Nelson Arts Festival 2011

Nelson Arts Festival 2011

As winter reaches its damp tendrils around the town it's good to remember Spring is going to come with one helluva bang this year! Rugby fever will still have us in its grip when the Nelson Arts Festival delivers a feast of theatre, dance and music, starting on October 7 with the biggest bestest Masked Parade ever. With the theme Playful Pacific we envisage traditional costumes, myths and legends, birds and fish as we celebrate the cultures and colours of this part of the world.

The festival runs longer than usual (three weekends) until Labour Day Monday when a rather famous poet will be heard at Poetry in the Vineyard and a rather famous ukulele orchestra will be strumming at our Family Finale.

We won't be launching the programme in full until August, but there are a couple of things we want to tell you...and a few treats we want to hint at just enough to make you wanna be in Nelson in October and invite your friends to join you.

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Show Your Love

We're opening up a new way for our keen supporters to show their love by becoming Nelson Arts Festival Patrons. Let's be frank. Staging 45 shows over a two week period takes passion and sheer hard work. It also costs money. We get great support from the Nelson City Council and from sponsors large and small. But we've been thinking for some time that there are people who would like to show their commitment to the festival by becoming patrons. We've developed an affordable package with some nice rewards. To find out more contact Juliette at jfox@orcon.net.nz

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Rita and Douglas

You'll be hearing more about this fabulous show that has just premiered at Wanaka's Festival of Colour. Michael Houston plays Douglas Lilburn and Jennifer Ward-Lealand is the young Rita Angus in Dave Armstrong's stage adaptation of Rita's letter to the brilliant composer.

It's a most unusual love story that lies at the heart of New Zealand's cultural history.

"That first night, Gordon, that I slept with you, I wanted to release music in you - and I succeeded in my desire." - Rita Angus to Douglas Lilburn. 1942 We'll be staging Rita & Douglas at the Theatre Royal as a Nelson Arts Festival highlight.

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Banksy on the walls

The word's out that new Nelsonian George Shaw is putting his stunning collection of Banksy works on show at Founders, along with other top international urban artists, work by Auckland's Cut Collective and the winning works from the Oi You! competition. This means the Energy Centre is going to be fully occupied - so with typical Festival Flare we bring you an entirely original venue...

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Cabaret at Founders

We'll be creating our own huge cabaret tent with a range of great music and dance. The Loons - that zany circus theatre group of Butler fame - will be back with an all-new cabaret show. And there'll be the fine wines, craft beers and yummy food you've come love.

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And finally

Here's a show to keep you warm in the meantime. The Theatre Royal, under its Top of the South Arts Consortium banner is brining Black Grace to Nelson next month, with their fabulous new work, Verses. This collection of new short works by Neil Ieremia is inspired by his favourite music from the likes of David Bowie, Talking Heads and Johnny Cash. It's described by the New Zealand Herald as 'polished, pungent, bone-crunchingly physical and perfectly executed alchemy of music, muscle and motion'. See it at the Theatre Royal on Friday May 13 and Saturday May 14. Tickets available at Everyman ph: 03 548 3083, www.everyman.co.nz

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