Celebrating the 2026 FAME Mid-Career Award Recipients
Last week our CEO, Lori Luke, attended the announcement of the FAME Mid-Career Awards at the PANNZ Arts Market, a special moment celebrating the talented people helping shape the future of the performing arts in Aotearoa.
The FAME Mid-Career Awards recognise artists and industry professionals who are at a pivotal stage in their careers. These are practitioners who have already built a strong body of work and are making a meaningful contribution to the arts, while still having many years of creativity and leadership ahead of them. Performing Arts Network of New Zealand administers the awards in partnership with the FAME Trust and the Acorn Foundation.
Established in 2022, the awards celebrate excellence across theatre, dance, classical music, producing, stage management, design, production and technical fields within the performing arts sector.
Each year six recipients are selected from nominations across the country. In 2026, 55 practitioners were nominated, highlighting the incredible depth of talent across Aotearoa’s performing arts community.
2026 FAME Mid-Career Award Recipients
This year’s recipients are:
Each recipient receives $20,000 to support the next stage of their creative journey, made possible through the generosity of the FAME Trust in partnership with the Acorn Foundation.
Investing in the Future of the Arts
Supporting artists at this stage of their careers can have a lasting ripple effect across the arts sector. These practitioners are often mentors, collaborators and leaders within their communities, helping nurture the next generation of creative talent.
As Lori shared during the announcement: "We’re proud to partner with the FAME Trust and PANNZ to recognise these mid-career practitioners, whose creativity, leadership and hard work strengthen our cultural landscape. Supporting artists at this pivotal moment in their careers is an investment not only in their futures, but in the vibrancy of the arts for years to come.”
A Partnership Supporting Creativity
The awards are made possible through the generosity of the FAME Trust, a philanthropic trust established to support performing arts in Aotearoa, and delivered in partnership with PANNZ and the Acorn Foundation. Together, this partnership helps recognise and support the people whose work continues to enrich theatre, music, dance and performance across the country.
Congratulations to the 2026 recipients, and thank you for the creativity, dedication and passion you bring to the arts in Aotearoa.