Tautai Pacific Arts Trust

Tautai Pacific Arts Trust Tautai is a key organisation dedicated to the development and ongoing support of Pacific arts. Tautai receives major public funding from Creative New Zealand.

Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust was constituted as a charitable trust in June 1995. In January 2008 Tautai was registered by the Charities Commission as a charitable entity. Tautai also receives significant funding from the ASB Community Trust which supports activities in Auckland and Northland. Tautai also obtains some funding from other sources including member and supporter annual subscriptions.

Papali’i Fatu Feu’u ONZM is a pioneering Samoan-New Zealand artist and a significant figure in the development of contem...
18/08/2026

Papali’i Fatu Feu’u ONZM is a pioneering Samoan-New Zealand artist and a significant figure in the development of contemporary Pacific art in Aotearoa. In the 1980s, Fatu and his peers came together with a shared vision to support and promote Pacific visual artists at a time when Pacific art was only beginning to gain recognition. The earliest recollection of Tautai dates to 1986, when Fatu held a solo exhibition at Tautai Gallery in Auckland's Maota Samoa, with proceeds supporting the next generation of Pacific artists. This spirit of supporting and creating opportunities for Pacific artists became central to Tautai, which Fatu helped formalise as a charitable trust in 1995. Through his leadership and commitment, Fatu helped establish an enduring platform for Pacific artists to connect, exhibit and tell their own stories, supporting generations of artists and strengthening the visibility of contemporary Pacific art in Aotearoa and internationally.

Image: Fatu Feu'u painting at the 1996 South Pacific Festival of Arts in Apia, Western Samoa, where Tautai made its first international debut, following its establishment as a formal trust the year prior.

K I V A
Curated by Ani O’Neill
28 Aug – 10 Oct
Exhibition opening: Fri 28 Aug, 6-8pm

Mālō e lelei! This week, we celebrate Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e Lea Faka-Tonga – Tonga Language Week. This year’s theme is K...
16/08/2026

Mālō e lelei!

This week, we celebrate Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e Lea Faka-Tonga – Tonga Language Week.

This year’s theme is Ko 'etau hiva, ko e fe'unu mahu'inga ia ki he mo'ui 'a e Tonga - Our music is a vital strand of our Tongan culture.

Discover ways to connect with Tongan language, culture and creativity:

⭐️ Hilinga mea’a o te maramataka at Fresh Gallery Ōtara (until 19 September), bringing together Selekā artists, Aotearoa teaching artists and the displaced community of ‘Atatā Si’i through shared creative practice. Featured Tongan artists include Tevita Latu, Yasmin Aho and Taniela Petelo.
⭐️ Staying Power at Dunedin Public Art Gallery (until 13 September), featuring Tongan artists John Vea and Kalisolaite ‘Uhila alongside Angela Tiatia, exploring endurance, labour, value and impact through performance.
⭐️ Join Sione Monu at Te Oro for a drop-in kahoa-making session (10am–1.30pm), exploring the cultural significance of Tongan adornment.
⭐️ My Preference is for Taniwha at PEG Gallery, Wellington (until 12 September), featuring Tongan artist p.Walters alongside Māori and Pasifika artists across generations.
⭐️ Explore the Tongan contribution to Our Ocean of Islands at the New Zealand Maritime Museum, featuring Tongan knowledge, architecture, digital art and cultural treasures.
⭐️ Join Papatoetoe Library throughout the week for hands-on activities including kahoa, kumete and tapa-making.

🇹🇴Mālō ‘aupito, and enjoy celebrating throughout the week.

As part of our upcoming exhibition K I V A, Tautai’s Hub space will be activated as an archive and resource space, invit...
09/08/2026

As part of our upcoming exhibition K I V A, Tautai’s Hub space will be activated as an archive and resource space, inviting visitors to explore four decades of Tautai’s histories, artists, and Pacific-led cultural practice.

Image: ‘Tautai’ by Lonnie Hutchinson, a a large-scale temporary public art installation presented as part of the 2005 Auckland Festival, on a building on Queen Street, Auckland CBD.

K I V A
Curated by Ani O’Neill
28 Aug – 10 Oct
Exhibition opening: Fri 28 Aug, 6-8pm

Kia orāna kōtou kātoatoa,Last month, Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust received the news that our application to Cr...
07/08/2026

Kia orāna kōtou kātoatoa,

Last month, Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust received the news that our application to Creative New Zealand's Arts Organisations and Groups funding programme was unsuccessful. This outcome comes amid significant funding reductions across the arts sector, with many organisations impacted. As a result, Tautai will not receive Creative New Zealand funding beyond 2026.

Since then, our Board and team have been taking the time to absorb what this decision means for our organisation, our artists, and the communities we serve. While this outcome is deeply disappointing, we wanted to take the time to reflect before sharing an update.

For four decades, Tautai has championed Contemporary Pacific art and artists, creating opportunities, nurturing talent, and advocating for Pacific creative voices in Aotearoa and beyond. That commitment remains at the heart of who we are.

Over the coming weeks and months, we will be reviewing what this means for Tautai's future and exploring the pathways available to us. We are committed to approaching this process with care, transparency, and a focus on the artists and communities we exist to serve.

We want to acknowledge and thank everyone who has supported Tautai over the years - our artists, partners, funders, staff, trustees, alumni, and the wider Pacific arts community. Your belief in our kaupapa has made our work possible.

We acknowledge that we are one of several organisations affected by this funding round. We stand alongside our peers across the arts sector as we collectively navigate the impact of these decisions.

We also congratulate the organisations that were successful in this funding round and acknowledge the important contributions they make to the arts and cultural landscape of Aotearoa. We wish them every success as they continue their work.

This funding decision marks a significant turning point for Tautai. We will share further updates as we work through what comes next.

Meitaki ma’ata,
Dr Olivia Laita (Operations Director) on behalf of the Tautai aiga.

And that's a wrap on nobody belongs here more than you!Across their respective mediums and practices, these artists chal...
05/08/2026

And that's a wrap on nobody belongs here more than you!

Across their respective mediums and practices, these artists challenged our sense of what is possible, offering new ways of thinking about how we live, care for, and connect with one another in our communities, especially in an ever-increasing time of global complexity.

A huge thank you to our exhibiting artists - Carmel, Ayla, Miro, Isaiah, Teuila, and Portia - for your ambition, generosity, trust, and commitment to nobody belongs here more than you.

Thank you for creating a responsive and representative snapshot of student-led practice across the region, and for continuing to remind us that Pacific-connected artists cannot be confined to a single mould!

Meitaki ma’ata to everyone who visited, engaged with the exhibition, and supported these artists throughout its run.

Kia orana!This week, we celebrate ‘Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki 'Airani - Cook Islands Māori Language Week.The theme for ...
02/08/2026

Kia orana!

This week, we celebrate ‘Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki 'Airani - Cook Islands Māori Language Week.

The theme for ‘26 is ‘Me kite koe i te tuatua i to'ou reo tupuna, e turanga rangatira tena nō'ou no te uki amuri atu’ - With our language as our foundation, we will embrace the future.

Celebrate Cook Islands language and culture through these exhibitions, workshops and community events:

⭐️ Visit Threads of the Cook Islands at Papatoetoe Museum (until 16 August), showcasing the work of the Polynesian Creative Arts Mamas and internationally renowned tivaevae artist Tukua Turia.
⭐️ Join Kyani Utia for a free Tivaevae Workshop at Nathan Homestead (8 August), celebrating the traditional art of Cook Islands tivaevae (Now at capacity).
⭐️ Celebrate at Onehunga Community Centre (3–7 August) with free activities including Cook Islands stencil printing, Basic Reo Aitutaki, and tai and poke making.
⭐️ Check out Avaiki Ou Cultural Day in Christchurch (8 August), celebrating Cook Islands language through oral history, dance, food and community.

🇨🇰 Meitaki ma'ata e kia manuia.

Meitaki ma’ata to everyone who joined us for The Art of Conflict & Cultural Safety with Dr Andrea Edwards as part of Mom...
01/08/2026

Meitaki ma’ata to everyone who joined us for The Art of Conflict & Cultural Safety with Dr Andrea Edwards as part of Momentum 2026!

Across two workshops, Pasifika creatives explored new ways to strengthen communication, navigate conflict, and build more culturally safe creative spaces.

Everyone's openness, thoughtful kōrero, and willingness to learn from one another created space for meaningful reflection.

A special thank you to Dr Andrea Edwards for once again sharing her knowledge and guiding these sessions with care and intention.

Halo olgeta!This week, we celebrate Vanuatu Bislama Language Week.This year's theme is Tokbaot klaemet jenis - Hemi tru ...
26/07/2026

Halo olgeta!

This week, we celebrate Vanuatu Bislama Language Week.

This year's theme is Tokbaot klaemet jenis - Hemi tru samting mo yumi mas lukaotem gud laef / Talk about climate change, it is real, and we must look after life.

Celebrate Vanuatu language and culture this week:

⭐️ Join the Bay of Plenty Ni-Van Community for a traditional weaving display at Tauranga City Library, a public lecture on the origins of Bislama at UoW (27 July), and Vanuatu's 46th Independence Anniversary celebrations at Oropi Memorial Hall (1 August).
⭐️ Tune in to OAR FM's Vanuatu Bislama Language Week Podcast Series, celebrating Vanuatu stories, language and culture.
⭐️ Join Pātaka Museum for Tok Stori, Kava & Sand Drawing (28 July), a screening of Tanna (30 July), and a string band and kastom dance finale (2 August).
️⭐️ Visit Auckland Museum Store to explore its Vanuatu Arts & Crafts collection, showcasing handcrafted products from Vanuatu.

🇻🇺 Tankyu tumas, and enjoy the week ahead.

Save the Date: K I V AUpcoming Exhibition: 28 August - 10 OctoberOpening: Fri 28 August, 6-8pmTautai Gallery: Level 1, 3...
23/07/2026

Save the Date: K I V A
Upcoming Exhibition: 28 August - 10 October
Opening: Fri 28 August, 6-8pm
Tautai Gallery: Level 1, 300 Karangahape Road

K I V A takes its name from the ancestor-navigator for whom Te Moana Nui a Kiwa is named, referencing our deep blue ocean as a space of connection, movement and exchange.

Marking Tautai’s 40th anniversary, the exhibition reflects on four decades of artists, communities, and relationships that have shaped the organisation and its ongoing commitment to Pacific creativity in Aotearoa.

Bringing together works by legacy artists Ian George, Jim Vivieaere, Johnny Pen*sula and Lily Aitui Laita alongside archival material, K I V A considers Tautai’s history as an evolving practice rather than a fixed record. Looking back at the foundations outlined by Fatu Feu’u that have guided the organisation, this exhibition, curated by Ani O’Neill acknowledges the contributions of those who have shaped its journey all the while considering the possibilities ahead.

Save the date and join us for the opening on Friday 28th August | 6-8pm

Our current exhibition nobody belongs here more than you runs until Sat 1 Aug.

Address

Level 1, 300 Karangahape Road, Newton
Auckland
1145

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 11am - 4pm

Telephone

+6493761665

Website

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