changed to "Minister for Arts and Culture" in 1987. During this period, the portfolio was serviced by the Department of Internal Affairs.
A separate portfolio, Minister responsible for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, was established in 1987. This was held first by Jonathan Hunt (24 August 1987 – 9 February 1990) and subsequently by Margaret Austin (also the Minister for Arts and Culture; 9 February 1990 – 2 November 1990) before being subsumed back into the responsibilities of the Minister for Arts and Culture.
A standalone agency, the Ministry for Cultural Affairs, was established by the Fourth National Government in 1991, which necessitated the change of title to "Minister for Cultural Affairs." With the creation of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage in 1999, which brought together cultural and heritage responsibilities in the same agency, the portfolio title changed to match its department. The present name was adopted in November 1999 at the election of the Fifth Labour Government.

## List of ministers
### Key

National  Labour
| No. | No. | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Prime Minister |
| As Minister for the Arts ||||||||
| | 1 | Allan Highet | 12 December 1975 | 26 July 1984 | Muldoon |
| | 2 | Peter Tapsell | 26 July 1984 | 24 August 1987 | Lange |
| As Minister for Arts and Culture ||||||||
| | 3 | Michael Bassett | 24 August 1987 | 9 February 1990 | Lange |
| | 3 | Michael Bassett | 24 August 1987 | 9 February 1990 | Palmer |
| | 4 | Margaret Austin | 9 February 1990 | 2 November 1990 | Palmer |
| | 4 | Margaret Austin | 9 February 1990 | 2 November 1990 | Moore |
| | 5 | Doug Graham | 2 November 1990 | 3 October 1991 | Bolger |
| As Minister for Cultural Affairs ||||||||
| | (5) | Doug Graham | 3 October 1991 | 16 December 1996 | Bolger |
| | 6 | Christine Fletcher | 16 December 1996 | 12 September 1997 | Bolger |
| | 7 | Simon Upton | 12 September 1997 | 31 August 1998 | Bolger |
| | 7 | Simon Upton | 12 September 1997 | 31 August 1998 | Shipley |
| | 8 | Marie Hasler | 31 August 1998 | 1 September 1999 | Shipley |
| As Minister for Culture and Heritage ||||||||
| | (8) | Marie Hasler | 1 September 1999 | 27 November 1999 | Shipley |
| As Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage ||||||||
| | 9 | Helen Clark | 27 November 1999 | 19 November 2008 | Clark |
| | 10 | Chris Finlayson | 19 November 2008 | 8 October 2014 | Key |
| | 11 | Maggie Barry | 8 October 2014 | 26 October 2017 | Key |
| | 11 | Maggie Barry | 8 October 2014 | 26 October 2017 | English |
| | 12 | Jacinda Ardern | 26 October 2017 | 6 November 2020 | Ardern |
| | 13 | Carmel Sepuloni | 6 November 2020 | 27 November 2023 | Ardern |
| | 13 | Carmel Sepuloni | 6 November 2020 | 27 November 2023 | Hipkins |
| | 14 | Paul Goldsmith | 27 November 2023 | present | Luxon |

## List of associate ministers

Associate Ministers for Arts, Culture and Heritage have been appointed on occasion since 1999. Their role is to assist the portfolio minister in carrying out tasks related to the portfolio. They may exercise statutory powers or functions delegated on behalf of the minister under the Constitution Act 1986.
| No. | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Minister |
| 1 | Judith Tizard | 10 December 1999 | 19 October 2008 | Clark |
| 2 | Mahara Okeroa | 19 October 2005 | 19 October 2008 | Clark |
| 3 | Carmel Sepuloni | 26 October 2017 | 6 November 2020 | Ardern |
| 4 | Grant Robertson | 26 October 2017 | 6 November 2020 | Ardern |
| 5 | Jacinda Ardern | 6 November 2020 | 25 January 2023 | Sepuloni |
| 6 | Kiri Allan | 6 November 2020 | 1 February 2023 | Sepuloni |
| 7 | Willow-Jean Prime | 1 February 2023 | 27 November 2023 | Sepuloni |