A first-of-its-kind fellowship for Kānaka
performing artists at the intersection of
indigenous practice + contemporary performance.
Wehiwehi envisions a world where contemporary Kānaka Maoli performing artists:
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Feel connected to and supported by fellow Kānaka artists.
Are seen and embraced by Hawaiian communities, non-native arts institutions, and both native and non-native audiences.
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Have access to multidisciplinary, indigenous, and emergent technology and training.
Have dedicated spaces to create and present contemporary Native Hawaiian performances in Hawai’i and beyond.
our vision
program OFFERINGS
Wehiwehi expands artist access to collaboration, technology, and resources.
Collaboration
Wehiwehi is as much about community building as it is about art-making. It creates space for artists to share their stories and experiences, explore new methodologies, and collectively imagine a vibrant future for Native Hawaiian contemporary performance. Together, artists create work for both Native and non-Native audiences, shaped by their Hawaiian identities.
Residencies and resources
Residencies serve as creative laboratories to cultivate collaboration among a diverse, multi-generational group of Kānaka Maoli performing artists. Cohort members will engage in shared research, cultural preservation, workshops, studio experimentation, and training that blends traditional ecological knowledge with contemporary performance and production technologies.
Financial support
The Fellowship includes a total of $10,000 in direct financial support
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$2,500 artist fee paid during each of 2 residencies, one in Hawai‘i and one in the continental United States
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A $5,000 creative development grant
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All travel and per diem expenses for both residencies
In addition, a $1,000 Ha’awina (gift) regrant is awarded by each fellow to an artist of their choosing—demonstrating reciprocity and solidarity.
how OUR artists are selected
To cultivate pilina (a community grounded in an interconnected legacy), fellows are nominated by previous fellows, ensuring representation across disciplines, career stages, and geographies throughout Hawaiʻi and the diaspora.
Cohort members work across modern dance, hula, mele, western classical music, theater, and hana keaka (Hawaiian-language theater).
program OVERVIEW
Wehiwehi awards two-year fellowships to a cohort of six Kānaka Maoli contemporary performing artists.
Why we started
For decades, Native Hawaiian cultural practices have experienced a vital renaissance, yet artists working at the forefront of contemporary performance continue to lack dedicated support. Wehiwehi responds to this need with intention and care by cultivating a network of Kānaka Maoli artists working at the intersection of indigenous practice and contemporary performance.