Participate
Are you ready to get right amongst the arts action?
There are many ways to participate and experience the Festival this year - take a look at our amazing line-up of unmissable arts experiences and events here.
Our biggest participatory event is a long-time Festival favourite: the 2024 Mask Carnivale will return on Friday 1 November. And you can register NOW to be a part of this joyous inner-city explosion!
We'll see you at the street party of the year, Whakatū.
We're thrilled to offer our By Whakatū Residency opportunity again this year for an artist based in Te Tauihu - find out more about how apply for this paid residency below.
Our biggest participatory event is a long-time Festival favourite: the 2024 Mask Carnivale will return on Friday 1 November. And you can register NOW to be a part of this joyous inner-city explosion!
We'll see you at the street party of the year, Whakatū.
We're thrilled to offer our By Whakatū Residency opportunity again this year for an artist based in Te Tauihu - find out more about how apply for this paid residency below.
Mask Carnivale 2024
Mask Carnivale will transform our inner-city streets into a colourful explosion of joy, community and creativity on Friday 1 November 2024.
This year’s theme is all about our milestone birthday, of course: 30.
The number 30 is considered a lucky number in many cultures around the world, symbolising longevity, completion, growth or transformation – how’s that for a reason to celebrate!?!
So, whether you’d like to make this theme about a birthday party or a shapeshifting transformation, we can’t wait to see all the costumes and masks the number 30 inspires you to make!
If you're keen to be part of the Parade or perform during the Carnivale, please register via the button below by 30 September 2024.
Register nowThis year’s theme is all about our milestone birthday, of course: 30.
The number 30 is considered a lucky number in many cultures around the world, symbolising longevity, completion, growth or transformation – how’s that for a reason to celebrate!?!
So, whether you’d like to make this theme about a birthday party or a shapeshifting transformation, we can’t wait to see all the costumes and masks the number 30 inspires you to make!
If you're keen to be part of the Parade or perform during the Carnivale, please register via the button below by 30 September 2024.
By Whakatū Residency Programme
We want to support local artists through time and resources, help them meet new audiences, and to tell local stories to the community (and the world!).
We’re proud to again gift a paid residency to an incredible artist from our region, to progress their mahi or trial new ideas as part of the By Whakatū Residency Programme 2024. This will culminate in a sharing at the end of the Festival - to talk to what you’ve been playing with, share a work in progress or workshop ideas live with an audience.
Key Dates:
Friday 16 Aug: Expressions of Interest (EOIs) open
Friday 6 Sept, 11:59pm: EOIs close
Friday 13 Sept: Successful applicants notified
Saturday 2 Nov, 2pm: Sharing from residency as part of Nelson Arts Festival
Find all info and requirements HERE.
Submit your Expression of InterestWe’re proud to again gift a paid residency to an incredible artist from our region, to progress their mahi or trial new ideas as part of the By Whakatū Residency Programme 2024. This will culminate in a sharing at the end of the Festival - to talk to what you’ve been playing with, share a work in progress or workshop ideas live with an audience.
Key Dates:
Friday 16 Aug: Expressions of Interest (EOIs) open
Friday 6 Sept, 11:59pm: EOIs close
Friday 13 Sept: Successful applicants notified
Saturday 2 Nov, 2pm: Sharing from residency as part of Nelson Arts Festival
Find all info and requirements HERE.
Workshops 2024
We'd love to get you writing, dancing, slamming, making!
This year, we're offering several opportunities to get right amongst the arts action.
From expressing whakapapa and identity through contemporary craft with Lissy and Rudi Robinson-Cole to plotting historical fiction with Cristina Sanders, improvisation techniques with dancer/choreographer Rebecca Jensen to writen and performing your own poetry with Sheldon Rua and Talia Stanley - there are awesome new skills to be learned and techniques to be explored!
Find out more about these opportunities HERE.
Find out more about these workshopsThis year, we're offering several opportunities to get right amongst the arts action.
From expressing whakapapa and identity through contemporary craft with Lissy and Rudi Robinson-Cole to plotting historical fiction with Cristina Sanders, improvisation techniques with dancer/choreographer Rebecca Jensen to writen and performing your own poetry with Sheldon Rua and Talia Stanley - there are awesome new skills to be learned and techniques to be explored!
Find out more about these opportunities HERE.
Volunteer
We'd love a helping hand if you have some time this October.
Our amazing group of volunteers come together every year to help us with a variety of Festival tasks, from artist pick ups to ushering at our Festival venues.
Find out more here:
VolunteerOur amazing group of volunteers come together every year to help us with a variety of Festival tasks, from artist pick ups to ushering at our Festival venues.
Find out more here:
Tamariki & Rangatahi
We put together an awesome programme for our tamariki and rangatahi each year.
From school matinees to workshops to collaborations, we offer a wide range of opportunities for young people to experience the arts.
Some of these events are created especially for schools - to find out more, and book for your students, please contact us directly: education@nelsonartsfestival.nz
Tamariki & RangatahiFrom school matinees to workshops to collaborations, we offer a wide range of opportunities for young people to experience the arts.
Some of these events are created especially for schools - to find out more, and book for your students, please contact us directly: education@nelsonartsfestival.nz