PRESS RELEASE

11 JANUARY 2008

Porirua’s Festival of the Elements Less Than a Month Away

The 2008 Festival of the Elements in Porirua is nearly here and organisations, groups, artists and performers are gearing up for the highly colourful Waitangi Day event.

Coordinator Margaret Armour said the festival, organised by the Porirua Community Arts Council, is one of the major Waitangi Day events in New Zealand.

“It uses the arts to celebrate New Zealand’s cultural diversity which is made possible by the Treaty of Waitangi.”

Ms Armour said the Festival of the Elements provided great potential for sponsors, participating groups and performers to reach a wide audience both within the Porirua basin and greater Wellington.

This year’s Festival, to be held on Elsdon Park and the grounds of Mana College after its previous location became unavailable due to construction work, has attracted nearly 25 performing artists to the big stage.

“Though the new venue is a little less central, the site is considerably larger than the park we have used in recent years” Ms Armour said.

Organisers are particularly pleased that the location makes it much more practical to work in closely with our local iwi Ngati Toa and Takapuwahia Marae.

“We have invited as many groups as we can to make this event a truly multi-cultural one which reflects the many elements of and in our world.”

More than 100 cultures have been represented at the Festival since it began in 1992 and organisers say there are still many more who will attend in years to come.

ENDS

website - www.elementsfestival.org.nz

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