Deadline: 6-Jun-23
The Australia Council for the Arts is calling for expression of interests from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, groups and organisations for the Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC).
The Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC) is the Pacific’s largest regional cultural gathering of First Nations Peoples and one of the largest cultural gatherings in the world, bringing together artists, cultural practitioners, scholars, and officials from the 27 member nations of the Pacific Community.
The 13th FestPAC in Hawaiʻi (6-16 June 2024) is guided by foundational values of preservation and revival, exploration, awareness, unity and Indigenous languages, and will feature live performances, cultural workshops, hands-on demonstrations, film, storytelling and more, exemplifying the diversity of traditional and contemporary arts and culture across the Pacific.
The event will also underscore the urgent issues facing the Pacific region – from rising sea levels, climate change, sustainability, and the death of coral reefs to widening social inequality – as a way to illuminate the path toward the future.
Theme
- Australia’s artistic program will respond to the festival theme of Hoʻoulu Lāhui: Regenerating Oceania, be representative of the richness and diversity of Australia’s First Nations Arts and Cultural practices and regions, and include both traditional and contemporary presentations.
Categories
- Expressions of interest should consider the festival’s foundational values and relate to the following FestPAC programming categories as set by the host nation:
- Performing Arts – music, dance, drama, storytelling and poetry.
- Visual Arts – drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, architecture and photography. Artistic proposals from artists and/or artistic teams are encouraged.
- Heritage Arts – fibre and other weaving, dye preparation and traditional cloth, adornment (feather and shell work), tatau, pottery, carving (wood/stone/bone). Traditional Elders program.
- Culinary Arts – showcasing entire culinary process from planting and harvesting to preparation, cooking and consumption. Ceremonial and ritual foods, everyday consumption and food sovereignty.
- Film, New Media, Fashion and Design – film screening series, moving images, full length features, documentaries, short films and animation. Fashion and adornment.
- Conferences and Symposia – sharing of research and scholarly presentations, discussion of cultural practise, networking and collaboration opportunities. Inclusive hub of innovating thought and practice, solutions to challenges discussed. Social and emotional wellbeing discussions, traditional medicinal practice, martial arts, talks, ideas, universities and colleges.
- Expo and Festival Marketplace – Arts & crafts for sale and entrepreneurial exhibits.
- Youth Ambassadors Program – a program within the festival for youth (18-30 years) representatives to connect, share and collaborate with each other on projects undertaken in their home countries in the year leading into the festival.
Eligibility Criteria
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander individuals, groups and organisations
- available to travel to Hawai’i, USA between 1 – 17 June 2024
- a current passport valid until January 2025
- are eligible to obtain a USA visa for travelling to Hawai’i
- have no current or previous criminal convictions (US entry requirements)
- be 18 years or over at the time of festival
Ineligible
- You cannot apply for this opportunity if:
- you have an overdue grant report
- you owe money to the Australia Council
Additional Information
- Additional Australian delegation requirements:
- Australian Delegation Branding – Logo and design for the Australian delegation uniforms and merchandise. EOIs should consider the festival theme and be representative of the diversity in Australian First Nations arts and culture. Textile designers are encouraged to apply.
- Photography – an official First Nations photographer will be included in the delegation. EOIs from photographers should include examples of work and experience in the arts and culture sector and extensive understanding of First Nations Protocols but are not required to respond to the festival theme.
For more information, visit Australia Council for the Arts.
