PICAA wishes to congratulate our very own Delsa Evotia Tuitea in landing an exciting creative opportunity! Delsa is the recipient of the 2023 New Voices for the West commission at Western Edge, an initiative that is made possible by Western Edge Youth Arts and Creative Victoria. You may recall Delsa’s debut as a Samoan playwright for the stage ‘Amataga o le Alofa‘ (2016) which was directed by Steve Tafea – this kickstarted PICAA’s pursuit of creating Pasefika theatre in Australia.

We look forward to Delsa’s upcoming writing project. This new commission will enable her to create another play and we look forward to sharing more of Delsa’s gift of creative writing with you all. We asked Delsa a few questions about this opportunity and here’s what she said:

Qu: Why did you apply for this writer’s commission?

For a while I’ve manifested and prayed that I’d be afforded the time to write and reclaim myself as a playwright. Afters years of neglecting my passion to write, this opportunity seemed to be the sign and answered prayer that I needed.

Qu: What do you hope to achieve with this opportunity?

The hope is to share a story that speaks to things we as a Pasefika diaspora don’t really talk about in safe spaces.

Qu: Why is this commission important?

It’s important to take on these opportunities to explore the different avenues available and accessible to benefit you and your goals. The arts and creative industry has no limits when exploring new learning experiences and valuable networking with other creatives and artists from all walks of life. This is something that remains integral in my journey as a creative; you have to be willing to take a chance on yourself by engaging with likeminded people and understanding the strength in what you bring to the table.

Alo i ou faiva Delsa!

From Team PICAA xx