We'll be back for our 30th Festival:
24 Oct - 3 Nov 2024
2023 Wrap Video time! Walk down memory lane with us:
Piki mai, kake mai.
Welcome to Nelson Arts Festival
Seek and discover, discover and know, know and become enlightened.
Migrate/ Momentum / Movement.
Re(wild), re(move), re(wake).
Be curious.
NELSON ARTS FESTIVAL 2023
EXPLORING
US | YOU | WHENUA | WHAKATŪ.
Featured Events
BE LIKE BILLY?
Theatre Royal
Thurs 24 + Fri 25 Oct | 6.30pm | 70 min
After wowing us in Thoroughly Modern Māui, award-winning Rutene Spooner returns to celebrate showband legacy, idolise the greatest Māori showman and tussle with the future of Māori in entertainment. This is everything but an impersonation show. Can you be like Billy without being the butt of the joke?
TUNE UP 2024
Kirby Lane
Thurs 24 Oct | 5-8pm
Come celebrate the future of Aotearoa music right here in Whakatū! Tune Up will again transform Kirby Lane into an outdoor music hub with an amazing line up of rangatahi musicians.
BE LIKE BILLY?
Theatre Royal
Thurs 24 + Fri 25 Oct | 6.30pm | 70 min
After wowing us in Thoroughly Modern Māui, award-winning Rutene Spooner returns to celebrate showband legacy, idolise the greatest Māori showman and tussle with the future of Māori in entertainment. This is everything but an impersonation show. Can you be like Billy without being the butt of the joke?
MURIWAI
NCMA
Tues 29 Oct | 7pm | 90 min
Award-winning musicians and collaborators Ariana Tikao (Kāi Tahu) and Bob Bickerton have joined forces to create Muriwai. A confluence of two rivers, their music merges Māori and Celtic musical traditions through Celtic harp, vocals, and taonga puoro.
PRIMA FACIE
Theatre Royal
Thurs 31 Oct, 6.30pm | Fri 1 Nov, 8pm | 100 min
Tessa is a criminal defence lawyer at the top of her game: defending, cross-examining, playing to win. But when the tables turn, she finds herself at the mercy of this system. After West End and Broadway seasons, don’t miss this exceptional Aotearoa production during its national tour.
MASK CARNIVALE 2024
WHAKATŪ NELSON CBD
Fri 1 Nov | 5-9pm
Parade starts 5.15pm, Carnivale from 5.45pm
We’re delighted to bring back our magical street party of the year and celebrate 30 years of Nelson Arts Festival with you all!
THE YOUNG VIRTUOSI
NCMA
Fri 1 Nov | 7.30pm | 80 min
South Korean-born Yeyeong Jenny Jin has won many awards, including the 2023 Michael Hill International Violin Competition. 2023 Sydney International Piano Competition winner, Jeonghwan Kim joins Jenny as part of a 10-centre tour for an evening of mesmerising sonata.
PRIMA FACIE
Theatre Royal
Thurs 31 Oct, 6.30pm | Fri 1 Nov, 8pm | 100 min
Tessa is a criminal defence lawyer at the top of her game: defending, cross-examining, playing to win. But when the tables turn, she finds herself at the mercy of this system. After West End and Broadway seasons, don’t miss this exceptional Aotearoa production during its national tour.
NEILSON SINGS NELSON
Neudorf Vineyards
Sun 3 Nov | 2pm (Doors 12pm) | 90 min
The incredible, award-winning Tami Neilson performs a collection of her favourites from Willie Nelson’s Songbook, while sharing stories of working with the man himself.