NYC exhibition a feature of Pacific Arts grants

MEDIA RELEASE

Date: 03 November 2003

New York exhibition a feature of
Pacific Arts Committee grants

International opportunities for Pacific artists, heritage arts, music recordings, dance workshops, writing and publishing are among the projects offered grants by the Pacific Arts Committee of Creative New Zealand in its latest funding round, announced this week.

A feature of the round is the Pacific Arts Committee’s support for Paradise Now?, the first major presentation of contemporary art from both New Zealand and the Pacific Islands in an American museum. To open at New York’s Asia Society Museum in February 2004, the exhibition will showcase the work of a number of leading Pacific artists. The Pacific Arts Committee offered grants totalling $34,900 supporting the exhibition.

The Pacific Arts Committee has four funding programmes to which artists, groups and organisations apply. The programmes are Pacific Islands Arts Development; Pacific Islands Arts Promotion; Pacific Islands Heritage Arts; and Tangata Whenua Links.
In this round, the Pacific Arts Committee received 44 applications for funding requesting nearly $500,000. In the end, 30 projects were offered grants totalling $172,939.

Applications to the Pacific Arts Committee’s next funding round close on Friday 27 February 2004. Copies of the Funding Guide: Ngä Pütea 2003-2004 are available from Creative New Zealand offices or can be downloaded from the publications page of its website (www.creativenz.govt.nz).

The following pages provide a brief description of the 30 projects. If you would like more information about any of these projects, please contact:

Pacific Arts Committee project grants

Pacific Islands Arts Development

$12,000 to the Macmillan Brown Centre of Pacific Studies of Christchurch: towards hosting two artists-in-residence in 2004. The three-month residencies provide Pacific artists with a full-time opportunity to develop their art in an academic environment. Artists are also expected to contribute to the centre’s activities, including seminars and workshops.

$8000 to Maria Samuela (Cook Islands) of Porirua: towards writing Brown and Proud?, a historical novel for children.

$5000 to Fiona Collins (Samoa) of Porirua: towards writing and workshopping a new script, Under My Mother’s Mattress, for theatre. A leading Pacific actor, Collins’ play will deal with issues relevant to young Pacific audiences.

$2500 to Huia Publishers of Wellington: towards publishing Albert Wendt’s play, The Songmaker’s Chair.

$7750 to Art in General of New York: towards the cost of Cook Islands artist Ani O’Neill (Grey Lynn, Auckland) participating in Art in General’s two-month residency programme from November – December 2003. The programme will introduce O’Neill to the New York arts community, and publish an illustrated brochure and accompanying critical essay documenting her residency project.

$4000 to Tofiga Fepulea’i (Samoa) of Mirimar, Wellington and Eteuati Ete (Samoa) of Island Bay, Wellington: towards developing and workshopping a new comedy show. Both comedians devised and featured in the recent show, Laughing with Samoans.

$4500 to Dianna Fuemana (Niue/Samoa) of Avondale, Auckland: towards the cost of a writer’s residence in Niue. The leading Pacific playwright aims to work on a new play during her time in Niue.

$4600 to Falani Kalolo (Tokelau) of Raumati South, Kapiti: towards participating as a guest artist with The Dance Company of Middlebury in Vermont, the Unites States. The emerging choreographer will spend January and February of next year rehearsing, performing and touring with the dance company, as well as teaching and gaining professional development.

$3000 to Manawa Music Ltd of Titirangi, Auckland: towards writing, developing and recording a CD-ROM by Max Stowers (Samoan, Ngati Kuri), aimed at demonstrating the links between Mäori, Pacific and European Kiwi cultures through original contemporary music.

$7000 to Paul So’oula (Samoa) of Rotorua: towards workshopping his new Samoan theatre production, Aute ma Tagaloa.

$5389 to Misa Tupou (Tonga) of Henderson, Auckland: to attend Stomping Ground, a physical theatre workshop in Queensland, Australia in January 2004.

$8000 to Sugarlicks Records of New Lynn, Auckland: towards recording costs and artist fees for a debut album, produced by leading DJ Manuel Bundy and described as “a Pacific hip hop jazz milestone”.

$8800 to Tusiata Avia (Samoa) of Wellington: towards attending the Summer Literature Seminars in St Petersburg, Russia, in June 2004. A writer, poet and performer, Tusiata Avia wrote and performed a one-woman show, Wild Dogs Under My Skirt.

$3000 to Penina ole Pasefika (Samoa) of Otara, Auckland: towards the cost of recording an album of original music. A family band of five, it was formed in 1996 and has recorded four albums, including Best of Penina ole Pasefika Band.

$3000 to the Bill Sevesi Emerging Group of Mt Roskill, Auckland: towards teaching young emerging Pacific musicians.

$3500 to Christchurch Tongan Community Association Inc: towards cultural workshops to pass on knowledge and skills in tau’olunga, traditional Tongan dance.

$5000 to Leonie Douglas (Fiji) of Wanganui: towards a nine-week developmental and research workshop exploring Pacific Island dance, to be held in Wellington in March – April 2004.

Pacific Islands Arts Promotion

$9900 to Island Divas of Herne Bay, Auckland: towards an inter-media performance at Paradise Now?, an exhibition of contemporary art from both New Zealand and the Pacific Islands to be held in New York in February 2004. The group’s performances are curated by Lisa Taouma, working with four other Pacific artists.

$5000 to Niki Hastings-McFall (Samoa) of Waitakere, Auckland: towards travel costs to attend the opening of Paradise Now? An exhibition of contemporary art from both New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, it will feature the work of Hastings-McFall and other leading Pacific artists.

$20,000 to the Asia Society and Museum of New York: towards exhibition and artist costs in presenting Paradise Now? An exhibition of contemporary art from both New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, it aims to challenge the traditional perception of the Pacific Islands as paradise.

$8000 to 2 Much Music Ltd of Kilbirnie, Wellington: towards hip hop group Footsouljahs touring New Zealand and Australia in January and February 2004.

$3000 to Gemma Collier of Palmerston North: towards publishing a book of photographs about a group of Cook Islands women sewing tivaevae in Porirua.

$8000 to the Auckland City Council: towards the Arts Arena performing arts stage at the one-day Pasifika Festival in Auckland on 13 March 2004. One of four stages at the festival, the Arts Arena stage will feature Pacific Islands comedy, poetry, drama, theatresports and contemporary dance.

Pacific Islands Heritage Arts

$3000 to Kolokesa Mahina (Tonga) and Meked Besebes (Palau) of Auckland: towards a research trip to Vanuatu Museum and Cultural Centre. With a background in the areas of cultural heritage and museums, they wish to expand their knowledge and share it with other developing Pacific Island museums.

$6000 to Kiribati Wellington Club: towards workshops on traditional Kiribati dance, incorporating other cultural aspects such as language and music. The workshops are planned to take place in November – December 2003.

$3000 to Tavale Tanuvasa (Samoa) of Mangere, Auckland: towards research in Samoa involving interviews with the paramount chiefs, orators and church ministers for a book on the origins and history of Samoa.

$3000 to Auckland Niu Community Trust of Waitakere: towards workshops making the Tuvalu “ili” (fan). This is an important craft in Tuvalu and each island has its own unique design.

$2000 to Tefisi Village Education and Development Trust of Auckland: towards activities preserving Tongan performing arts.

$2000 to Niutao Community Trust of Henderson, Auckland: towards researching and compiling songs for a Nuitao song book.

Pacific Islands Tangata Whenua Links

$5000 to the Public Dreams Trust of Hastings: towards an outdoor musical performance in Cook Islands Mäori, entitled Takitimu, and an associated workshop for youth. The performance will be part of the First Night Hastings, an annual community festival to be held on New Year’s Eve 2003.

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