S.P.A.C.E successfully hosts inaugural Allan Alo Arts Festival
The three-day Allan Alo Arts Festival went ahead from Thursday June 23 to Saturday 25, with approximately more thans 100 people attending.
The former Head of State of Samoa afioga ile Tama-aiga Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi delivered his keynote address during the event launch.
Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi delivering his speech during the launch.
The launching was held at Lava Hotel on Thursday 23rd, the second night and it was an entertainment night was held at the Tanoa Tusitala Hotel on Friday 24th which hosted the first-ever Allan Alo Vocal Cup Competition as well as a show by S.P.A.C.E's Artists Development Project and won by Leitualasa Patu with the cash prize of $1000.00 and gift vouchers from the sponsors.
The finale was held at the Taumeasina Island Resort on Saturday 26th which saw the Allan Alo Dance Cup and a show inspired by Broadway musicals.
The annual festival aims to promote the importance of Samoan culture, heritage and the Arts as a means of physical, mental and spiritual development for Samoa’s youth.
It was one of the first major events to be held in Samoa during Covid-19.
Months in the planning, the event had hung in the balance during the coronavirus lock-down, until the government ease the SOE restrictions for public gathering.
As the festival concluded on Saturday night at Taumeasina, the official event band THE POLYFLAVOUR musics permeated the air. The crowds had mostly dispersed, yet the energy was apparent. In future years “ALLAN ALO FESTIVAL” will continue to showcase the community’s best and brightest. With a successful first year under the S.P.A.C.E belt, the sky is the limit for the Allan Alo festival.
TRIBUTE TO ALLAN ALO!
This arts festival celebrates the legacy of Allan Alo as a pioneer and vanguard of the performing arts in the Pacific with the University of the South Pacific(USP).
Ailani is the founder and Artistic Director/Choreographer of the Ocean Dance Theatre based at Oceania Centre for Arts, Culture and Pacific Studies in Fiji, he created original performances of dance, music and drama portraying the heart and soul of Pacific peoples in various Island nations.
Later on as USP’s Coordinator of the Pacific Outreach Program for Polynesia, he brought together and created links between ministries, arts educators, practitioners, performers and policy makers in the arts at the U.S.P Alafua campus Samoa.
He is renowned and respected for his educational and artistically creative programs with youth groups, churches, NGO’s and government ministries to name a few in Samoa and abroad. His final gift to the Arts and his country was the S.P.A.C.E (Samoa Performing Arts & Creative Excellence) studio in Fugalei.
The annual event sponsored by Lava Hotel, Tanoa Tusitala Hotel, Taumeasina Island Resort, Adaway Media, TV3, Eyespy radio, Samoa Stationery and Books (S.S.A.B), Taula Beverages, Naydith Events Hirage, Poly Flavour, Digicel and Samoa Tourism Authority.