Fuel PAT's 2026 Season

Proudly Asian Theatre, affectionately known as PAT, is a home, a platform, and for 13 (thirteen!!) years a lifeline for Asian artists in Aotearoa.

After over a decade of building opportunities and bold work, our community’s Boosted support in 2024 to keep our lights on enabled us to take risks, helped us survive a hiatus to restructure our business, and we stepped into a stronger, healthier new era. 
 

We did it, and we’re only just getting started! In our hiatus we learned that a lot of our “ambitious” dreams for PAT are actually just practical needs to run an organisation healthily. As PAT and our artists continue to evolve (one of us is literally growing a human now alongside growing PAT), the need for stability and sustainable support is stronger than ever. 

We are deeply motivated to honour the investment already made in us and to keep our fire and momentum alive. This is about fuelling the trajectory of PAT; to solidify this growth spurt; so Asian artists continue to have a place to belong, create, and thrive.

Proudly Asian Theatre delivers contemporary performance works driven by Asian artists in Aotearoa.

PAT was formed by actors Chye-Ling Huang and James Roque in 2013 as a reaction to the lack of Asian representation in Aotearoa New Zealand, and a need to survive as performers. 

We were founded as Pretty Asian Theatre - a name reflective of our shaky sense of diaspora Asian identity. As we staged work by Asian diaspora writers, connected with our community and felt the impact our stories could have, we staged our first original show in 2016, becoming Proudly Asian Theatre. 

Our focus shifted to our community, audience and others like us as we grew into leadership. With PAT now helmed by the brilliant Marianne Infante (Executive Director) and co-founder Chye-Ling Huang (Artistic Director), we now aim to pioneer theatre that explodes the idea of what Asian stories are - works that challenge, re-invent and entertain. In the 13 years of PAT, our biggest joy has been learning from and serving the talented Asian diaspora artists in Aotearoa and creating a space of exploration and empowerment. 

Your support will help us:

Keep PAT Running —
Support our day-to-day operations, including storage costs for our growing production assets (enabling us to plan for tours!) and subscriptions that help us function efficiently as an organisation.

Amplify Our Work —
Marketing costs are often overlooked, but they’re crucial to reaching audiences, building community, and making sure our stories are seen. We are so pumped to keep PAT’s audiences connected.  

We’re raising $8,000 to cover essential operational costs so PAT can keep doing what we do best: producing bold, meaningful theatre for and with Asian artists. 

We're seeking to raise this money because we want to continue nurturing creativity, talents and community. From grassroots artists to professional performers, PAT has created pathways for Asian NZ artists to grow, collaborate, and shine.

Despite the economic climate, our kaupapa is as strong and resilient as ever. We need to get heart-fuelled works on stage, and keep supporting artists to do what they do best; share their unique perspectives of the world, show us our nuanced humanity, connect and empower communities and enact change. 
 

We stand for artistic freedom; help us climb the ladder to being truly sustainable

We dream of a future where Asian artists can create fully resourced productions without relying on inconsistent funding rounds or the limitations of larger organisations. We provide a space to take risks, innovate, and lead.

With your help, PAT can continue to be a place where Asian artists are supported, celebrated, and empowered. Every contribution, big or small, directly strengthens our ability to keep the lights on, the stories coming, and our community thriving.

Join us in keeping PAT strong. Be part of the journey, help us reach our goal, and ensure that Asian voices in Aotearoa continue to be seen, heard, and celebrated.