A $9.5 million fund has been announced by Prime Minister John Key to help pay for public festival events at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Applications have opened on Wednesday for the New Zealand 2011 Festival Lottery Fund, which is being administered by the Department of Internal Affairs.
Any organisation can now apply for a slice of the lotteries money to capitalise on the tournament in their area.
Mr Key says the fund is designed to pay for everything from concerts to fairs, exhibitions, street markets and parades. It cannot be used for building.
Twenty-three centres are hosting either teams or games during the World Cup and Mr Key says the funding will ensure that opportunities to be part of the tournament are equally widespread.
Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker will lead a panel to assess the bids which also includes Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey and Sir David Gascoigne.
Applications close on 17 September. Recipients will learn in early November whether their bids are successful.
New Zealand Lotteries says none of its existing funding recipients will miss out as a result of millions of gambling dollars going to the Rugby World Cup.
Chief executive Todd McLeay says the money comes from a record-breaking $189.3 million profit it made last year.
