Polyfest has been going for half a century, but organisers say the Auckland cultural festival still struggles to secure stable long-term funding.
By Taelegalolo'u Mary Afemata for Local Democracy Reporting
Festival director Seiuli Terri Leo-Mauu said ASB Polyfest relies on a mix of sponsors, funders and community support to keep it running.
"It is frustrating to have to justify every year why we exist and why we should happen," Seiuli told Pacific Mornings host William Terite.
"But, at the end of the day, our people always show up."
Now in its 51st year, the festival remains one of the largest cultural events for secondary school students in the country.
This year, 73 schools and 263 groups are taking part, with about 10,000 students expected to perform across the week-long event.
Seiuli said the scale of the festival was not always visible to those who only saw the performances on stage.
"We’re more than a four-day event," she said.
"We’re a 365 [day] commitment to our young people and their families and what they’re doing in school."
Polyfest has long been powered by the efforts of teachers, parents and communities who spend months preparing students for the performances, Seiuli said.
"The success of the festival is because of our families and our communities and our funders and sponsors.
"So, we all get behind our young people."
Despite its reach and popularity, organisers said securing funding remained a yearly challenge.
"Every year costs go up. And that’s just the reality of it," Seiuli said.
"When it comes to funding, every year we’re having to talk to funders."
The outdoor festival, held at the Manukau Sports Bowl since the mid-1990s, also carried additional logistical and weather-related risks which could add to the event costs.
Seiuli said organisers worked with government agencies, philanthropic organisations and sponsors to ensure the festival continued.
She said a funding strategy was currently being developed with support from the Ministry for Pacific Peoples to explore more sustainable options for the future.
"We’ve been working on a funding strategy over the last year," she said.
"We’re looking at what that may look like going forward."
For the first time, the celebration of Pacific cultures will be held over two days. (Source: 1News)
The director also highlighted Polyfest’s growing international reach, with families overseas increasingly watching performances online.
"We know that we also have a massive international appeal," she said.
'There's a lot of growth'
Auckland Council was one of the key supporters of the festival, including providing access to the Manukau Sports Bowl venue.
Seiuli said the partnership remained important as the event continued to grow.
"There’s a lot of growth, and we need to prepare for that growth," she said.
Auckland Council said Polyfest was one of many events competing for limited public funding.
Rachel Kelleher, director of community at Auckland Council, said the festival received consistent support through the council’s regional event grants programme.
"Auckland Council is a long-running supporter of the ASB Polyfest, with funding allocated every year since amalgamation to assist with the festival’s running costs," Kelleher said.
Eight thousand students, 225 groups and 69 schools take part in the 49th festival (Source: 1News)
She said all event funding must be carefully managed to ensure fairness and accountability to ratepayers.
"We have an obligation to ratepayers to ensure accountability as well as to provide all event organisers with equal opportunity for council support."
Polyfest was one of 27 events funded through the programme in the last financial year and received the largest individual grant of $75,000.
Council data showed Polyfest funding has generally ranged between $50,000 and $75,000 annually over the past decade, with a peak of $100,000 in 2023 following reduced demand during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Local boards have also contributed to the festival over time, including $64,000 from the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board for Polyfest’s 50th anniversary in 2025.
Seiuli said organisers remained hopeful that a more sustainable funding model could be developed for the future.
– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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