05 Sep 2021
Creative New Zealand is pleased to announce a new funding opportunity is now available to support Pasifika festivals in New Zealand.
The Tolu Wave fund will provide up to two-years of funding for eligible Pasifika festivals across Aotearoa to help them continue operating through the ongoing disruptions due to COVID-19.
This third phase of funding follows the successful roll out of two earlier funding phases, the Tasi and Lua Wave funds, which were created under the Pasifika Festivals Initiative.
“Pasifika festivals are wonderful cultural events enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders around the country, often involving many young performers and children where the arts are being celebrated, from our big cities to our regional communities,” says Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban, member of the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa, Creative New Zealand’s governing body.
“It’s great to see that despite the curveballs of COVID, we are seeing our passionate Pasifika festival organisers engaging with us with their feedback and how we can continue to work together.”
The Tolu Wave fund will provide funding for eligible Pasifika festivals in 2022 and 2023, with support towards staging festivals and capability building to strengthen festival organisations also being available.
The Tolu Wave fund will be followed by a strategic Fa Wave initiative that will focus on strengthening the national ecosystem for Pasifika festivals.
“Offering two more years of funding helps alleviate financial stress so Pasifika festival organisers can plan ahead to help the economic and cultural recovery in our communities,” says Creative New Zealand Chief Executive Stephen Wainwright.
“We’ve worked hard at evolving our offerings to our arts community since last year’s first lockdown. To be able to further support our Pasifika arts whānau with significant events is equally important to us.”
The Pasifika Festivals Initiative provides $12 million over three years through a phased approach of four waves of funding. It is part of Manatū Taonga’s Arts and Culture COVID Recovery programme announced by the Government in May 2020 to support the cultural sector’s recovery from COVID-19.
The Pasifika Festivals Initiative is administered by Creative New Zealand, in collaboration with Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage and the Ministry for Pacific Peoples. Pacific Business Trust, as the Pasifika economic development agency, is working with the agencies on the initiative to help support the economic, business and development needs of eligible Pasifika festivals.
Tolu Wave opens for applications on Monday 6 September 2021 and closes on 15 October 2021.
Read more about the eligibility criteria and application process on the Tolu Wave funding page.
See who got funded:
Pasifika Festivals Initiative - Tasi 21 recipients
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