After 51 years, Polyfest is still fighting for long-term funding certainty

After more than five decades of celebrating Pacific and Māori culture, Polyfest is still facing a basic question: who is responsible for funding its future?

Despite its size and impact, the festival continues to rely on short-term funding, with no single agency taking ownership of its long-term support.

ASB Polyfest brings together more than 70 schools and over 10,000 students each year, with thousands more attending across several days.

For many Pacific families, it is more than just an event. It is a space to celebrate identity, language, and culture across generations.

“The students and their families are the true taonga of ASB Polyfest,” festival director Seiuli Terri Leo-Mauu said.

This year marks 51 years of the festival, a milestone Seiuli says reflects the strength of the community behind it.

“Celebrating cultural excellence for 51 years across multiple generations demonstrates a significant achievement,” she said.

Despite its scale, Polyfest does not have guaranteed baseline funding. Instead, it operates through a mix of government grants, council funding, sponsorship, ticket sales, and contributions from schools and families.

Seiuli says this creates ongoing pressure for organisers.

Students perform on stage during ASB Polyfest. Photo/PMN Digital/Eroti Navuku

“Sustainable funding is essential for providing certainty to schools and their communities, facilitating effective scenario planning, and enabling weather contingencies,” she said.

That uncertainty has been felt even more this year as some sponsors have stepped back.

“Several major sponsors could not assist this year due to their own financial constraints,” Seiuli said.

“The increase in tickets is directly linked to costs for running an event of this size and nature.”

Government support exists, but it is spread across multiple agencies and decided year by year.

Crowds gather to watch performances at ASB Polyfest. Photo/PMN Digital/Eroti Navuku

The Ministry for Pacific Peoples (MPP) confirmed it does not have a mandate to provide ongoing funding.

“The ministry does not have a standing mandate… to provide ongoing baseline funding for large-scale events, including Polyfest,” MPP’s Deputy Secretary Commissioning and Partnerships (acting), Danilo Coelho de Almeida, said.

He said support is provided through sponsorship, partnerships, and capability-building, depending on available budgets and competing priorities.

Between 2015 and 2026, the ministry has contributed $527,000 including $60,000 for this year’s event. MPP also supports Pacific language speech competitions and community engagement at the festival.

Additional funding has come from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, the Lottery Grants Board, and Sport New Zealand.

Young performers in traditional dress during ASB Polyfest. Photo/PMN Digital/Eroti Navuku

But the Polyfest Trust has previously indicated that around $3 million a year is needed to run the festival sustainably, highlighting a major gap.

In an earlier case study, Seiuli Terri Leo-Mauu said one of the biggest challenges is having to reapply for funding every year.

“Having to continually justify to funders on an annual basis why we need investment… we need to move away from annual funding to secure multi-year partnerships,” she said.

Auckland Council, which has contributed more than $742,000 in grants over the past decade, says its funding is limited and spread across many events.

It described its funding pool as “finite” and “oversubscribed”, requiring “tough decisions… to ensure funding is spread equitably across a wide range of events”.

The council says it is not responsible for Polyfest’s overall funding model and is not the lead agency, adding that “Polyfest is not a council-run event, nor is it primarily funded by ratepayers”.

ASB, Polyfest’s long-time sponsor, says it remains committed to supporting the festival.

“ASB has proudly supported Polyfest for 41 years… backing one of Aotearoa’s most important cultural festivals… celebrating Māori and Pacific identity… and strengthening community connection,” Mark Graham, ASB’s Executive Manager of Commercial Partnerships, said.

The bank provides both financial and in-kind support, along with more than 100 staff volunteers each year. But the total value of private sponsorship remains unclear.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon attended last year’s ASB Polyfest, where festival director Seiuli Terri Leo-Mauu highlighted the need for long-term, sustainable funding. Photo/PMN News/Taelegalolo'u Mary Afemata

MPP says it is working with Polyfest Trust to develop a long-term funding strategy aimed at securing more stable, multi-year investment.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was approached for comment, but he did not respond. Luxon attended Polyfest in 2025, where Seiuli made a public call for long-term government support.

For now, organisers say the festival’s future still depends on short-term decisions. For Pacific communities, the issue goes beyond funding. It is about recognising the value of a space that celebrates culture, identity, and young people.

After 51 years, Polyfest remains one of Aotearoa’s most important Pacific events but without long-term certainty, its future is still not secure.

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