AGP Executive Report

Arts & Music Awards: Sam V and the Signature Choir were big winners at the Pacific Music Awards in Auckland, with Sam V taking multiple top honours including Best Pacific Male Artist and Best Pacific Song, while Signature Choir won 531pi Best Pacific Gospel Artist for their Reach the Sky EP plus the Sunpix People’s Choice and Matai Special Recognition awards. Regional Spotlight: Fiji Veikoso was also recognised posthumously with the NIU FM Best International Pacific Artist Award for “Daydream,” recorded with Aotearoa collective Fejoint. Fashion: The Pacific Fusion Fashion Show marks 10 years next week, returning to Shed 10 in Auckland on 21 August as part of New Zealand Fashion Week, celebrating a decade of giving Pacific designers and stories a mainstream runway without losing cultural roots. Youth & Community: Blue Light’s Life Skills Camp, in partnership with the New Zealand Defence Force, returned to Waiouru Military Camp with participants facing sub-zero conditions and snow, building trust, responsibility and teamwork, and awarding Tumai Murray Overall Excellence, Sophie Shaw Overall Merit, and Nathan Muller Peers’ Choice.

Pacific Music Awards: Sam V and the Signature Choir were big winners at the Pacific Music Awards in Manukau, Auckland, with Sam V taking Best Pacific Male Artist and Best Pacific Song plus Best Pacific Soul/RnB Artist for a fifth straight year, and Signature Choir landing the 531pi Best Pacific Gospel Artist award for their Reach the Sky EP, along with the Sunpix People’s Choice Award and Matai Special Recognition. Arts & Advocacy: Sam V used the stage to challenge the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage and Pacific Peoples Paul Goldsmith over claims of arts support, arguing Pacific excellence deserves more than “lip service.” Fashion Spotlight: The Pacific Fusion Fashion Show marks 10 years next week, returning to Shed 10 in Auckland on 21 August as part of New Zealand Fashion Week, with founder Nora Swann saying the platform has grown from a Pacific-focused idea into a movement. Niue Visual Arts: Niue-based artist Susannah Sionetuato brings her first Aotearoa exhibition, Matutaki, to Auckland, blending acrylic and mixed media with traditional hiapo patterns, Vagahau Niue, and themes of ancestry, identity, environment, and social issues.

Pacific Music Awards: Sam V and the Signature Choir were big winners at the Pacific Music Awards in Manukau, with Sam V taking multiple top honours including Best Pacific Male Artist and Best Pacific Song, while Signature Choir won 531pi Best Pacific Gospel Artist for their Reach the Sky EP plus the Sunpix People’s Choice and Matai Special Recognition awards. Arts & Culture Advocacy: Sam V also used the stage to challenge the government’s arts investment claims, calling out “lip service” and arguing Pacific excellence deserves real support. Fashion Spotlight: The Pacific Fusion Fashion Show marks 10 years next week, returning to Shed 10 for New Zealand Fashion Week on 21 August, with founder Nora Swann saying the platform has grown from a Pacific-focused idea into a movement that keeps culture central. Niue Visual Arts: Niue-based artist Susannah Sionetuato brings her first Aotearoa exhibition, Matutaki, to Auckland—blending acrylic and mixed media with hiapo patterns, Vagahau Niue, and themes of ancestry, identity, environment, and social awareness.

Pacific Music Awards: Sam V and the Signature Choir were big winners at the Pacific Music Awards in Manukau, with Sam V taking Best Pacific Male Artist and Best Pacific Song plus Best Pacific Soul/RnB Artist for a fifth straight year, and Signature Choir landing the 531pi Best Pacific Gospel Artist award for their Reach the Sky EP alongside the Sunpix People’s Choice Award and the Matai Special Recognition Award. Arts & Culture Spotlight: The awards also featured Fiji Veikoso receiving a posthumous NIU FM Best International Pacific Artist honour for “Daydream.” Fashion & Identity: The Pacific Fusion Fashion Show marks 10 years next week, returning to Shed 10 in Auckland on 21 August, with founder Nora Swann saying the platform has grown from a Pacific-focused NZ Fashion Week arm into a movement built on keeping culture central. Niue Visual Arts: Niue-based artist Susannah Sionetuato brings her first Aotearoa exhibition, Matutaki, to Auckland, blending acrylic and mixed media with traditional hiapo patterns, Vagahau Niue, and themes of ancestry, identity, environment, and social issues.

Pacific Music Awards: Sam V and the Signature Choir were big winners at the Pacific Music Awards in Manukau, with Sam V taking Best Pacific Male Artist, Best Pacific Song, and Best Pacific Soul/RnB Artist for a fifth straight year, while Signature Choir won 531pi Best Pacific Gospel Artist for their Reach the Sky EP plus the Sunpix People’s Choice and Matai Special Recognition awards. Arts & Culture Spotlight: Sam V also used the stage to challenge the government’s arts investment claims, pointing to defence spending and urging real support for Pacific excellence. Fashion & Identity: The Pacific Fusion Fashion Show marks 10 years next week, returning to Shed 10 in Auckland on 21 August as it continues to put Pacific designers, models, and stories at the centre of the runway. Niue in Aotearoa: Niue visual artist Susannah Sionetuato brings her first Aotearoa exhibition, Matutaki, to Auckland—blending acrylic and mixed media with hiapo patterns, Vagahau Niue, and themes of ancestry, identity, environment, and social issues.

Pacific Music Awards: Sam V and the Signature Choir were big winners at the Pacific Music Awards in Manukau, with Sam V taking Best Pacific Male Artist and Best Pacific Song plus Best Pacific Soul/RnB Artist for a fifth straight year, and Signature Choir landing the 531pi Best Pacific Gospel Artist award for their Reach the Sky EP, along with the Sunpix People’s Choice and Matai Special Recognition awards. Arts Advocacy: Sam V used the stage to challenge the government’s arts investment claims, calling out “lip service” and contrasting it with defence spending. Fashion & Culture: The Pacific Fusion Fashion Show marks 10 years of putting Pacific designers, models and stories front and centre, returning to Shed 10 in Auckland on 21 August as part of New Zealand Fashion Week. Niue Visual Arts: Niue-based artist Susannah Sionetuato brings her first Aotearoa exhibition, Matutaki, to Auckland—blending acrylic and mixed media with hiapo patterns, Vagahau Niue, and themes of ancestry, identity, environment and social issues.

Pacific Music Awards: Sam V and the Signature Choir were big winners at the Pacific Music Awards in Manukau, with Sam V taking Best Pacific Male Artist and Best Pacific Song plus Best Pacific Soul/RnB Artist for a fifth straight year, and Signature Choir landing the 531pi Best Pacific Gospel Artist award for their Reach the Sky EP, along with the Sunpix People’s Choice and Matai Special Recognition awards. Arts Funding Debate: Sam V used his acceptance moment to challenge the government’s arts investment claims, calling out “lip service” and contrasting it with defence spending. Fashion & Culture: The Pacific Fusion Fashion Show marks 10 years of runway change, returning to Shed 10 in Auckland on 21 August as part of New Zealand Fashion Week, with founder Nora Swann saying Pacific stories stay central while opening doors for the next generation. Niue Visual Arts in Aotearoa: Niue-based artist Susannah Sionetuato brings her first Aotearoa exhibition, Matutaki, to Auckland—blending acrylic and mixed media with traditional hiapo patterns, Vagahau Niue, and themes of ancestry, identity, environment, and social issues.

Pacific Music Awards: Sam V and the Signature Choir were big winners at the Pacific Music Awards in Manukau, with Sam V taking Best Pacific Male Artist and Best Pacific Song plus Best Pacific Soul/RnB Artist for a fifth straight year, while Signature Choir earned 531pi Best Pacific Gospel Artist for their Reach the Sky EP, along with the Sunpix People’s Choice Award and Matai Special Recognition. Fashion & Identity: The Pacific Fusion Fashion Show marks 10 years of giving Pacific designers and models a runway built around culture, returning to Shed 10 in Auckland on 21 August as part of New Zealand Fashion Week. Niue Art in Aotearoa: Niue-based visual artist Susannah Sionetuato brings Matutaki to Auckland in her first Aotearoa exhibition, blending acrylics and mixed media with hiapo patterns, Vagahau Niue, and themes of ancestry, identity, and environmental awareness. Ocean Stories: National Geographic Pristine Seas begins a new expedition in Samoa to survey marine life in newly protected areas, supporting the push to sustainably manage the region’s ocean.

Pacific Music Awards: Sam V and the Signature Choir were big winners at the Pacific Music Awards in Manukau, with Sam V taking Best Pacific Male Artist, Best Pacific Song, and Best Pacific Soul/RnB Artist for a fifth straight year, while Signature Choir won 531pi Best Pacific Gospel Artist for their Reach the Sky EP plus the Sunpix People’s Choice Award and Matai Special Recognition. Fashion & Culture: The Pacific Fusion Fashion Show marks 10 years of giving Pacific designers and stories a runway space of their own, returning to Shed 10 in Auckland on 21 August as part of New Zealand Fashion Week. Niue Arts in Aotearoa: Niue-based visual artist Susannah Sionetuato brings Matutaki to Auckland for her first Aotearoa exhibition, blending acrylic and mixed media with traditional hiapo patterns, Vagahau Niue, and themes of ancestry, identity, and environmental awareness.

Pacific Music Awards: Sam V dominated the Pacific Music Awards in Manukau, winning Best Pacific Male Artist, Best Pacific Song, and Best Pacific Soul/RnB Artist for a fifth straight year, while the Signature Choir took home the 531pi Best Pacific Gospel Artist award for their Reach the Sky EP plus the Sunpix People’s Choice and Matai Special Recognition honours. Pacific Voices: Fiji Veikoso was posthumously named NIU FM Best International Pacific Artist for “Daydream,” recorded with Aotearoa collective Fejoint. Fashion Spotlight: The Pacific Fusion Fashion Show marks 10 years of runway change, returning to Shed 10 in Auckland on 21 August as part of New Zealand Fashion Week, with founder Nora Swann saying Pacific stories stay at the centre. Niue Art in Aotearoa: Niue-based visual artist Susannah Sionetuato brings Matutaki—ancestry, identity, hiapo patterns, and Vagahau Niue—to Auckland in her first Aotearoa exhibition. Ocean & Environment: Samoa’s marine protection push gets a boost as National Geographic Pristine Seas surveys new protected waters to build a biodiversity baseline for protecting 30% of the ocean. Sports & Culture: An Indigenous All Stars inspiration chain traces back to the 1990 Pacific Cup, linking young players from Tonga, Niue, and beyond to future junior international tours.

Pacific Fusion Fashion Show: Auckland’s Pacific Fusion Fashion Show marks 10 years next week, returning to Tāmaki Makaurau’s Shed 10 on 21 August as founder Nora Swann says it grew from a Pacific-focused arm of New Zealand Fashion Week into a wider movement built on trust, culture, and opportunities for the next generation. Niue Art in Aotearoa: Niue-based visual artist Susannah Sionetuato brings her first Aotearoa exhibition, Matutaki, to Auckland—blending acrylics and mixed media with traditional hiapo patterns, bold abstract design, and Vagahau Niue to share ancestry, identity, and environmental awareness. Ocean Protection Spotlight (Region): National Geographic Pristine Seas begins a Samoa expedition this week to survey marine life across newly protected areas, aiming to strengthen the science behind Samoa’s plan to protect 30% of its ocean. Sports & Culture (Region): A Tonga tour tied to the 1990 Pacific Cup is highlighted as a stepping stone for Indigenous All Stars and junior representative pathways across the Pacific, including Niue.

Pacific Fashion: The Pacific Fusion Fashion Show marks 10 years next week, returning to Auckland’s Shed 10 on 21 August as founder Nora Swann says the platform grew from a need for a Pacific-led runway space that keeps culture at the centre. Niue Art in Aotearoa: Niue-based visual artist Susannah Sionetuato is debuting her first Aotearoa exhibition in Auckland, Matutaki, blending acrylic and mixed media with traditional hiapo patterns, Vagahau Niue, and symbols to explore ancestry, identity, and environmental awareness. Indigenous Sport Legacy: The 1990 Pacific Cup is credited with inspiring today’s Indigenous All Stars pathway, including junior international tours, after an Australian Indigenous team wore the green-and-gold “V” and Aboriginal flag alongside the ARL crest during a Tonga carnival that also featured Niue and other Pacific nations.

Pacific Fusion Fashion Show (PFFS): Auckland’s Pacific Fusion Fashion Show marks 10 years next week, returning to Shed 10 on 21 August as part of New Zealand Fashion Week—its founder Nora Swann says the platform grew from a need for Pacific stories to lead, not sit alongside, mainstream fashion. Niue Art in Aotearoa: Niue-based visual artist Susannah Sionetuato brings her first Aotearoa exhibition, Matutaki, to Auckland—blending acrylics, mixed media, hiapo patterns, Vagahau Niue, and symbols to explore ancestry, identity, and environmental awareness. Ocean Protection Spotlight: National Geographic Pristine Seas begins a Samoa expedition this week to survey marine life across newly protected areas, supporting Samoa’s plan to safeguard 30 percent of its ocean with science-led baselines. Indigenous Pacific Cup Legacy: A 1990 Pacific Cup tour helped inspire Indigenous All Stars pathways, linking young players from Tonga, Niue, and across the Pacific to future junior international opportunities.

Pacific Fusion Fashion Show (PFFS) 10th anniversary: Auckland’s Shed 10 hosts the Pacific Fusion Fashion Show again on 21 August as it marks a decade of giving Pacific designers, models and stories a runway that keeps culture front and centre. Founder Nora Swann says the showcase grew from a push for a Pacific platform within New Zealand Fashion Week into a wider industry movement. Niuean art in Aotearoa: Niue-based visual artist Susannah Sionetuato is debuting her first exhibition in Auckland, Matutaki, bringing ancestral stories, identity and environmental awareness to new audiences. Her mixed-media works blend acrylics and bold abstract design with traditional hiapo patterns, plus Vagahau Niue language, symbols and motifs. Indigenous sport legacy: A 1990 Pacific Cup in Tonga helped spark the inspiration chain for Indigenous All Stars, with Niue among the nations involved—showing how cultural sport tours can open doors for younger players.

Pacific arts & identity: Niue-based visual artist Susannah Sionetuato is set to bring ancestral stories, identity and environmental themes to Auckland in her first Aotearoa exhibition, blending acrylic and mixed media with traditional Niuean hiapo patterns, bold abstract design, and Vagahau Niue. Indigenous sport legacy: A look back at the 1990 Pacific Cup highlights how an Indigenous All Stars inspiration chain formed—featuring players from Tonga, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Western Samoa and more—and how it helped open doors for junior international tours. Commonwealth Games highlights: Pacific athletes leave Glasgow with standout moments, including Seine Stowers’ record-breaking gold for Samoa, Taniela Rainibogi’s men’s 110kg gold for Fiji, and Pacific-heritage netball stars Martina Salmon and Mila Reuelu-Buchanan finishing with a final gold. Ocean protection science: Samoa’s marine push gets a boost as National Geographic Pristine Seas begins a survey to support protections covering 30% of the ocean, mapping biodiversity across new marine protected areas and beyond.

Niue Art in Aotearoa: Susannah Sionetuato is set to debut her first exhibition in Auckland, Matutaki, bringing contemporary Niuean storytelling to new audiences through acrylics, mixed media, hiapo patterns, bold abstract designs, and Vagahau Niue. Pacific Sports Legacy: A look back at the 1990 Pacific Cup shows how Indigenous All Stars inspiration was sparked—featuring Niue among the teams—and how that legacy helped open doors for junior international tours. Commonwealth Games Glow: Glasgow 2026 wrapped with Pacific highlights, including Seine Stowers’ first Pacific gold in weightlifting and Fiji’s Taniela Rainibogi’s record-setting win, plus a feel-good Niue connection via a superfan’s selfie quest across all 74 nations and territories. Ocean & Environment (Samoa): National Geographic Pristine Seas begins a survey in Samoa’s newly protected marine areas, aiming to build a scientific baseline for protecting 30% of the ocean.