SUVA, Fiji (Fijilive, Feb. 7) - A senior artist at the University of South Pacific’s (USP) Oceania Centre for Arts and Culture (OCAC), Lingikoni Vaka‘uta, has won a prestigious 2003 Commonwealth Arts and Crafts Award.
Mr Vaka‘uta, a former USP student, has been an artist with the University’s Oceania Centre, since 1998.
He was one of ten artists selected from 250 applicants from the 54 Member Countries of the Commonwealth Foundation, for the biennial award and the award to Vaka‘uta is a $9,000 special ‘development’ award, which will allow him to spend the second semester of 2003 as a visiting artist with the Manukau School of Visual Arts, at the University of Auckland, New Zealand.
"I feel relieved that the contemporary Pacific artwork we are doing at the Oceania Centre is being recognized," Vaka‘uta said.
"This award will help me to create a network with other artists in the Pacific Region and the Commonwealth. During my attachment, I intend to learn...