Waitangi Day celebrations would have to be scrapped to pay for this summer's full programme of Movies in Parks.

A report to this week's council Culture, Arts and Events Forum includes a review of the event by council staff. Funding of more than $150,000 for Movies in Parks was scrapped by the council earlier this year, but protests from organisers and locals made them reconsider the decision.

Last summer and autumn 18 free movies were shown in various locations around Auckland with an average attendance of just over 1100 people. Six screenings were cancelled because of poor weather. The programme cost more than $250,000.

The review said one of the event's major sponsors had withdrawn and the council could not afford to run a full programme of movies for the 2012/13 season without scrapping other events such as Waitangi Day celebrations and the International Cultural Festival.

The council considered charging people to see the movies but decided costs to secure the events would almost outweigh the benefits. It would also mean that council would be competing with movie theatres and would therefore need to secure the latest movies.

Council staff have recommended to councillors that they support a reduced programme run by local boards, returning to a larger programme at the end of next year.

The funding for the 2013/14 programme would have to be approved through the Annual Plan process. The recommendation will be discussed at the forum tomorrow.

A survey about the Movies in Parks programme showed almost 90 per cent thought the event helped make Auckland a creative and vibrant city, while 84 per cent said it brought people together.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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