Tuku Iho | Living Legacy Media Launch
CULTURAL EVENT PRODUCTION | MEDIA | STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT | GOVT & TRADE RELATIONS
Power Station of Art, Shanghai, 2019
Tuku Iho | Living Legacy was one of New Zealand's most significant cultural diplomacy moments in China — an exhibition of Māori art, performance, and living tradition presented at Shanghai's Power Station of Art, mainland China's first state-owned museum of contemporary art and home of the Shanghai Biennale. The exhibition showcased over 70 traditional artworks alongside live cultural practice, forming the centrepiece of the 2019 China–New Zealand Year of Tourism.
The opening night was a high-stakes event requiring careful coordination across government, cultural institutions, performers, and brand partners — all in service of an experience that needed to feel both immersive and deeply respectful of the cultural significance of what was being presented. Eleni led end-to-end production of the launch event in her role as Senior Producer at Tribal Brands Asia, managing the run-of-show, coordinating kapa haka performers from Te Puia, live carving demonstrations, tā moko artists, and produced a New Zealand-themed pop-up café that ran throughout the exhibition period.
The opening drew New Zealand's Ambassador to China, senior political representatives, cultural leaders, and trade and tourism partners. Media coverage and word-of-mouth drove strong public attendance across the multi-week run, and the exhibition was widely regarded as a landmark moment in New Zealand–China cultural exchange.
250+
Guests at opening night including Ambassador, political & cultural leaders
70+
Traditional Māori artworks exhibited alongside live cultural performance
PSA
Hosted at the Power Station of Art - Mainland China's first state-owned contemporary art museum & home of Shanghai Biennale
Pop-up
Produced a themed pop-up Café in the adjacent gallery space to run alongside the exhibition
New Zealand Week China — Senior Project Manager
The Tuku Iho launch also served as the flagship opening event for New Zealand Week China 2019 (NZW) — the largest edition of the programme to date. Eleni was Senior Project Manager for the full NZW campaign, which that year expanded to 6 cities, 195 venues, and 66 New Zealand brands. The campaign generated 112 new retail listings and 750 in-market activations across restaurants, retailers, hotels, and cultural events throughout China. The events were produced by Eleni in her role at Tribal Brands Asia in partnership with Te Puia | New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute, as part of New Zealand Week and the 2019 China–New Zealand Year of Tourism.