Nelson Arts Festival Programme Launch this week

This year's Nelson Arts Festival programme will be launched on Thursday (August 17th) with a group of out of town media here to take the word out around the country.

Festival director Annabel Norman says this year's festival (October 13 -23) has new and exciting events to add to the tried and true such as the Port Nelson Masked Parade and the Mac's Sculpture Symposium.

"There are some changes this year that we are really excited about," she said. "We'll be clustering everything around Albion Square with the Mac's Sculpture Symposium down there, music and dance at the Suter Theatre, we're rigging St John's church as a full theatre venue and we are building our own new venue, the Deutz Lighthouse festival café and club we're we'll have talks, music and cabaret."

Albion Square is also the site for another new festival event, the Fulton Hogan Family Finale on the Monday of Labour Weekend with everything from Pet Art Wear (PAW) to diggers on display.

The festival is also launching a friends' package this year that offers a saving up to $60 for people who commit to four shows.

"With the support that is already coming through we know Nelson is going to be buzzing in festival time and we want people to be out seeing shows night and day," Ms Norman said. "Nelson already had a reputation for spring arts holidays and it is fantastic to have the support to grow the festival and reap all the benefits it brings - from the creative to the commercial."

Out of town media from Christchurch, Wellington and Taranaki are being hosted by Latitude Nelson and will visit a range of arts venues to generate publicity for the Nelson Arts Festival, the Fourth Goodman-Suter Contemporary Art Project, and Fine - where Nelson art goes to Shed 11 for the Wearable Art awards in September.

The Nelson City Council produces the Nelson Arts Festival as a celebration for the local community and an added visitor attraction for Nelson.

ENDS

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