Spotlight on Sachiko Soro

You were an ISPA Global Fellow earlier in your career. How did that experience shape your professional journey, and what aspects of the fellowship still resonate in your work today?

I was so grateful to be an ISPA Fellow. Coming from the Pacific, we can be so geographically isolated sometimes, and it was incredible to meet other like-minded souls from around the world on the same journey. Being able to stay in touch and communicate post-ISPA has been so rewarding for me. The time and space to come to ISPA and view the work we do every day on the ground is such an opportunity for growth and reflection. So many delicious minds to learn from and be inspired by.

Could you introduce VOU to our community and share a few projects you’re most excited about right now?

VOU is a social enterprise from Fiji. We provide accessible creative education pathways to vulnerable youth and provide employment for youth and women in Fiji. We are proud to now be sustainably employing 82 creative industry professionals through the work we do in Fiji and internationally. We run a tertiary dance program called the Conservatorium of Dance, and we give 20 scholarships annually to youth from urban and rural communities around Fiji who otherwise would not have been able to attend university. We provide accommodation and allowances to these youth while they study. Upon graduation, we guarantee employment within the VOU company. Once they graduate, they go on to either work in our Fiji resident shows or our internationally touring shows.

In Fiji, we run the VOU HUB for Arts, Culture, and Activities, which hosts our resident shows that we showcase to the local community and the tourism industry. We also host international artists at this venue. For our international touring shows, we have the Fijian Flying Circus, which is currently touring around the world. We also have our creative team working on an exciting new show that will launch in 2027—we will keep you posted on that!

VOU believes in bringing people together to share in our common humanity. In a world of AI, where people are often questioning what is real, the energy, spirit, and mana of the Pacific electrify the space and remind everyone what it is to be ALIVE!

Come visit us in Fiji!

You’re joining us again in New York—what are you most looking forward to at the ISPA 2026 Congress, what makes this gathering meaningful for you, and as someone leading significant work in the Pacific and touring around the world, what perspectives or priorities do you hope to bring into the global conversations taking place there?

I am really excited about finding international touring partners from around the world to collaborate with for the VOU touring shows, and I hope to connect with new audiences. I have also been invited to the Live Arts Lab by UNESCO the day before, and I am so intrigued by all the creative minds that will be present. The performing arts stand at an important crossroads globally at this point in time. We need a dialogue on how we navigate forward in a fragmented and isolated world. Artists have the power to heal and commentate; however, how will we support the important role that artists play in the fabric of society? Because of the situations in which we find ourselves, platforms like ISPA are now more important than ever—to unify and amplify the views and needs of the arts community.

Thank you, ISPA, for bringing us together in uncertain times!