Pasifika Artists Awarded FAME MID-CAREER AWARDS 2026
Congratulations to Pasifika creatives Aloali'i Tapu and Leki Jackson-Bourke, who have been recognised at the 2026 FAME Mid-Career Awards for their outstanding contributions to Aotearoa’s performing arts sector.
Announced at the 2026 PANNZ Arts Market, the awards celebrate artists and production professionals whose work continues to shape theatre, dance and performance across the country. With 55 individuals nominated this year, the awards highlight the depth of talent across the industry.
Established in 2022 and administered by the Performing Arts Network New Zealand (PANNZ) in partnership with the FAME Trust and the Acorn Foundation, the awards recognise practitioners working across contemporary dance, classical music, theatre, producing, stage management, design and technical fields. Each of the six recipients receives a $20,000 prize supporting the next stage of their careers.
“It’s a privilege to honour this year’s recipients and all the hard work, dedication and passion they bring to their craft,” says PANNZ Senior Producer Jo Bond.
ALOALI'I TAPU (Solosolo & Saleilua, Falealili)
Born and raised in Ōtara, Aloali‘i Tapu is a Samoan dance artist whose work is grounded in family, community and collective storytelling. Working across roles as a director, teacher, dancer and mentor, Tapu has built an international reputation through performances and collaborations across Aotearoa and Europe.
In 2016 he received the prestigious Der Faust Award for Best Dancer, one of the highest honours in German theatre. In 2019 he co-founded Ta‘alili with designer and longtime collaborator Tori Manley-Tapu, creating major works including Goodbye Naughton, LEECHES, Aftermath in Salzburg, Faces of Nature, Vanguard, and MANU MALO in Hamburg.
His work continues to explore identity, masculinity, movement and collective memory through contemporary Pacific dance. In 2025 he was named the Pacific Dance New Zealand Artist in Residence, spending eight weeks in Samoa reconnecting with community and developing new creative research alongside local artists and organisations.
The residency saw Tapu return to Samoa with his family, deepening cultural connections while exploring new directions in his practice. The programme supported artists to engage with communities and evolve their creative voice through culturally grounded exchange.
Since returning home, Tapu has also focused on community-led initiatives through Ta‘alili. In 2024 the collective launched ETENA FEST, a multi-month festival bringing artists and communities together through performance, workshops and collaborative art making. In 2025 he also helped establish Undaground Fono, a pop-up school dedicated to performance and community building.
LEKI JACKSON-BOURKE
Leki Jackson-Bourke is a multi-disciplinary theatre maker of Pasifika descent based in Tāmaki Makaurau. Writing, producing and directing theatre, his work often centres diverse and underrepresented communities, creating stories for audiences who may not traditionally see themselves reflected on stage.
Throughout his career he has worked across the performing arts sector in a range of roles. His collaborations include acting for Massive Theatre Company and Kila Kokonut Krew, directing and writing for Auckland Theatre Company, performing with Black Grace, stage managing for Silo Theatre, and producing and choreographing with Sau E Siva and Strictly Brown.
In 2019 Jackson-Bourke became the first Victoria University Emerging Pasifika Writer in Residence. During the COVID period he led the largest Niuean digital documentation project, bringing together a 120-strong intergenerational dance group for Three Star Nation 2020.
His theatre productions including Pring It On, Alatini, Manamea, Meet The Fakas, Lalelei, Club Paradiso and I Must Not Speak Niuean have all gone on to successful follow-up seasons. He has also been a longtime choreographer for the annual ASB Polyfest and choreographed the opening of the VIP delegates’ dinner for King Charles during the CHOGM conference held in Samoa in 2024.
The recognition of Aloali'i Tapu and Leki Jackson-Bourke highlights the growing impact of Pasifika voices in Aotearoa’s performing arts, celebrating artists whose work continues to inspire communities and shape the future of Pacific storytelling.