Introducing our MAI producer intern, Georgia Pani Nicholls.

A warm welcome to our amazing MAI Producer Intern Georgia Pani Nicholls (Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Raukawa) who has joined our team this week. We’re absolutely thrilled to have Georgia back in Whakatū from Ōtautahi after she performed at the Festival last year, DJing alongside Jujulipps. ⁠

Over the course of the next months, Georgia will be involved with all parts of planning, producing and magic-making as we prepare for our 30th year of delivering 11 days of unmissable arts experiences come October.⁠ ⁠ Our biggest thanks go to the amazing folks at Toi Māori Aotearoa for making this internship possible – the MAI Programme, funded by Creative New Zealand, aims to develop future Māori arts managers, professionals and producers, to support the Māori arts infrastructure, and establish pathways for emerging Māori who wish to embark on a career in the arts.

“I was born and raised in Ōtautahi to a family of music enthusiasts. Constantly around the sounds of blues, soul, funk, R&B, and early dance, music became fundamental to my upbringing and would remain a crucial influence in my life until this day,” says Georgia.

“Despite having no musical training, I managed to find myself involved in the worlds of DJing, electronic production, and event production. I found that DJing and dance music spoke to me on a visceral personal level, but recognized that the current state of Aotearoa electronic music sorely needed healing.

I think that being involved in a festival such as the Nelson Arts Festival will provide a wealth of practical experience, develop my skills in producing a project to help run a festival and building relationships that will go beyond these 20 weeks. I am so thrilled to be a part of the MAI internship programme and really can’t thank Toi Maori anymore for this opportunity.”

We feel hugely honoured to have been selected as a host organisation this year, and to have Georgia work with us!⁠ ⁠

Piki mai, kake mai – tūtaki mai ki a Georgia!⁠