Polyfest scaled back due to funding shortfall

The 50th anniversary of the world's biggest secondary school cultural competition will be scaled back due to a lack of funding.

Polyfest, an annual performing arts festival held in south Auckland to celebrate Polynesian culture, has become a beacon of cultural awareness for young Pacific children in New Zealand.

Event chair and Macleans College principal Steven Hargreaves said Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti had promised additional funding, but despite numerous calls to his office and even to the Prime Minister, nothing has happened.

“It’s disappointing and not the outcome we had hoped for,” Hargreaves said.

“ASB Polyfest has always been more than just a four-day long festival.

"ASB Polyfest has helped increase school attendance, provides educational benefits such as the awarding of NCEA credits, and gives students that ongoing focus throughout the first half of the school year, which this festival has been able to achieve for 49 years”.

Other stakeholders have offered funding, including $75,000 from Auckland Council, $64,500 from the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board, sponsor ASB, and $60,000 committed by MPP negotiated before the start of the 2024 festival.

Hargreaves said they had only 50 per cent of the funding secured for the 50th anniversary.

"We've increased the fee for schools to enter, increased fees for stallholders, scaled back to five stages rather than six, scaled back the zero waste initiative that we had and our event directors having to work out of home instead of an office that we had.

Polyfest will return to the Manukau Sports Bowl in south Auckland in 2025. Photo/Stuff

"What we're trying to do is make the event itself as good as possible, and we're still working hard as we can to raise sponsorship money and get private funding, grant funding so we can ensure the event is good as possible."

Reti promised a $5000 funding increase in 2025, bringing the government's total contribution to $60,000. In 2024, they gave $55,000 of funding.

Hargreaves said essential logistical costs such as parking and traffic management, portaloos, first aid, security, fencing, building stages and ensuring all health and safety measures are in place for a festival this size are non-negotiables.

"MPP promised to fund the '24 and '25 events with $55,000 and $60,000, and they have done that.

"What's been a little hard to deal with, is that at this year's event they promised to support us, they understood the 50th event next year was going to be a big event and that they'd look after us."

Photo/Stuff

He said the increase of $5000 from the previous year wasn't the additional funding they expected.

"We understand roading, healthcare, education are all seeking extra funding and the economy is very tight, we're grateful for the money we do get, but we think Polyfest is an investment in youth."

He said the festival has run at a loss for several years, and they have relied on reserves, which have now been used up, and sponsors to fill the gaps.

Visit www.asbpolyfest.co.nz for more information on how to donate to next year’s 50th celebrations and how to become a festival sponsor.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.