Creative New Zealand’s Pacific Arts Strategy was first published in September 2018. This second edition, published in September 2019, includes minor updates to the text to reflect developments at Creative New Zealand.

Pacific arts refers to the arts of the Pacific Island peoples of New Zealand, who include all New Zealanders with a Pacific Island heritage. The Pacific Islands refers to the islands and nations of Oceania, which include the islands and nations of Micronesia, Melanesia and Polynesia.

This wide-ranging Pacific Arts Strategy applies across all of Creative New Zealand’s programmes and policies, including general arts funding, investments, grants, international, capability and advocacy programmes, and will also help to guide future Creative New Zealand initiatives and pilots.

The Strategy is set out in two main parts: the five-year strategic direction for Pacific arts; and the five-year priorities for action. It presents four overlapping, key focus areas, or “pou” as follows, and refers to examples of prior/ongoing investment made each of these areas:
• Tagata: Pasifika artists and arts practitioners are resourced to develop their practice and deliver outstanding work
• Vaka: Pacific arts groups, collectives and organisations are supported to help lead and grow Pacific arts in Aotearoa
• Va: An innovative and networked Pacific arts environment exists, so that Pacific arts are strengthened for future success
• Moana: Meaningful connections, across Aotearoa, Oceania and globally, ensure that Pacific arts are further enriched.

Creative New Zealand (2019. 2nd ed.) Pacific Arts Strategy 2018-2023. Creative NZ. Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa.