The Sāmoa Arts Fono, a vital platform for fostering collaboration and addressing critical issues within Sāmoa and the Moana Pacific arts sector, has announced its venues and opened registration for its upcoming three-day event in March this year presented across Upolu Island.
The Sāmoa Arts Fono not only addresses challenges such as climate change, economic inequality, cultural erosion, technological disruptions, political instability, and limited access to resources, but also provides a platform to explore what is working, celebrate successes, and highlight aspirations in the resilience and evolution of artistic practices and community dynamics in Sāmoa and the Moana Pacific Island States.
Confirmed speakers include non-fiction writer Lani Wendt (Sāmoa); contemporary artist Leua Latai (Sāmoa); economist Benjamin Pereira (Sāmoa); heritage artist Galumalemana Stephen Percival (Sāmoa); poet Audrey Brown Pereira (Sāmoa); disability advocate Fa’aolo Utumapu (Sāmoa); fashion desinger Dance Fabricius (Sāmoa); contemporary artist Lalovai Pesetā (Sāmoa); film maker Saveatama Dr Dionne Fonoti (Sāmoa); lawyer Alex Su’a (Sāmoa); music producer Tuala Uili Lafaele (Sāmoa); fashion designer Isabella AhMu-Mageo (American Sāmoa); heritage artist Tuifa’asisina Korina Seiuli Lee (American Sāmoa); ethnomusicologist Kuki Tuiasosopo (American Sāmoa); museum curator Marion Mageo (American Sāmoa); music copyright specialist Tiumalu Noma Sio (Sāmoa/Aotearoa); and scholar Dr Katrina Igglesden (Fiji). More speakers to be announced soon.
The fono will be presented at the Tiapapata Art Centre (Wednsday, 4th March); EFKS Museum (Thursday, 5th March); and the Ōfaga o Sa’ili’iliga Research Museum at the National University of Sāmoa (Friday, 6th March).
Each day of the fono will feature live performances presented by Tau’ili’ili Alpha Maiava and Hikule’o o Ono’aho (Tonga/Aotearoa), followed by panel discussions, workshops, and a tour of the host venue.
Attendance is free, but registration is highly encouraged to secure a seat as space is limited. A WST$50.00 entrance fee will apply for walk-ins. Register here.
A draft fono program together with speaker & venue profiles are available here.
Talanoa Arts Forum is pleased to have secured Hotel Millenia in Apia as their official accommodation partner for the Sāmoa Arts Fono. We have secured a special rate of WST$180.00 per night (from WST$200.00 per night) for Tuesday, 3rd (check-in) to Saturday, 7th (check-out) March. Please contact management directly at [email protected] and provide the code TALANOA ARTS FORUM to access the discounted price.
The Talanoa Arts Forum is led by Sāmoa-based artists and curators Tau’ili’ili Alpha Maiava and Yuki Kihara, whose practices have engaged audiences locally and internationally for over two decades.
The Sāmoa Arts Fono is generously supported by the Pacific Feminist Fund and the New Zealand High Commission, Apia.
Register here!
Event details:
Sāmoa Arts Fono is presented across Upolu Island, Sāmoa
● Day 1/3 | Wednesday, 4th March 2026 | Tiapapata Arts Centre | 9am to 5:30pm
● Day 2/3 | Thursday, 5th March 2026 | EFKS Museum | 9am to 4pm
● Day 3/3 | Friday, 6th March 2026 | Ōfaga Research Museum | 9am to 4pm
Venue profiles:
The EFKS Museum (Congregational Christian Church of Sāmoa) in Mālua showcases vibrant Sāmoan culture through contemporary art and historical objects in a modern fale (Sāmoan house) design, featuring impressive student carvings and paintings often available for purchase. Visitors can explore impressive wood carvings illustrating myths on outdoor walkways, see artifacts from early missionary days, and enjoy the scenic turtle pond, all while supporting local artists and heritage.
The Tiapapata Art Centre is a unique creative and cultural hub in Sāmoa. Located in a tranquil setting near Apia, it offers art workshops, exhibitions, and a café serving healthy vegan and vegetarian food, as well as accommodation. The Gallery showcases contemporary artworks and includes a small museum. The Centre produces museum-quality arts and crafts inspired by traditional forms held in collections worldwide. It is also currently researching and reviving pottery made from locally sourced clay, reconnecting artisans with an ancient practice.
The Ōfaga o Sa’ili’iliga Research Museum is located on the Le Papaigalagala Campus of the National University of Sāmoa (NUS), and its mission is to increase the accessibility of Sāmoans to research about Sāmoa, as well as support, promote and celebrate the academic and creative outputs of Scholars of Sāmoa. The Research Museum was established in partnership with the Übersee-Museum Bremen and the Federal Foreign Office of the Republic of Germany and its inaugural exhibition, ‘ATALILO: Motifs in Sāmoan Material Culture’, explores how Sāmoan Makers historically and contemporarily use motifs across various genres of Sāmoan material culture.
About Talanoa Arts Forum:
Led by Sāmoa-based practicing artists Tau’ili’ili Alpha Maiava and Yuki Kihara, Talanoa Arts Forum (TAF) is a Sāmoa-based curatorial agency setup to establish the infrastructure that support cultural and artistic exchange, between local and the international community in Sāmoa. Talanoa Arts Forum is a multidisciplinary cultural platform working with private and public entities to activate spaces for cultural production and promotion across all creative disciplines, spanning from heritage, visual arts, literature, film, fashion, dance, design, and music to name a few. Talanoa Arts Forum aims to enhance Moana Pacific’s creative industries, knowledge economy, and leverage its soft power for an Indigenous-led advancement.
Contact information:
Tau’ili’ili Alpha Maiava: [email protected]
Yuki Kihara: [email protected]
