Empowering Pasifika Artists to Thrive in Aotearoa

LIMA Productions Trust is a charity dedicated to improving Pasifika lives in Aotearoa through education, arts, and cultural sustainability. We foster resilience by providing mentorship, training, resources, information, and performance opportunities. Our goal is to empower Pasifika and preserve cultural heritage and creativity for the public benefit.

Please visit our website for more information:  limaproductions.org

LIMA's Building Your Arts Waka returns with an 18-week arts management mentorship programme, empowering Pasifika artists to navigate the creative sector with confidence. This unique initiative is tailored to help our Pasifika performing artists build sustainable careers, providing essential business skills, arts administration knowledge, and powerful networks within Aotearoa’s creative industry.

Participants will gain practical knowledge in key areas, including:

✨ Arts Administration; Project & Work Planning; Business Set-Up; Budgeting & Financial Literacy; Marketing & Audience Development; Funding & Proposal Writing; AI Tools for Creatives.

Now in its fourth round, Building Your Arts Waka (BYAW) has become a beacon of opportunity for Pasifika artists across the motu with over 60 alumni. Delivered by Pasifika industry professionals, BYAW is grounded in the lived experience of our communities, ensuring participants receive support that truly understands their journey and celebrates their cultural identity.

A participant shared their experience:

"Because everyone on board is one of us and they can understand how we are and how we navigate through the space of performing arts, I felt it was really more helpful and effective because they had an understanding."

This programme is a rare opportunity for Pasifika creatives to upskill, gain clarity in their arts journey, and connect with like-minded peers. Thanks to support from Creative NZ, BYAW 2026 is valued at over $5,000 per person, but is offered completely FREE for mid-career Pasifika artists nationwide.

Another participant expressed their gratitude:

"And the wealth of knowledge that gets shared is, like, this is stuff that Uni students pay $4,000 for, and this is everything that I've received within 10 weeks FREE!"

Applications are open now! To learn more and apply, please click on the form: https://forms.gle/upqenpWGEmNmtMSc8

Applications close Sunday, 22 March at 7 PM.

Spaces are limited—don’t miss this chance to shape your future!