Samoa's newly formed Arts Council hopes to progress and grow the nation's contemporary and traditional arts.
The Samoa Arts Council Incorporated was set up after several workshops held by the University of the South Pacific last year identified the need for one.
The council's president, Tuilagi Seiuli Allan Alo Va'ai, says it will support all types of artists, particularly traditional ones.
"Things that we look into isn't just contemporary, but also traditional work. So it's all about preservation and also for respecting the new expressions that draw out of traditional motif."
Tuilagi Seiuli Allan Alo Va'ai says the council opens up more opportunities for funding, and allows for a closer collaboration with arts councils in the region as well.
