Celebrate Pasifika - Thursday 8 March 2007

Celebrate Pasifika - Thursday 8 March 2007

Arts Arena - Oasis of Calm at Pasifika Festival

If you're going to the Pasifika Festival this weekend and want to avoid early 'festival fatigue', check out Celebrate Pasifika's free Arts Arena.

An oasis of calm, the Arts Arena is a place for people of all ages to hang out away from the crowds and soak up the creative atmosphere before heading out again.

Kids can spend some quiet time with Pacific superhero creators Johnny Angel (creator of first Samoan superhero Afi) and Nooroa Te Hira (creator of The Adventures of Niu) colouring in, listening to stories and watching video clips. The new cartoon heroes are part of Tautai Kids, a project hosted by the Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust.

Parents and adults can relax at the same time and listen to live opera, comedy, poetry and choral music, check out the visual art exhibitions or watch short films from the Pollywood Shorts Five07 series.

A feast for the eyes and ears, Celebrate Pasifika's Arts Arena will also feed the mind with three public forums led by Teresa Brown, Industrial Organiser for NZ Actors Equity Union, and Anton Carter, Pacific Arts Strategy Adviser for Creative New Zealand.

Aspiring artists and actors will find out how to join these industries and survive professionally. Teresa and Anton will be joined by actors, artists, musicians and film makers making a name for themselves. Proactive and business savvy, these creative professionals know what it takes to make a living from their arts.

The Arts Arena will run from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm during the Pasifika Festival and mirrors the wider Celebrate Pasifika festival running throughout March in the Auckland region.

Celebrate Pasifika's Festival Director, Michelle Khan, says the regional programme of arts and events aims to showcase the extraordinary achievements of Auckland's Pacific peoples and give Aucklanders and visitors alike the chance to engage with Auckland's Pacific cultures.

Programme for Arts Arena - Pasifika Festival
Saturday 10 March 2007

10am Amene Choir

10.30am Electric Kokozoids comedy

10.45am Being brown and being down with your rights as an actor
How to get started and how to stay in one of the toughest industries! Actors Equity hosts a discussion of Pacific people involved in our stage and screen industry

11.40am Art of AIGA 3 parts:
MATUA: Rev Mua Strickson-Pua performs from his book "Matua" about his family, his life, and experiences.
AIGA: Aiga Pua: Sofi Ulugia-Pua performs poetry from his book "Confidential". Che'den Sofi [4yrs] and Jane Filemu [6yrs] perform poetry and dance.
TALAVOU: Hip hop youth poets share Pacific urban identity.

12pm Ben Makisi - opera
If you missed hearing Ben at the Pasifika Festival opening night concert, don't miss this intimate opportunity to hear his beautiful voice.

12.15pm Speaking with artists hosted by Anton Carter
Ben Makisi - opera singer, Mike Pau - Jamoa Jam,
Filipe Tohi - Manuland Sculpture Symposium,
Craig Fasi - Pollywood, Letila Mitchell - Pacific Artist Alliance, Rev. Mua Strickson-Pua - Poet

1.30pm Creating arts projects - Tactics for survival
Visual artists and filmmakers talk about how they create their projects, source funding, sell their work and make a living from their arts practice.

2.30pm Black Friars comedy

2.45pm Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust presents Pacific cartoons
Interested in finding out more about drawing cartoons or creating your own illustrations? Join Johnny Angel and No'oroa Te Hira as they talk about their work.

3.45pm Pacific Island Short Film Tent - Pollywood Shorts Five07
Chill out at the end of a very big day.

Creative New Zealand
Are you an emerging or practising artist? Do you have questions about developing one of your arts projects? Want to know what information and resources are available? If you answered yes to any of the above, you need to speak with Anton Carter (Strategy Adviser, Pacific Arts) from Creative New Zealand.

Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust hosts "Tautai kids"
A fantastic opportunity for children to spend some quiet time with Pacific superheros and their creators.

Pacific Island short film
Showcasing Pacific Island short film at its best. The First Pollywood Shorts programme from 2003 to the very latest Pollywood Shorts programme, POLLYWOOD SHORTS FIVE07.

Manuland
Manuland is a new sculpture project taking place on the south side of the Mangere bridge. This is your opportunity to talk to some of the artists.
Fresh stories of the Pacific...
Traditional making and modern

ENDS

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