09 Dec 2021
Through its Pacific Arts Strategy, Creative New Zealand is proud to have supported another 15 powerful Pasifika arts projects in 2021 and is thrilled with the success of its Boosted X Moana initiative.
For the past two years, Creative New Zealand and Boosted, run by the Arts Foundation, have teamed up to help kickstart Pacific arts projects, with crowdfunding donations matched dollar for dollar up to a set amount.
The overall aims of Boosted X Moana are to support the Pacific arts community of Aotearoa as it recovers from the impact of COVID-19, alongside implementing Creative New Zealand’s Pacific Arts Strategy 2018-2023, which calls for powerful Pacific arts, led by passionate and skilled Pasifika people, for Aotearoa, Te Moana-nui-a-Kiva and the world.
“We developed Boosted X Moana as a way to help Pasifika creatives build their fundraising capability, marketing skills and resilience, while growing awareness about their work and opportunities for others to participate, all goals of our Pacific Arts Strategy,” says Creative New Zealand’s Senior Manager Pacific Arts Makerita Urale.
Feedback from participating creatives has been overwhelmingly positive, including Fine Fatale saying, “We are super stoked! Feeling the warmth of the support from our community! Thank you so much to you and your team for this amazing initiative and helping us with all the publicity and interview. It’s been the most exciting thing of this lockdown.”
Creative New Zealand invested $100,000 in the development and implementation of Boosted X Moana 2021, an increase of $25,000 on its inaugural 2020 investment. The 2021 campaign attracted a larger number of donors and donations, building on the success of 2020 and attracting 1,492 donors and a total $159,612 in donations. Boosted X Moana will run again in 2022.
“While it was a relatively small investment, we’ve seen such with great returns for our Pasifika creatives. They’ve gained new knowledge of crowdfunding as another funding avenue, plus marketing and community-building skills to support their future projects, and increased connection with others in the creative community. It’s been great to see our community get behind these creatives, and every project successfully reached or exceeded its target funds,” Makerita says.
In both 2020 and 2021, 15 projects were called for and accepted on a first in first served basis. Launched on the Boosted platform for the month of October, each donation received is matched, dollar for dollar, up to a set amount (in 2021, 5 x $5,000 for arts organisations and 10 x $3,000 for individual creatives).
Pasifika creativity was also utilised throughout the implementation of the 2021 campaign, with Pasifika creatives, Ladi6, Dan Ahwa and SWIDT as the champions of the project and supported the kaupapa through their channels. Other Pasifika talent included graphic designer Shaun Naufahu, Noa Records, Boosted X Moana 2020 alumnus Michel Mulipola creating a “how to match fund” comic to reiterate the process, and several Pasifika voice artists.
Below are the Boosted X Moana 2021 projects, spread across seven genres: visual art, theatre, craft & object, literature, film, multi-disciplinary and music:
- funding to turn a dance collaboration between the artistic direction of Moana artists Jahra Wasasala and Ooshcon (CONJAH) and their collaborators, into a short dance-horror film.
- funding for Enjoy Contemporary Art Space, a non-profit art gallery located in central Pōneke, will support its new Pasifika tama'ita'i and Curator - Exhibitions and Public Programmes, Etanah Falagā Talapā, in developing her first group art exhibition in 2022.
- funding to launch its first collection, displaying and selling artwork that showcases their Polynesian identities, alongside releasing official merchandise.
- funding to support Jacob Dombroski to have more conversations and talanoa with people, to ensure it becomes a work of art, a festival and more than just a vision.
FEVER: Return of the Ula - National Tour 2022
- funding, after a sell-out season at the 2021 Auckland Live Cabaret Festival, redevelopment of the show Fever: Return of the Ula by Fine Fatale for a nationwide tour to engage wider audiences, especially trans and queer communities beyond Auckland.
- funding for J3PK aka Jeffery Poimamao Kalauta to create a series of Pasifika hip-hop tracks that capture & express the experience of longing for reconnection to my ancestral homeland, Niue.
- funding for creative artist John-Paul Foliaki to create his first EP.
- funding to create new forms of Tongan koloa (cultural treasures), using 3D printing as a medium, with the aim to run workshops that encourage and inspire our Pasifika communities to create their own koloa within 3D forms and materials.
Kupesi Peau Ongo: New Horizons
- funding for Sione Faletau (multidisciplinary artist) and Sione Langi (musician) to create an immersive and interactive exhibition, where people can come into the gallery space and create kupesi (patterns), through the interaction and activation of Tongan Instruments.
- funding the short documentary Lost in Translation, the story of Moreroa Cluthers and her granddaughter’s emotional pilgrimage to reconnect with her lost language and cultural heritage in Rarotonga.
- funding to kickstart a new poetry press dedicated to championing, publishing and printing Moana Pacific writers.
Stereotypes Of A Polynesian Misunderstood
- funding for a ten-track album by Ōtautahi rapper and songwriter Big Sima.
- funding for a free event, creating space for approximately 50 artists of all economic backgrounds, providing opportunities for South Auckland artists to be part of an amazing experience that can generate income, build professional portfolios, allow space and time for creating connections with other creatives, and uplift the overall wellbeing of everyone involved.
- funding for mother and daughter duo Sulieti Fieme'a Burrows and Tui Emma Gillies, to create a large decorative Ngatu (tapa cloth) and four small sized works on tapa for group exhibition, 'The Most Unusual Gift', opening May 2022 at the Ashburton Art Gallery.
Waiting by Sos and Sha Creative – on tour
- funding to take award-winning theatre show Waiting on tour for a season at BATS Theatre, with the aim of paying all collaborators a living wage.
Image caption: Boosted X Moana 2021 projects, clockwise from top: JP’s debut EP by JP Foliaki; Gazing the Vaka by J3PK aka Jeffery Poimamao Kalauta; Fever: Return of the Ula by Fine Fatale; Stereotypes of a Polynesian misunderstood by Lucas Fahey; The Last Kai by Sulieti Fieme'a Burrows and Tui Emma Gillies; Saufo`i Press by Faith Wilson.
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