Creative New Zealand support for Pacific heritage arts

Creative New Zealand, 13 May 2010,New Zealand

Workshops to help Pacific communities apply for funding to preserve their heritage arts – such as carving and weaving – will be held by Creative New Zealand during May and June.

“Heritage arts provide a way for Pacific people to express what makes their communities unique while also underpinning and influencing their contemporary art,” says Chair of Creative New Zealand’s Pacific Arts Committee Pele Walker.

“We’re inviting people and groups who practice traditional Pacific arts, community leaders and others interested in these arts to attend the workshops.”

Creative New Zealand will provide the results of recent research into the health of Pacific heritage arts in New Zealand as well as advice on what funding support is available from the agency and how to make an application.

Creative New Zealand commissioned Massey University to research the health of Pacific heritage arts across New Zealand’s seven main Pacific communities.

“While some artforms such as the performing arts, tivaevae and Samoan tatau are thriving, others such as canoe building and aspects of weaving are proving difficult to maintain for some communities,” says Pele.
 
“The research also found that communities were not aware of the funding resources available to them and experienced difficulty in understanding Creative New Zealand’s application and reporting process.”

The workshops are a first step towards raising awareness and providing the advice necessary to encourage applications to support heritage arts.

The research is being used by Creative New Zealand to develop a three-year heritage arts strategy to support Pacific communities to strengthen and pass on their customary artistic practice.

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