Nelson Arts Festival - The Word Goes Out

Nelson Arts Festival - The Word Goes Out

In Nelson we know there's a party coming up in October, and the rest of New Zealand is hearing about it too.

The Nelson Arts Festival and Trafalgar 200 organisers are working on joint marketing initiatives, and Nelson City Council Festival Director Annabel Norman says they are very pleased with the support they've had from local businesses.

"We had a 16 page supplement in the Dominion Post this week which was well supported by retailers and tourism operators," she said. "We will be handing out invitations to come to Nelson at the FINE Nelson arts show at Shed 11 on the Wellington waterfront while the Montana Wearable Art Awards are on this month, we've sent postcards and programmes to a huge database of people who have come to Nelson previously for Wearable Arts (as well as making these available to Nelson people to send out themselves) and we are in the diary pages of magazines like North and South and the Air New Zealand Arrival."

Ms Norman said the marketing campaign focussed on letting people know there were good reasons to plan a spring break in Nelson.

"We haven't had a big budget to get this message out, but we've gone to people and places where we are most likely to get a response, she said. "We've had support from Latitude Nelson, we've combined with The Suter, Nelson Bays Arts Marketing and the WOW Museum and done all we can to give Nelson a springtime injection of visitors."

This week the Nelson Arts Festival and Trafalgar 200 programmes have been distributed around Nelson, and have been well received by retailers and accommodation providers.

"It's no secret that winter has been tough for some sectors in Nelson - but we are picking up an optimism that the big party in October is really something to look forward to," Ms Norman said. "And it's not too late for people to invite their friends. We have a programme that deserves to be shared - we'd like nothing better than to see the full house signs go up!"

Pick up a programme for the Nelson Arts Festival and Trafalgar 200 at the Nelson City Council, Nelson Public Libraries and numerous retail outlets throughout the city. Nelson Arts Festival Bookings are now open at Everyman Records in Hardy Street, phone 548 3083. Trafalgar 200 Ball tickets ($70) are available from the Council. Find out more at www.nelsonfestivals.co.nz and Trafalgar200.co.nz

ENDS

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