Māori performing arts company awarded almost $1 million from American bank

A Kaupapa Māori theatre company has been awarded $900,000 in funding for its internship programme.

Te Pou Theatre is one of 50 community organisations awarded the ‘Global Innovation Challenge’ by the Citibank Foundation.

Poutoko Whānau, Amber Curren (Ngāpuhi, Te Roroa) says the internship programme is “focused on te ao whakaari and ngā mahi whakaari and where the performing arts derives from as an atua based practiced.”

Six interns aged 18-25 years old will learn skills to become qualified theatre technicians, producers or stage managers.

The funding helps the programme be maintained for future years and pay for experienced tutors to come teach the interns.

President of the Citi Foundation, Brandee McHale says “we are investing in young people around the world and equipping them with dynamic, community-oriented solutions.”

At the end of the 15-week programme the interns will have produced a show and a festival.

Curren says, “sharing our stories is a really important and also really rewarding thing to do.”

She says, “everyone who's part of that journey of sharing our stories, whether they're the ones who are being a big mouth on  stage, or they're the ones back supporting it, they all play a really important role in making sure that that whole process...is done in a way that aligns with the Kaupapa.”

The internship is a paid opportunity and applications close on the May, 17, 2026.

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AI was used to transcribe audio from the interview.