The 2026 PAYPA Awards
It's time to submit your nominations for this year's PAYPA Awards!
The PAYPA Emerging Artists Award
Production of the Year - For Young People
Production of the Year - By/With Young People
Final Date for Nominations: October 15th 2026
PAYPA (Performing Arts & Young People Aotearoa) is the national support entity for artists and organisations engaged in performing arts for, by and with children and young people in Aotearoa New Zealand. We are a not-for-profit organisation and operate as a leadership organisation and network, for practitioners working for and with tamariki and rangatahi aged 0-25. PAYPA is New Zealand’s National Centre for ASSITEJ - the International Association of Theatre & Performing Arts for Children and Young People.
PAYPA has an annual hui that brings together practitioners who make performing arts* for/by/with young people**. In 2026 we are celebrating our practitioners with three industry-nominated awards that highlight and champion the excellent work being produced throughout Aotearoa.
*‘Performing arts' encompasses theatre, dance, music, Māori performing arts, and puppetry
**'Young people' are ages 0-25.
The award categories are...
The PAYPA Emerging Artists Award
For a new company or individual who has made a splash in the Performing Arts industry
Eligibility/Criteria:
The recipient must be a New Zealand resident and work professionally in the field of Performing Arts and Young People.
This award can be given to a company/individual who is new to making performing arts work for/with young people, or to an artist under 25 who is producing excellent work in the performing arts.
You can nominate yourself, your own company or others.
Past Winners:
Ben Ashby, Long Cloud Youth Theatre, 2022
Te Kura Maninirau, 2024
Seiyan Thompson Tonga and Harmony Hogarth, 2025
NOMINATE
Production of the Year - For Young People
For a production FOR young people that shows overall excellence in form and content and has resonated superbly with its intended audience
Eligibility/Criteria:
This award is for a single production that has been been performed in New Zealand within the last year. It can be awarded to a New Zealand company that works in a professional capacity making performing arts work for young people.
You can nominate yourself, your own company or others.
You MUST submit a full, unedited video of the show for judging.
Past Winners:
Dakota of The White Flats - Red Leap Theatre, 2022
The Messy Magic Adventure - Rollicking Entertainment, 2024
Rere Atu Taku Poi - Taki Rua Productions, 2025
NOMINATE
Production of the Year - By/With Young People
For a production BY and/or WITH young people that shows overall excellence in form and content and has resonated superbly with its intended audience.
Eligibility/Criteria:
This new award is for a single production that has been been performed in New Zealand within the last year. It can be awarded to a New Zealand company that has worked significantly with young people in the making of the production, or to a company that is made up of young people as creatives.
NB: You can nominate yourself, your own company or others.
You MUST submit a full, unedited video of the show for judging.
NOMINATE
The awards will be judged by a panel of practitioners appointed by PAYPA and announced at the 2026 PAYPA Hui:
5 pm Friday October 30th to 1 pm Sunday November 1st
At Circa Theatre in Wellington/Pōneke
