The idea of a Festival of Pacific Arts was conceived by the Conference of the South Pacific Commission (now the Pacific Community) in an attempt to combat the erosion of traditional customary practices.

Since 1972, delegations from 27 Pacific Island Countries and Territories have come together to share and exchange their cultures at each Pacific Arts Festival.

It is expected that more than 3000 artists and cultural practitioners from 27 Pacific countries will travel to Honiara, Solomon Islands to showcase their arts and cultures making it Solomons’ largest tourism event ever.

The 27 participating Pacific island countries and territories include : American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Easter Island, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji Islands, French Polynesia, Guam, Hawaii, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Wallis and Futuna.

The festival is recognized as a major international cultural event, and is the largest gathering in which Pacific peoples unite to gain respect for and appreciation of one another within the context of the changing Pacific.