Busy day - Art in the Aisles

The seventh annual Arts Festival Service at Nelson Cathedral will welcome in the Nelson Arts Festival on Sunday October 16th. The service has now won a place at the heart of the festival, with the Cathedral filled each year by a congregation there to welcome the spring and celebrate the arts.

Cathedral Priest Assistant Yvonne McLean says the service is a mix of the best traditions of the Anglican Church ­ and some original Nelson elements.

"The Cathedral is pleased to host this service and to be identified with the Nelson Arts Festival," she said. "We love the whole idea of celebrating the gifts and talents of the people in our Nelson community."

This service has developed its own tradition and is will be opened with a karanga, and a parade of models from the Montana WearableArt Awards moving to the music of the processional hymn. Festival patron Jane Evans will read a poem, Mayor Paul Matheson will give a bible reading, local poet Rachel Bush will read a poem, there will be music from the Cathedral Choir and Polyhymnos and the address is to be given by well known artist Allie Eagle.

This year for the first time there will be art exhibited in the cathedral from the time of the service, through to Friday October 21st. Paintings, papier mache works and sculptures from the Magenta Creative Space, Community Art Works and Nikau House will be on show.

"We are pleased to be able to include the work of people of mixed abilities and people who have experienced mental illness," the Reverend McLean said. "We like to think the cathedral can have a role in the lives of all Nelsonians and we see potential for this kind of exhibition to grow as part of the Nelson Arts Festival."

Everyone is welcome to the Arts Festival church service at the Nelson Cathedral at 6pm on Sunday October 16th.

ENDS

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