Auckland’s Southside Arts Festival includes a number of performances and exhibitions from artists from across the *‘MVP FAFF’ spectrum. Here’s a round-up of some of the events you might like to get along to (many are free). This year the Southside Arts Festival is spreading beyond South Auckland, with hubs in Otara, Mangere, Henderson and Takapuna. Otara Poly Typical Fresh Gallery Ōtara, exhibition now open Saturday 22 November, 12pm–1pm - Discussions with curator Tanu Gago and Poly Typical artists Saturday 22 November, 1pm–2pm - Service provider panel with L.Y.C Saturday 29 November, 5pm-8pm - Poly Typical performance showcase and URBAN THREADS fashion show with special performances from the winners of the 2014 FAFSWAG Ball. Price: Free Curated by Tanu Gago Featuring works by Mahia Jermaine Dean, Mario Faumui, Todd Karehana, Moe Laga, Molly Rangiwai McHale, Amanaki Prescott-Faletau, Jaycee Tanuvasa, Luisa Tora, Pati Solomona Tyrell and Peter Willliams. Reframing the Pacific experience for a new generation, Poly Typical is a group exhibition of emerging artists responding to social and cultural expectations. Unpacking the visual narratives used to generalise the identities of urban Pacific youth, Poly Typical digitises the collective Pacific experience through performance, photography and moving image. The Fine Fatale Urbanesia Tour Ōtara Town Centre When: Thursday 13 November, 12.40pm-1pm Friday 14 November, 6pm-6.30pm Price: Free Fine Fatale. Picture: Mario Faumui Feminine fiery fierceness, Fine Fatale is a hot new dance form fusing Pacific cultural traditions with a slice of underground art-form, 'Vogue' bringing you the 'Past', the 'Now' and the 'Future'! Fine Fatale is blurring the lines between feminine and masculine, representing the new generations of young, savvy and sassy fa'afafines who are setting trends in Pacific performance and the style stakes of Aotearoa's youth population. Fine Fatale is a dance work that is a development of Mario Faumui's orginal highly successful 'La'u Lupe' dance piece performed in 2011. Fafswag Ball Te Puke Ō Tara Community Centre When: Saturday 15 November, 7pm-10pm Price: $10 Bookings: www.fafswagball.com Picture: Pati Solomona Tyrell The Fafswag Ball is a dance showcase, with registered teams of up to seven people competing in a series of performance categories for trophies, sponsored spot prizes and a grand cash prize of $1000. Fafswag celebrates emerging queer Pacific culture within New Zealand’s urban landscapes. Driven by community this is a creative platform for connectivity amongst our gay Pacific youth navigating their unique identities within New Zealand's urban jungles. Modelled after the underground Harlem Ball scene of the 1940's, popularised more prolifically in New York City in the early 1980's. A 'Ball' is a live event in which urban ethnic minority groups and queer subcultures showcase their creative talents across a diverse spectrum of competitive genres such as performance, dance and runway fashion. Niu Theatre Works - 'The Way of the Queen' Ōtara Music and Arts Centre When: Saturday 15 November 2014, 12pm-1.30pm Price: Koha The Way of the Queen The Way of the Queen is a musical by promising playwright and Playmarket award winner, Paul Fagamalo. The Way of The Queen is a coming of age story exploring the contrasts between fa'afafine and drag queen culture, this unique production gives a voice to those within the Pacific community who are often overlooked. This is a special in development workshop performance for Southside: Urbanesia. Mangere Niu Urbanesia Workshops - Fine Fatale Moana- Nui-a-Kiwa – Leisure Centre When: Friday 21 November, 1pm-3pm Price: Free Bookings: Email southsideworkshops@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz Fierce hot Fine Fatale pacific vogue dance group will take you through some hot new dance steps and phrases. Come and enjoy hip-hop beats and Fine Fatale swag, get to know who you are and how to express that through movement. The Fine Fatale Urbanesia Tour Māngere Town Centre When: Friday 21 November, 12pm-12.30pm Price: Free Henderson The Fine Fatale Urbanesia Tour Henderson Town Centre When: Sunday 23 November, 2pm-2.30pm When: Wednesday 26 November, 4.40pm-5pm Where: Corbans Estate Arts Centre Price: Free The Kweenz Corbans Estate Art Centre When: Sunday 23 November, 2.10pm-2.20pm Sunday 23 November, 4.50pm-5pm Wednesday 26 November, 3.20pm-3.40pm Price: Free The Kweenz The Kweenz are a dance crew made up of young fa'afafine pacific islanders pursuing the art of performance in the form of hip-hop and traditional pacific dance. Niu Urbanesia Workshops - Fine Fatale Corban Estate Arts Centre When: Tuesday 25 November, 10am-12pm Price: Free Bookings: Email southsideworkshops@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz Takapuna Niu Urbanesia Workshops - Fine Fatale The Pumphouse Theatre When: Thursday 27 November, 12.30pm-2.30pm Price: Free Bookings: Email southsideworkshops@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz The Fine Fatale Urbanesia Tour Lake House Arts Centre When: Friday 28 November, 12.10pm-12.30pm Saturday 29 November, 10.30am-11am Where: Hurstmere Green Price: Free Festival feature event: Linda Lepou’s Cult Couture: Fabrik Navigators Māngere Arts Centre When: Friday 21 November, 8pm-10.30pm - Cult Couture Emerging Designer Show Saturday 22 November, 8.30pm-10pm - Cult Couture presents 'AITU' (Pacific Couture) by Lindah Lepou Price: Cult Couture Emerging Designer Show - $20 / Cult Couture presents ‘AITU’ (Pacific Couture) by Lindah Lepou - $25 Picture: Linda Lepou Come experience Southside Arts Festival's premiere fashion event. Held over three days, the Māngere Arts Centre will erupt with an exclusive feature Pacific couture multi-media show by international designer Lindah Lepou, a fashion competition, and a textile and adornment exhibition. The Cult Couture Emerging Designer Show has five categories this year with the winner of the 'Supreme Award' going home with a manufacturing contract, this is Cult Couture as never seen before. In addition, internationally acclaimed cutting edge designer Lindah Lepou has created a one-off Pacific couture show specifically for Cult Couture, which will feature fashion as art works. Drawing on theatre, art and her whakapapa, Lepou will bring forth a dynamic and spiritually infused design showcase entitled 'AITU' (Homage to Spirit) as an extension to her acclaimed art exhibition of the same name. Find out more about all the events and the festival here *Pasifika lgbti advocate Phylesha Brown-Acton coined MVP FAFF. It stands for: Mahu (Tahiti and Hawaii) Vaka sa lewa lewa (Fiji) Palopa (Papua New Guinea) Fa'afafine (Samoa and American Samoa) Akava'ine (Cook Islands) Fakaleiti/Leiti (Tonga) Fiafifine (Niue). GayNZ.com staff - 14th November 2014