Ana Corbett, a young woman with links to Samoa, is one of the three recipients of the Aotearoa New Zealand Pacific Fellowship.

Sasha Gibb and James Wasmer are the other recipients for 2025.

The International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA) Aotearoa New Zealand Pacific Fellowship, in partnership with Creative New Zealand’s Pacific Arts Strategy, gives three mid-career Pacific arts leaders from Aotearoa three years of access to ISPA’s global network.

Ana is an actor and emerging creative producer of Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa and Irish descent (Kolovai, ʻEua, Ahau, Fuaʻamotu–Tonga; Lakeba–Fiji; Sapapaliʻi–Sāmoa; Cora Chaitlín, Cork–Ireland). Ana works across stage and screen, with recent credits including Shortland Street, UPU, and Totally Completely Fine. She is widely recognised as one of Aotearoa’s leading voice-over artists.

Sasha has worked in theatre and dance in Aotearoa for over 15 years, producing for companies across the motu and supporting their work on international stages. She is passionate about uplifting Māori and Pacific artists and amplifying stories that centre Indigenous worldviews. Her creative roles include Narrative Director for Tiki Taane Mahuta by Taki Rua and Creative Producer for a new work in development by musician and disability advocate Pati Umaga.

James is of Tongan and German descent. Raised in Germany, he returned to Aotearoa to begin Commerce studies before pivoting to train in Contemporary Dance at the New Zealand School of Dance. He joined Black Grace in 2014, touring internationally, and completed his Bachelor of Commerce in 2016.

Now Manager of Black Grace, James also returned to the stage in 2021 and 2022 for major productions.

“To grow Global Pacific arts and world-wide opportunities for sustainability, we need to invest in skills and leadership development as well as grow our industry networks and communities around the world,’ says Ali.