26 May 2024
The annual Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifika Awards are now open for nominations.
The awards celebrate and recognise excellence in Pacific Arts across a wide range of arts practices and career stages. Any New Zealander can nominate an artist, or themselves, for an award.
The Arts Pasifika Awards have been offered annually since 1996 and are the only national awards for Pasifika artists across all artforms.
This year, there are seven award categories open for public nominations:
- Senior Pacific Artist Award ($25,000): recognises the contribution of a senior established Pacific artist in maintaining or developing their artform in New Zealand and recognises commitment to their practice and mana within the community.
- Pacific Toa Award ($10,000): this award recognises the contribution of a Pasifika artist with the lived experience of disability to Pacific arts nationally or globally.
- Pacific Heritage Arts Award ($10,000): recognises a major contribution by a Pasifika artist or community group to maintaining, reviving or promoting a Pacific heritage artform in New Zealand.
- Pacific Contemporary Artist Award ($10,000): recognises an artist who has demonstrated innovation within their artform. Artists must have a track record of achievement in their chosen field. Recognition will be given to those who work in a unique artform, or those who continually push the boundaries of their practice.
- Special Recognition Award ($10,000): recognises a Pacific arts practitioner for special contribution to Pacific arts, nationally or internationally. This award recognises an individual whose work, influence and commitment have raised the standards, expectations and reputation of Pacific art and artists. It may be awarded for artistry across any art form or for arts management and could be for a one-off or ongoing contribution to a local or international success story.
- Emerging Pacific Artist Award ($7,500): recognises an emerging artist showing promise and potential in their chosen art form. The purpose of this award is to recognise achievement at this developmental stage, ensuring that the artist will develop their career in their chosen field.
- Iosefa Enari Memorial Award ($7,500): recognises the contribution of the late Iosefa Enari to the arts, in particular his pioneering role in Pacific opera. This award supports the career development of a Pasifika singer, musician or composer across all classical genres and career stages.
Last year the awards resoundingly acknowledged Pasifika women and their contribution to the arts, with the majority of awards received by women, including Lonnie Hutchison and Ani O’Neil who both won the Senior Pacific Artist Award.
Nominations close 5pm, Friday 21 June 2024.
For more details on how to nominate, visit the nomination page
Check out the list of all past winners here
For more information or support, email pacificarts@creativenz.govt.nz
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