LARGE PRINT PROGRAMME EDITION
NELSON ARTS FESTIVAL 2026
22 October - 1 November 2026
LARGE PRINT PROGRAMME EDITION
ACCESS PROGRAMME
About this Access Programme
Welcome to the Nelson Arts Festival 2026 Access Programme.
This large print programme brings together the festival programme and access information in one place.
It includes information about accessible events, venues, ticketing and access options.
Access information may change as arrangements are confirmed. For the latest information, please contact us at access@nelsonartsfestival.nz
If you have an access requirement that is not covered in this guide, please get in touch. We are happy to help.
Access Information
Wheelchair access
Wheelchair access varies between venues. Please check the event and venue information in this guide for details.
If you use a wheelchair or have specific mobility requirements, please let the Box Office know when booking so they can help with seating and access arrangements.
Companion tickets
Every access ticket includes one free companion ticket.
Companion seats are reserved alongside the access seat. We can also accommodate bookings for more than two people where space allows.
Hearing assistance
Hearing assistance is available at some festival venues.
Theatre Royal: Listen Everywhere digital hearing support.
NZSL interpreted: Tiri: Te Araroa Woman Far Walking - One performance is NZSL interpreted, Thu 22 Oct, 7pm.
Suter Theatre: Telecoil hearing loop.
Service dogs
Service dogs are welcome at festival venues.
Please let the Box Office know when booking if a service dog will be attending with you.
Access tickets
Some events have specific access ticket prices. These are listed in this guide.
Access tickets are not available to purchase directly through the festival website. Please contact the Theatre Royal Box Office to book an access ticket.
Accessibility ticket holds are available for most ticketed events. It is worth asking about an access ticket even if an event appears to be sold out online.
Access ticket holds are expected to be released approximately one week before the festival. After this time, access tickets may still be available through the Box Office, depending on general ticket availability and venue capacity.
Ticket prices & fees
All ticket prices include GST. A $2 per ticket service fee applies to online and counter purchases. Credit card payments incur a 1% fee.
The Theatre Royal Box Office is the Nelson Arts Festival Box Office for all festival events, regardless of venue.
03 548 3840
boxoffice@theateroyalnelson.co.nz
Monday - Friday, 12pm - 4pm
Contact the Box Office to book tickets, access tickets, or if you need help with seating or access arrangements.
Free events
Free events do not require an access ticket.
If you have a question about access or a specific access requirement, please contact access@nelsonartsfestival.nz
Other access information
Some events may be accessible without a specific access arrangement.
Event listings may also include information about:
- Audio Description
- NZSL interpretation
- Accessible toilets
- Step-free access
- Wheelchair seating
- Hearing assistance
- Other specific access arrangements
Latest venue access information
Venue access information may change as arrangements are confirmed.
For the latest information, visit:
https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/information/venue-access/
Festival Programme
This programme is organised into three sections:
Performance, Music & Community
Live performances, music and community events, listed in date order.
Pukapuka Talks
Author talks and conversations, listed in date order.
Visual Arts & Exhibitions
Exhibitions and visual arts events, listed in date order.
Performance, Music & Community
COUCH STORIES: ORIGINS
Theatre Royal
Sat 17 Oct | 7pm | 90 min | $25 + booking fee
This year’s Couch Stories explores beginnings in all their wild and wonderful forms. Ten Nelson locals share true stories about where their stories began, from childhood and ancestry to careers, obsessions and local history.
Access
Wheelchair seating available.
Accessible toilet available.
Audio based.
Hearing assistive technology available.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/couch-stories-2026/
TIRI: TE ARAROA WOMAN FAR WALKING
Auckland Theatre Company
Theatre Royal
Thu 22 Oct + Fri 23 Oct | 7pm | 90 min
Accessibility ticket: $44 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
A bilingual story of Tiri Mahana, a 186-year-old matriarch whose life spans from the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi to present-day Aotearoa. The production celebrates wāhine Māori and the rangatahi who will carry Aotearoa forward.
Artist Talk - Opening Night Only
Join the cast and creative team after the Thursday performance for a kōrero about the creative evolution of the kaupapa.
Latecomers may not be admitted until a suitable break in the performance. Please arrive early.
Access
NZSL interpreted: Thu 22 Oct.
Audio based.
Highly visual.
Hearing assistive technology available.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/tiri-te-araroa-woman-far-walking/
TUNE UP
Rockquest
Music
Kirby Lane | Fri 23 Oct | 5.30pm | 180 min | Free
A huge opening weekend highlight of Nelson Arts Festival - Tune Up returns, with an incredible line up of rangatahi musicians, all programmed by our amazing young folx at Nelson Youth Council, with tautoko from Rockquest. Grab a bite from the food carts and immerse yourself within the glowing future of Aotearoa live music scene right here in Whakatū.
Access
Audio based.
Wheelchair accessible.
Accessible toilet available.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/tune-up-2026/
Ā MUA
Chamber Music New Zealand x Tina Makereti + Riki Pirihi
Music
The Pastorius Waller Theatre at The Suter | Sat 24 Oct | 7.30pm | 70 min | $15-$59
“Ki te whaiao, ki te Ao Mārama. Light comes into the world. Matter spirals into being. The history of humanity rolls out, longer and more fascinating and complicated than we can imagine, and you have lived many lives through it, coming into and out of being.”
Weaving the powerful kupu of acclaimed author and narrator Tina Makereti and composer and conductor Riki Pirihi’s visionary Rangatuone approach to composition, Ā Mua brings Māori futurism to life. Through four movements inspired by the Māori creation story, the work journeys from the elemental to the contemporary, grounded in mātauranga Māori.
Access
Audio based.
Low/no language barrier.
Wheelchair seating available.
Hearing assistive technology available.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/a-mua/
BATTLE CHORUS - DISCO
Tuatara Collective
Music - Singalong
NCMA | Sat 24 Oct | 8.30pm | 90 min
Accessibility ticket: $39 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
BATTLE CHORUS is heading back to Whakatū Nelson by popular demand - this time with a glittering DISCO twist!
Led by musical legend Jason Te Mete and introducing the glamorous Jodes Langdon, audiences grab a drink, join a team, and boogie-on-down to the greatest disco hits of all time. No singing experience required, just bring your shower voice, your pointing finger, and your smoothest disco outfit for the best night out you’ll have in ages.
Access
Audio based.
Wheelchair seating available.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/battle-chorus-disco/
LEVITY BEET - BAMBOO BUCKET BOING
Yellow Eye Ltd
Music / Whānau
Te Noninga Kumu Motueka Library | Sat 24 Oct | 10am | 50 min | Free - register online
Levity creates heartfelt, interactive performances for children of all ages, inspired by a love of music, sound and creativity. Using inventive instruments crafted from repurposed everyday objects alongside guitar and ukulele, he shares humorous songs that spark curiosity, creativity, connection and a deeper appreciation of the natural world.
Access
Audio based.
Wheelchair seating available.
Step-free access via ramps. All indoor spaces are on one level.
Accessible toilet available.
Accessible parking available.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/levity-beet-bamboo-bucket-boing/
THE BIG SPRING STREET PARTY
Nelson Arts Festival
Community arts
Upper Trafalgar Street | Sat 24 Oct | 12pm-6pm | Free
Join us on Upper Trafalgar Street for a joyful explosion of culture, creativity and community on Saturday 24 October.
This will be a vibrant and fun-filled day with live performances including circus, music, dancing, roving artists and witty interactive audience experiences.
Full programme will be announced in early October. Watch this space!
Access
Wheelchair accessible.
Low/no language barrier.
Accessible seating area will be available
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/the-big-swing-street-party/
SHOW ME SHORTS
International Short Film Festival
Film
The Pastorius Waller Theatre at The Suter
Sun 25 Oct | 90 min per session
Whānau Friendly: 10am–11.30am
The Sampler: 2pm–3.30pm
Aotearoa Shorts: 5.30pm–7pm
Accessibility ticket: $14 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
At Show Me Shorts, audiences can expect a handpicked selection of bold, original short films from Aotearoa and around the world. From comedies and dramas to documentaries and animation, each screening offers a mix of stories and new perspectives.
Check the website for film ratings.
Access
Wheelchair seating available.
Accessible toilet available.
No subtitles.
Hearing assistive technology available.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/show-me-shorts/
THE GATHERING TIDE
Chloe Loftus
Community dance project
Tāhunanui Beach, Rocks Road | Mon 26 Oct (rain date Sat 31 Oct) | Performance 7pm | 60 min | Beach DJ until 10pm | Free - register online
A sunset event of collective joy.
Tāhunanui Beach becomes the stage as internationally acclaimed local artist Chloe Loftus brings the community of Whakatū together in a bold, large-scale celebration of place and belonging. Featuring local people at the centre of the work, this immersive sunset experience unfolds through movement, music, ritual and collective joy, ending with a shared swim and beach party beneath the night sky, featuring DJ Alvaro Saura Moreno.
Stay tuned for ways to participate in this one-off festival experience.
Access
Low/no language barrier.
Highly visual
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/the-gathering-tide/
WEREWOLF
Binge Culture
Thriller / Comedy / Theatre
Theatre Royal | Mon 26 Oct | 2pm + 7pm | 70 min
Accessibility ticket: $38 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
A lycanthropy outbreak has begun. A seven-day lockdown is declared over an emergency broadcast, and you have been summoned to the local shelter, where three ill-equipped wardens keep watch over a makeshift community that must learn to work together. But as the threat outside takes shape, the atmosphere inside begins to turn.
Inspired by the classic game of deception, Werewolf is a gripping blend of thriller and dark comedy, pulling you into an immersive world of suspicion, survival and uneasy laughter.
Heart-pounding sound design, razor-sharp performances and a daring, darkly funny style. This cult hit asks: when night falls, who do you trust?
Latecomers may not be admitted until a suitable break in the performance. Admission cannot always be guaranteed. Please arrive early.
Access
Audio based.
Hearing assistive technology available.
Highly visual.
Content warning.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/werewolf/
WHERE CONVERSATION SPEAKS AND MUSIC FLOWS
Cultural Conversations
Music
WAA! Club | Wed 28 Oct | 7.30pm | 90 min | Seed $5, Growth $15, Impact $25
Where Conversations Speak and Music Flows brings together four musicians from different cultural traditions, meeting for the first time on stage. Through stories, improvisation and shared creativity, they weave a unique musical dialogue that celebrates diversity, connection and belonging. More than a performance, it’s an invitation to experience music as a universal language of exchange and humanity.
Access
Audio based.
Not wheelchair accessible. The entrance has one step.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/where-conversation-speaks-and-music-flows/
CHOOKS
Comedy
The Boathouse | Thur 29 Oct, 8.30pm + Fri 30 Oct, 7pm | 60 min
Accessibility ticket: $31.50 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
See website for double bill discount.
CHOOKS is a riot of comedy, cabaret, clowning and gloriously unhinged chicken impressions. Join passionate chicken farmer Bridget and her netball team as they bring Las Vegas razzle-dazzle to rural Aotearoa. Expect rapid-fire sketches, show-stopping songs and hilarious dance routines in a wild, weird and wonderful celebration of women who refuse to disappear, settle down or behave themselves.
Directed by Tessa Waters.
Access
Audio based.
Highly visual.
Content warning.
Wheelchair accessible via the front entrance.
Accessible, gender-inclusive toilet available.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/chooks/
DOING GREAT
Bailey Poching
Comedy
The Boathouse | Thur 29 Oct | 6.30pm | 60 min
Accessibility ticket: $27 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
See website for double bill discount.
Bailey Poching is doing great.
One of Aotearoa’s most exciting new comedic voices delivers his critically acclaimed solo show, digging into grief, avoidance, and the absurd notion of convincing everyone you’re okay.
Bailey is a star on the rise - featuring in Netflix’s North of North, 7 Days and winner of Best Debut at the NZ International Comedy Festival.
Access
Audio based.
Wheelchair accessible via the front entrance.
Accessible, gender-inclusive toilet available.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/doing-great/
ECHOES
Martine Baanvinger
Theatre
Fairfield House | Thur 29 Oct-Sat 31 Oct | 8pm | 90 min
Accessibility ticket: $30 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
Echoes invites audiences to discover the rich history of Fairfield House and the whenua on which it stands, told through the voice of the house itself. As past and future intertwine, stories of those who lived, walked and returned here come to life. Through immersive sound, light and projection, Fairfield House becomes a living storyteller in a powerful theatrical journey of place, memory and belonging.
Access
Wheelchair accessible via a ramp from the rear courtyard.
Accessible parking available beside the house.
Two wheelchair-accessible toilets available.
Highly visual
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/echoes/
MACHINE DE CIRQUE
Machine de Cirque Company
Circus / Whānau
Trafalgar Centre
Fri 30 Oct | 7pm | 70 min
Sat 31 Oct | 2pm + 7pm | 70 min
Accessibility ticket: $65 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
Completely alone in the world, a group of men set out to contact other survivors by using a strange machine. The problem? They’re far too easily distracted by their own flights of fantasy, competitive streaks and talent for getting themselves into perilous situations.
Direct from Québec, Canada, internationally acclaimed contemporary circus company Machine de Cirque arrives at Nelson Arts Festival with a wildly inventive performance blending jaw-dropping acrobatics, live music, humour and physical comedy. Teeterboards, juggling clubs, drum kits and bath towels become instruments for extraordinary feats of athleticism and absurdity, as they navigate a strange universe through courage, chaos and an infectious bond with one another.
Machine de Cirque has captivated audiences around the world, pushing the boundaries of contemporary circus while never losing their sense of humanity.
Access
Wheelchair seating available.
Accessible toilet available.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/machine-de-cirque/
ONE NIGHT RANT
James Nokise
Comedy
The Boathouse | Fri 30 Oct | 9pm | 60 min
Accessibility ticket: $27 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
See website for double bill discount.
A constant sellout hit - award-winning comedian and journalist, James Nokise, has a brand new rant for 2026. With the same targets; our unpopular politicians - with their clumsy and cartoonish shenanigans. With his deep-cutting, jam-packed deconstructions of the headline-inducing people and policies, Nokise will get you cheering and jeering at the state of the nation all while laughing along at just how farcical things have become.
Access
Audio based.
Wheelchair accessible via the front entrance.
Accessible, gender-inclusive toilet available.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/one-night-rant/
THE VALENTINA
The Rebel Alliance
Theatre / Whānau
The Pastorius Waller Theatre at The Suter | Fri 30 Oct, 1pm + Sat 31 Oct, 10.30am | 60 min
Accessibility ticket: $23.40 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
A live radio play. With pictures!
Join 8-year-old Ellen and her trusted crew members Neil Armstrong, Yuri Gagarin, Valentina Tereshkova and Laika the space dog on an extraordinary journey, past the edge of the unknown, and onto the surface of the mysterious and dangerous planet, Vitanonan X.
A family friendly adventure for anyone who’s looked to the stars and imagined the cosmos.
The Valentina was commissioned by Auckland Live as a world premiere for Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival 2024.
Access
Wheelchair seating available.
Hearing assistive technology available.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/the-valentina/
BYLLIE-JEAN
Byllie-Jean
Music
Deville | Sat 31 Oct | Doors 7pm | Support acts 8pm | Byllie-Jean 9.30pm | 120 min
Accessibility ticket: $30 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
If Indie Trap with a touch of Sci-fi and Theatrical RnB all birthed a fairy - it would be Byllie-jean. Bringing the acclaimed world of her EP Filter into a live experience along with a collection of new, unreleased songs emerging from her current creative practice.
Byllie-jean writes and sings to find peace in rhythm, sovereignty through synthesisers and transcendence from the humanoid pandemonium via 808s. She rides the same tail winds as the hoards of shapeshifters and storytellers with oro to offer as reciprocation for life on a magical and generous planet.
Support artists to be announced.
18+ unless with a guardian.
Access
Wheelchair accessible via the front entrance ramp.
Accessible, gender-inclusive toilet available.
Mobility parking available directly outside the venue.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/byllie-jean/
FEMINIST CLOWN POSSE
Tessa Waters
Workshop - Physical theatre
Fairfield House | Sat 31 Oct | 11am | 120 min
Accessibility ticket: $18 + booking fee [registration]
Includes one free companion.
An inclusive, clown and physical comedy workshop led by multi-award-winning comedian and director of Chooks Cabaret, Tessa Waters. Open-access and mixed-experience, friendly, welcoming first-time performers alongside seasoned professionals, all bodies welcome (yes, you too fellas!).
Whether you want to hone your performance skills or just learn how to discover joy, presence and connection in a new way - this workshop is for you.
Access
Wheelchair accessible via a ramp from the rear courtyard.
Accessible parking available beside the house.
Two wheelchair-accessible toilets available.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/feminist-clown-posse/
YMCĀ
Atamira Dance Company
Māori contemporary dance
Theatre Royal | Sat 31 Oct | 7.30pm | 60 min
Accessibility ticket: $44 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
Atamira Dance Company presents YMCĀ by choreographer Oli Mathiesen (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Manu).
A bold takatāpui rebirth of the Village People, paralleling the pop culture icons through a discography of performed identities. The archetypes, macho men, and staging of queerness and indigeneity are all interrogated. 1970s luxe meets 18th-century bloodshed - a disco interior with a cultural inferior.
Alluring, camp-soaked, and unapologetically original. Appropriation has never looked so good.
Latecomers may not be admitted until a suitable break in the performance. Please arrive early.
Access
Highly visual.
Hearing assistive technology available.
Content warning
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/ymca/
THE PHOENIX FOUNDATION - LIVE AT NEUDORF
The Phoenix Foundation
Music
Neudorf Vineyards | Sun 1 Nov | Doors 12pm | Show 2pm | 70 min
Accessibility ticket: $59 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
Wellington’s The Phoenix Foundation have released numerous EPs/singles and seven albums. Their eighth is on the way! Be one of the first to hear new music from this iconic Aotearoa band who have toured the world, scored Taika Waititi films, collaborated with the NZSO and sung on The Interislander. Their music will outlive the Holocene era.
Access
Audio based.
Audience seating is on a gravel surface.
Toilets are accessed via a gravel surface.
Mobility parking available directly outside the venue.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/the-phoenix-foundation-live-at-neudorf/
PUKAPUKA TALKS
GO HARD OR GO HOME
Kiri Allan
Te Noninga Kumu Motueka Library
Wed 21 Oct | 6pm | 60 min
Accessibility ticket: $18.50 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
Honest, fierce and deeply moving, Kiri Allan’s memoir asks what it costs to keep going when you can’t live in half measures, and what it takes to rebuild your life after a series of poor choices. Kiri will kōrero with Kerensa Johnston about finding her way back to Te Ao Marama.
Access
Step-free access via ramps. All indoor spaces are on one level.
Accessible toilet available.
Accessible parking available.
Audio based.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/go-hard-or-go-home/
THE SWIMMER & THE WHALES
Witi Ihimaera Smiler
NCMA | Fri 23 Oct | 12.30pm | 60 min
Accessibility ticket: $18.50 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
Join Witi Ihimaera Smiler for an intimate kōrero about how he reclaimed his voice, history and whakapapa by studying te reo Māori. Today a youthful 82-year-old, Witi is more prolific than ever, with three books out in 2026.
Witi will kōrero with filmmaker Hamish Bennett about his new memoir, Te Kaikaukau | The Swimmer, as well as his highly anticipated new YA novel, The Star Path of the Whales: A Return to the Realm of The Whale Rider, which revisits the classic novel that became the classic film. They will also discuss Ariā and the Monster Island, the third children’s book in the Astromancer series.
Access
Audio based.
Wheelchair seating available.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/the-swimmer-and-the-whales/
TOWARDS THE TRUTH
Shehan Karunatilaka
NCMA | Fri 23 Oct | 7.30pm | 60 min
Accessibility ticket: $18.50 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
Sri Lankan author Shehan Karunatilaka discusses his life and literary adventures since winning the 2022 Booker Prize for his astonishing novel, The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, and explores how fiction can illuminate the darkest corners of our psyche. Set in the “In Between”, this supernatural murder mystery recounts photographer Maali Almeida’s attempts to navigate a bureaucratic, crowded afterlife to uncover the truth of his death. While the story is a satire that examines power and bureaucracy in the past, it is also an invitation to explore personal and political questions equally relevant today. Chaired by Kiran Dass.
Access
Audio based.
Wheelchair seating available.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/shehan-karunatilaka/
BEHIND THE HEADLINES
Kiri Allan and Charlotte Glennie
NCMA | Sat 24 Oct | 3.30pm | 60 min
Accessibility ticket: $18.50 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
Kiri Allan’s Go Hard or Go Home and Charlotte Glennie’s Every Second Counts are both honest and hard-hitting memoirs that begin with accidents that dramatically changed the course of their lives. This is a rare opportunity to hear from two women who have lived life at full speed. Chaired by Naomi Arnold.
Access
Audio based.
Wheelchair seating available.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/behind-the-headlines/
NIGHT, MA
Elizabeth Knox
NCMA | Sat 24 Oct | 10am | 60 min
Accessibility ticket: $18.50 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
Twelve years in the making, Night, Ma is Elizabeth Knox’s intimate account of how she and her family contended with a series of calamities in rapid succession. With Kim Hill guiding the conversation, Elizabeth will dive deep on the process of bringing this daring, revealing and compassionate memoir into the world.
Access
Audio based.
Wheelchair seating available.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/night-ma/
THE STORIES WE TELL OURSELVES
Charlotte Grimshaw and Josie Shapiro
NCMA | Sat 24 Oct | 1pm | 60 min
Accessibility ticket: $18.50 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
Charlotte Grimshaw and Josie Shapiro discuss their latest novels, The Black Monk and Good Things Come and Go, in which they explore complex family dynamics, the lingering effects of grief and trauma, the urge to create art, and the dark shadow cast by addiction and secrets. Chaired by Kiran Dass.
Access
Audio based.
Wheelchair seating available.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/the-stories-we-tell-ourselves/
BIG WORLDS IN SHORT
Tina Makereti and Joseph Trinidad
NCMA | Sun 25 Oct | 10am | 60 min
Accessibility ticket: $18.50 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
Join 2026 Ockham New Zealand General Nonfiction Book Award winner Tina Makereti and 2023 Adam Prize winner Joseph Trinidad as they unveil the lives of their ancestors in order to understand themselves. From the macro to the micro, this session explores how short creative nonfiction can shine the light on who we are and our place in the world; how understanding our own family can lead to self-understanding. Chaired by Sylvan Thomson.
Access
Audio based.
Wheelchair seating available.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/big-worlds-in-short/
COMMEMORATING LAURA SOLOMON
Susanna Elliffe + Tracy Farr
NCMA Foyer | Sun 25 Oct | 5.30pm | 60 min | Free
Join us to celebrate the fifth birthday of The NZSA Laura Solomon Cuba Press Prize and meet the two most recent winners, Susanna Elliffe (for Patron Saints of Roadkill) and Tracy Farr (for Wonderland).
Access
Audio based.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/commemorating-laura-solomon/
PĀPĀ VS THE PATRIARCHY
Tīhema Baker and Lawrence Patchett
NCMA | Sun 25 Oct | 1pm | 60 min
Accessibility ticket: $18.50 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
Tīhema Baker and Lawrence Patchett discuss their latest books, One Day a Taniwha and Have This Heart, and reflect on aspects of fatherhood and masculinity that aren’t often talked about, let alone explored in literature. This deep dive into stories about men who strive for more will be chaired by Matty Anderson.
Access
Audio based.
Wheelchair seating available.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/papa-vs-the-patriarchy/
WRITERS WRITE: ACTORS READ
Bridget van der Zijpp
NCMA Auditorium, on stage | Sun 25 Oct | 7pm | 60 min
Accessibility ticket: $18.50 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
Writers Write: Actors Read, which features well-known actors reading short stories by Aotearoa’s best writers, will be recorded live at this year’s Nelson Arts Festival. Doug Brooks will read Lawrence Patchett’s story, Big Bastard, and Donna Botha will read Susanna Eliffe’s story, Patron Saints of Roadkill. Series Curator Bridget van der Zijpp will introduce the readings.
Access
Audio based.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/writers-write-actors-read/
WRITING THE FUTURE ON CLIMATE
Nick Morrison, Trisia Farrelly ONZM and Aneika Young
NCMA | Sun 25 Oct | 3.30pm | 75 min
Accessibility ticket: $18.50 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
In this solutions-focused session chaired by Kim Hill, three visionaries in the field – Kiwis in Climate contributing author Nick Morrison; Trisia Farrelly ONZM from Cawthron Institute; and environmental scientist and kaupapa Māori researcher Aneika Young – will explore how tackling climate change can improve our lives.
Access
Audio based.
Wheelchair seating available.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/writing-the-future-on-climate/
ALL HER LIVES
Ingrid Horrocks
NCMA | Mon 26 Oct | 10.30am | 60 min
Accessibility ticket: $18.50 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
Join us to celebrate the nine interlinking tales that comprise All Her Lives, this year’s Jann Medlicott Acorn Fiction Prize winner at the 2026 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. Learn why Ingrid Horrocks, the author of creative nonfiction and poetry books, turned to fiction - and the short story form, in particular - and why she believes reading about and imagining possibilities for hope is more radical than invoking dystopia. Chaired by Claire Williamson.
Access
Audio based.
Wheelchair seating available.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/all-her-lives/
BEHIND THE HILL, BESIDE THE SEA
Emma Gilkison and Robin Robilliard
Tāhunanui School Hall | Mon 26 Oct | 5pm | 60 min
Accessibility ticket: $18.50 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
Emma Gilkison and Robin Robilliard discuss the two remarkable social history books they have written about two of the most beloved locations in Te Tauihu, the Top of the South Island: Tāhunanui Beach and Mōhua Golden Bay. Central to both books are the stories told by those who have called these two places “home”, whether for a holiday, a season or for decades. Chaired by Kerry Sunderland.
Access
Audio based.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/behind-the-hill-beside-the-sea/
MAKING SENSE & MAKING FUN
Joseph Trinidad and Pax Assadi
NCMA | Mon 26 Oct | 1pm | 60 min
Accessibility ticket: $18.50 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
Joseph Trinidad’s Lucky Creatures is a bold and playful collection about rebuilding life after his family emigrated from the Philippines. Standup comedian Pax Assadi, who grew up in a Pakistani/Iranian immigrant family, will be discussing his joyfully chaotic memoir, Mortified, which explores what we gain by embracing moments that make us cringe.
Access
Audio based.
Wheelchair seating available.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/making-sense-making-fun/
PLANT FIEND
Peter Butler
Village Theatre Tākaka | Tues 27 Oct | 6pm | 60 min
Accessibility ticket: $18.50 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
In Plant Fiend, Peter Butler explores his relationship with plants, which have always been both a love and a refuge - and led to the establishment and success of both Forest Herbs Research and HealthPost. Peter’s memoir is the story of a driven, risk-taking entrepreneur. His successes and struggles are described with honesty, warts and all. Chaired by Robbie Burton.
Access
Audio based.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/plant-fiend/
KAPA HAKA THROUGH A LENS
Melissa Banks and Jeremy Banks
Theatre Royal | Wed 28 Oct | 5.30pm | 90 min | Free - register online
Te Ara o Hine Rēhia is a visual foray into the world of kapa haka, told through the lens of photographer Melissa Banks and her husband Jeremy Banks. Each chapter in the book covers one of the seven different disciplines that make up a kapa haka bracket, evoking the emotions and feelings associated with that item. Chaired by David de Thierry.
Access
Audio based.
For additional access requirements, please contact the Theatre Royal Box Office when registering.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/kapa-haka-through-a-lens/
MURDER & MOJITOS
Gareth and Louise Ward
Kismet Cocktail & Whisky Bar | Wed 28 Oct | 5.30pm | 60 min
Accessibility ticket: $27 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
The mojitos will be flowing when Gareth and Louise Ward convene at Kismet to discuss Murder and Mojitos, book three in the bestselling Bookshop Detectives series. In this high-stakes final instalment, Art Deco glamour, a Cuban crime queen and a grammar-obsessed killer collide. Chaired by Doug Brooks.
18+ unless with a guardian.
Access
Wheelchair accessible via the ground-floor entrance.
Accessible, gender-inclusive toilet available.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/murder-mojitos/
THE CLEAN: IN THE DREAMLIFE
Richard Langston
The Vic Public House | Sat 31 Oct | 5pm | 75 min
Accessibility ticket: $27 + booking fee
Includes one free companion.
In The Clean: in the dreamlife you need a rubber soul, Richard Langston records the definitive story of the band that pioneered a lo-fi, do-it-yourself approach to rock music and helped establish independent music label, Flying Nun Records. He will be quizzed by one of the band’s biggest fans, music reviewer Grant Smithies, followed by a celebration of their iconic sound.
18+ unless with a guardian.
Access
Audio based
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/the-clean-in-the-dreamlife/
Visual Arts & Exhibitions
UNRAVELLING THE SAREE: BEYOND THE FOLD
Nelson Provincial Museum
Exhibition
Fri 28 Aug-Sun 15 Nov | Gallery opening hours
A community-led exhibition celebrating the South Asian saree as both a traditional and contemporary living garment, the exhibition explores the stories, cultural meanings, memories and personal connections carried in sarees from India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Embracing all bodies, the exhibition considers the saree as a powerful expression of culture, identity, resistance and creativity.
Access
Highly visual.
Low/no language barrier.
Wheelchair accessible.
Admission
Free for Nelson Tasman ratepayers and residents.
Fees may apply to selected touring exhibitions.
Opening hours
Weekdays: 10am - 5pm
Weekends and public holidays: 10am - 4.30pm
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/unravelling-the-saree-beyond-the-fold/
CREATIVE CANS
Theatre Royal Foyer
Exhibition
Thu 22 Oct-Sun 1 Nov | Free
Creative Cans is an art collaboration between the Nelson Arts Festival and NMIT’s Level 5 Digital Art and Media students. Led by local artist and tutor Klaasz Breukel, students will design cans and posters that are to be displayed. The project offers NMIT’s creative ākonga the chance to connect with the Festival’s curatorial theme while creating visual artworks and designs that showcase their views, talents and skills to the community.
Access
Highly visual.
Low/no language barrier.
Wheelchair accessible.
Opening hours
Weekdays: 12pm - 4pm
Also open before and during theatre performances
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/creative-cans/
HOW DID WE GET HERE? STEP INTO THE STORY WITH KŌPŪ
Nelson Airport
22 Oct – 27 Nov | Free | All ages
An exhibition and interactive activation exploring the stories,
artwork and creative process behind Aorere Ararau and Kupe and the Great Octopus of Muturangi.
Includes artwork, behind-the-scenes content and hands-on activities for tamariki and whānau.
Access
Highly visual.
Wheelchair accessible.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/nelson-airport-activation/
TĀHAE: STOLEN FROM THE MUSEUM
Kahu Paki Paki
Exhibition
Tāwera | Mon 26 Oct-Wed 18 Nov | Daily, 10am-5pm | Free
Drawn from a lifetime of admiration for the cultural expression of the past, this exhibition is a cheeky act of quiet rebellion, reclaiming ownership of our taonga tuku iho. Recognising that many of us experienced our taonga and Māori art only through museum glass, it uses imagination to recreate these treasures for everyday access.
Led by carver and artist Kahu Paki Paki, this exhibition offers an intimate portal into the recreation of taonga by some of Te Tauihu o Te Waka a Māui’s most talented carvers, weavers and makers.
Access
Highly visual.
Wheelchair accessible.
More information: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/event/tahae-stolen-from-the-museum/
TAMARIKI AND RANGATAHI PROGRAMME
The 2026 Tamariki & Rangatahi Programme includes performances, workshops, talks and music for young people.
Schools can book discounted tickets and programmes, including Authors in Schools, Pukapuka Talks, Live Performing Arts and Music in Schools.
The main festival programme also includes all-ages and family-friendly events.
For a copy of our full 2026 Tamariki & Rangatahi Programme please email education@nelsonartsfestival.nz
Venue Information & Contacts
Venue access varies between locations. Key access information is included below.
For full and up-to-date venue access information, visit:
Venue access: https://nelsonartsfestival.nz/information/venue-access/
Festival Box Office
The Theatre Royal Box Office is the Nelson Arts Festival Box Office for all festival events, regardless of venue.
03 548 3840
boxoffice@theateroyalnelson.co.nz
Monday - Friday, 12pm - 4pm
Contact the Box Office to book tickets, access tickets, or if you need help with seating or access arrangements.
Nelson Arts Festival Access Email
For access questions or specific access requirements:
access@nelsonartsfestival.nz