Keeping Pasifika culture visible through art and performance | Leo Tanoi

Arts and Culture Medal sponsored by Powerhouse

Inside Leo Tanoi’s Western Sydney home, culture is everywhere.

A large portrait of a Pasifika rugby league player fills one wall.

Colourful artworks line the room.

Nearby, multiple DJ decks sit among thousands of vinyl records collected over decades.

Art, music and culture are not just interests.

They are central to who he is.
Leo is a curator, arts programmer, DJ, radio broadcaster, performer and community leader.

He also holds Samoan royal titles, high chief from his father’s side and orator from his mother’s side.

But for Leo, identity is not a list of roles. It is a responsibility.

“My Samoan identity is a continuation of my parents and their ancestors,” Leo said.

“Although I was born in New Zealand and have lived in Australia since 1988, I am Samoan. I can’t help that.”

His work is grounded in service – to the Pasifika diaspora and to the broader community – by keeping culture visible through the arts.

“People come here for a better life, and I could turn my back on my culture and just be an individual,” Leo said.

“But that would be at the expense of who I am.”

For more than 30 years, Leo has worked to strengthen the presence and understanding of Pasifika cultures across New South Wales.

Starting with the early Pacific Wave festivals up to his recent collaborations like Lifting the Tapu, where Pasifika community members are photographed against Renaissance-style backdrops.

His work has created opportunities for artists, built connections and opened pathways for future generations.

One project he holds close is Body Pasifika at Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre in Liverpool.

The exhibition brought together 30 objects from the Australian Museum’s Pacific Collection alongside new works by contemporary Pacific Islander artists.

It gave new life and meaning to the cultural artefacts.

Leo has also played an important role in shaping the new Powerhouse Museum in Parramatta, helping establish its Pacific team and advising on future programs.

“I’ve worked with some incredible communities across festivals, exhibitions and cultural institutions.

“I’ve always believed that our stories deserve space, respect and care.

“If people don’t know their culture or language they are always asking, ‘Who am I?’

“I can see that that is already happening. I don’t want people to be in that situation.

“I want people to know who they really are.

“I can help them understand what our ancestors were trying to convey and give them a richer sense of identity.”

Leo Tanoi is the winner of the 2026 Arts and Culture Medal.