02 Apr 2026
Creative New Zealand and the Government of Niue are pleased to announce Dianna Fuemana has been selected as the 2026 Niue Artist in Residency.
The residency offers a six-week opportunity in Alofi for an established Pasifika artist to develop a project exploring Pacific identity, culture or history.
The opportunity is part of a three-year Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Niue and Creative New Zealand aligned with the Pacific Arts Strategy to strengthen cultural relationships between Aotearoa and the Pacific Islands.
Dianna Fuemana is an award-winning writer and director whose career spans theatre and screen, with a focus on telling nuanced Pasifika stories. She first emerged as an actor before gaining recognition for her writing and directing work, earning international acclaim.
She will spend the residency developing a screen adaptation of her play Birds, which was first performed at the 2011 Niue Cultural Festival in Alofi, Niue.
Dianna Fuemana is excited about the opportunity to work on a major writing project.
“Fakaue lahi mahaki for this opportunity. Birds was first performed in Niue, and returning to develop it as a screenplay feels like a full-circle moment. This will give me time to obsess and revitalise the story, draw inspiration from my people and their place, and allow those connections to shape the work in a new form,” she says.
Dianna also plans to deliver workshops for students to build confidence and capability in storytelling for both stage and screen. Drawing on her experience, she will share practical skills and insights, supporting students to develop stories that reflect their lives and communities.
Jannita Pilisi, member of Creative New Zealand’s Arts Council, says Dianna’s selection is a testament to her long-standing career as a creative.
“Dianna brings years of experience working across theatre and screen, with a practice that has continued to grow and adapt over time. She has a strong understanding of storytelling and how it shifts across different forms, and this residency offers space for her to keep developing that work in a new context as well as share her knowledge,” says Jannita
Hon. Minister Sonya Talagi is excited for the government of Niue to host the residency and the New Zealand artist this year for reciprocal benefits for Dianna and the local community.
“We’re excited to host another New Zealand senior artist, and the first since signing our three-year MoU. It’s great to see the calibre of artists, like Dianna, showing interest in undertaking this residency. Her experience and standing reflect the strength of the programme and what it continues to offer for practitioners across the diaspora.”
The residency aligns with the ‘Moana’ focus area of the Pacific Arts Strategy and the priority to ‘grow and deepen strategic partnerships and collaborations,’ in the Pacific Islands, worldwide and in Aotearoa.
Creative New Zealand acknowledges the high calibre of applicants for the 2026 residency and wish to thank everyone who applied. The opportunity will be open again next year, and eligible artists are encouraged to apply again.