Pacific arts review: final report 2013

Executive Summary: Pacific arts and culture are a major feature of New Zealand’s arts landscape. The success of Pacific arts and the engagement of Pasifika1 audiences are vitally important for the success of New Zealand arts generally.Pasifika artists are making significant contributions to the New Zealand arts community and, over the coming decade, Creative New Zealand can expect Pacific arts and Pasifika artists to continue to achieve domestic and international success.In December 2011 Creative New Zealand’s governing body, the Arts Council, decided on a process and timeline for reviewing its support for Pacific arts. Through the review Creative New Zealand sought feedback and advice on how it can best recognise and support the arts of the Pasifika peoples.Following the review, a Pacific arts report and set of recommendations were made to the Arts Council.The report concluded that many of Creative New Zealand’s existing programmes, initiatives and policy settings are able to deliver to Pacific arts development. However, realising the potential of Pacific arts may require Creative New Zealand to allocate a greater proportion of its overall funding towards Pacific arts and Pasifika artists.The report identified five areas where Creative New Zealand can make a measurable difference to sustaining the health and vitality of Pacific arts over the next five years. These areas being:▪    increased support for Pacific heritage arts and artists ▪    improving Creative New Zealand’s understanding of, andcommunications about, Pacific arts▪    improving the Creative Communities Scheme’s delivery to Pacific arts▪    building and developing the infrastructure for Pacific arts ▪    strengthening inter-agency co-operation to promote and support Pacific arts.In this document we summarise the recommendations agreed by the Arts Council, and then dedicate a chapter to each of the five areas listed above. In these chapters we outline:▪    the recommendations that relate to the area▪    the feedback received during the review▪    the actions Creative New Zealand will take to address issues raised.There is also a chapter discussing other issues raised during the review. An explanation of the review methodology is also provided.1  In this report the terms Pasifika audiences, Pasifika artists and Pasifika peoples refer to the Pacific Islands’ peoples of New Zealand