Louie Bretaña was awarded Artist of the Year, Filipino-Kiwi Hero Awards 2024, as part of 126th Philippine Independence Day Anniversary Commemoration held at the Auckland Showgrounds.

Louie was recognised by the New Zealand's Filipino community for his exceptional contribution to the New Zealand's visual arts scene. 

Since 2016, Bretaña has participated in more than 35 exhibition projects including the solo exhibitions Eat My Rice – Performance Art Week Aotearoa 2017, Playstation, Wellington, ‘Syokes’, Objectspace, Auckland, 2021 and ‘Tumingala Sa Tinitingala Na Mga Tala', Te Uru Waitākere Contemporary Gallery, Titirangi, 2021.

At Bergman Gallery in Auckland, he was featured in the following art exhibitions: Pride & Prejudice… Part 1, February 2023, A Place to call Home - Contemporary New Zealand Asian Art, June 2023, Horizon, October 2023, Five Painters, December 2023, as well as participating Aotearoa Art Fair 2024, April 2024, New Zealand's premier showcase for contemporary art. 

Louie will be featured in an upcoming exhibition Belonging: Stories of Contemporary New Zealand Asian Artists at Bergman Gallery in August 2024, alongside fellow Filipina artist Andrea Bolima, as well as Luise Fong, Tanja McMillan (Misery), Rhea Maheshwari, Wei Lun Ha, Bev Moon, Gavin Chai, Llenyd Price and Sung Hwan Bobby Park.