Deadline: 14 July 2025
The Creative New Zealand is pleased to invite nominations for its Te Waka Toi Awards to celebrate and recognise the artistic excellence, achievement and contribution of Māori artists working in customary and contemporary Māori arts.
Award Categories
- There are five award categories.
- Three awards are open for public nomination:
- Ngā Tohu Hautūtanga Auaha Toi – Making a Difference Award: recognises leadership and outstanding contribution to the development of new directions in ngā toi Māori.
- Ngā Manu Pīrere: recognises an emerging Māori artist showing promise and potential in their chosen artform.
- Te Tohu Iho Pūmanawa: recognises the contribution of a tāngata whaikaha, deaf or disabled Māori artist.
- The two awards listed below are made by Creative New Zealand and are not open for public nomination:
- Te Tohu Aroha mō Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu – Exemplary/Supreme Award: one recipient.
- Ngā Tohu ā Tā Kingi Ihaka – Sir Kingi Ihaka Awards: recognising lifetime contribution to ngā toi Māori.
- Three awards are open for public nomination:
Prize Information
- Ngā Tohu Hautūtanga Auaha Toi – Making a Difference Award: Award amount: $10,000
- Ngā Manu Pīrere: Award amount: $10,000
- Te Tohu Iho Pūmanawa: Award amount: $10,000.
- Te Tohu Aroha mō Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu – Exemplary/Supreme Award: Award amount: $25,000
- Ngā Tohu ā Tā Kingi Ihaka – Sir Kingi Ihaka Awards: Award amount: $15,000.
Nomination Criteria
- Nominees need to:
- be tangata whenua Māori artist working across one or more artforms (either customary or contemporary)
- be a New Zealand citizen or New Zealand permanent resident
- have a track-record of excellence and achievement and show potential for contributing to the further development of ngā toi Māori in New Zealand
- not be a previous recipient of the award in the same award category.
- Ngā Tohu Hautūtanga Auaha Toi – Making a Difference Award: To be nominated for this award, a person needs to:
- have received high acclaim
- be innovative and challenging, broadening perceptions of ngā toi Māori
- have provided inspiration and new directions in ngā toi Māori
- affirm the mana of ngā toi Māori.
- Ngā Manu Pīrere: To be nominated for this award, a person needs to:
- be an emerging artist who is at the early stages of their career
- have received recognition for the public presentation of at least one work in the arts practice for which they are applying for funding
- be recognised by peers or experts in the artist’s area of arts practice, which can include kaumātua or kuia, or other people of standing within the artist’s community
- have specialised training or practical experience in their area of arts practice (training need not have been at an academic institution).
- Te Tohu Iho Pūmanawa: To be nominated for this award, a person needs to:
- be tangata whaikaha, tangata turi, a deaf or disabled Māori artist or a Māori artist who has a disability or impairment or lived experience of mental distress
- be a Māori artist or arts practitioner (in any artform or who is working in arts management) whose work, influence and commitment has raised the standards and reputation of ngā toi Māori.
- Te Tohu Aroha mō Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu – Exemplary/Supreme Award: The nominee has:
- demonstrated excellence in their Māori artform
- demonstrated a commitment to sharing and passing on artistic knowledge, experience and skills to enrich others, particularly their own people
- raised the standards and expectations of Māori arts locally, nationally or globally through their work.
- Ngā Tohu ā Tā Kingi Ihaka – Sir Kingi Ihaka Awards recognising lifetime contribution: The nominee has:
- shown a significant contribution to encouraging participation in Māori arts, knowledge of Māori art traditions and practices, and support of Māori arts development
- strengthened the continuity of Māori art and culture through their knowledge and support of a Māori artform
- demonstrated a commitment to sharing and passing on artistic knowledge, experience and skills to enrich others.
Application Requirements
- Your nomination needs to include the following details:
- your name and contact details as the person making the nomination
- the name and details of the person you are nominating
- why the person you are nominating should receive the award and how they meet the award criteria (up to 500 words)
- examples of how this nominee has incorporated Mātauranga Māori in their work (up to 500 words)
- In addition, you can choose to include links to:
- articles, critic reviews
- examples of the nominee’s artistic work.
For more information, visit Creative New Zealand.
