Who We Are

The Nelson Arts Festival exists because we love the arts, and we see the power of the arts in promoting wellbeing and building communities. We are here to champion the arts in our region and to share unmissable arts experiences for, and with, the people of Te Tauihu and beyond.
Following 24 successful years of development and support, in 2018 the Nelson City Council moved the Nelson Arts Festival into a community-based, autonomous organisation to enable it to grow and flourish.

The Nelson Arts Festival is now under the governance of the Nelson Festivals Trust, a registered charity. 2023 marks the 29th annual Nelson Arts Festival.

Curatorial Statement

2023 Nelson Arts Festival Team

Lydia Zanetti

(they/them/ia)
Executive & Artistic 
Director

Annie Pokel

(she/her/ia)
Head of Creative & Communications

Rose McGrannachan

(she/her/ia)
Head of Business & Operations

Kerry Sunderland

(she/her/ia)
Pukapuka Talks Programme Manager | Development Manager

Olivia Flanagan

(she/they/ia)
Access Coordinator | Programme Coordinator

JR Richardson

(he/him/ia)
Technical & Production Manager | Head of Sound

Michelle Lafferty | Elephant Publicity

(she/her/ia)
Festival Publicist

Antony Hodgson

(he/him/ia)
Head of Projection | Deputy Technical & Production Manager

Maria Anderson

(she/her/ia)
Audience Experience Coordinator

Wendy Clease

(she/her/ia)
Head of Lighting

Natalie Gilberd

(she/her/ia)
Marketing Coordinator

Sam Cole

(he/him/ia)
Mask Carnivale Project Manager

Sylvan Thomson

(he/him/ia)
Tamariki & Rangatahi Programme Coordinator 

Rosie Pidd

(she/her/ia)
Mask Parade Coordinator

Festival Technical Team & Crew

Nick Davidsen, Tony Tomorrow, Tane Hipango, Nigel Percy, Stephen Paul, Matt D'Herville, Brendon McGrath, Grant Ellis, Sand McDougal, Nathan Judge, Jamie-Lea Little, Brooklyn Saunders, Lowri Lea, Kaito Kameyama & the awesome Gravity Crew

Nelson Festivals Trust

The Trustees have combined experience in governance, business, central and local government, and arts promotion and management. 

The Trustees would like to thank all previous Board members for their contribution, advice and support of the Trust and the Festival: Brent Thawley, Zoe Palmer, Johannah Kātene-Burge (Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Tama), Gemma Laing, Debbie Hannan, Sarah Sharp, Caroline Marshall and Pic Picot. 

Ali Boswijk (Board Chair)

A broadcaster by profession, Ali (she/her/ia) has been involved with arts in Nelson since moving to New Zealand in 1996. She ran the Nelson Bays Arts Marketing Trust, is a former Deputy Mayor of Nelson City Council, and the former Head of International and Business Development for WOW. She is now Chief Executive of Nelson Tasman Chamber of Commerce.

Cynthia Greep

Cynthia (she/her/ia) is from Tasman and works nationwide as an employment relations / HR consultant with an emphasis on dispute resolution. She is a trained NZ mediator across a range of forums including employment. Cynthia supports the Trust with HR and Contractor oversight and is experienced in operational and strategic HR matters. Her work as an HR Specialist at NZ School Trustees has given her wide experience across the education sector and a strong understanding of governance.

Johny O'Donnell (Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri)

Born and raised here in Te Tauihu, Johny (he/him/ia) draws his identity from Hokianga in the Far North as well as Irish, Scottish, and Pākēhā ancestry. He has a background in communications and runs his own strategy and consulting firm OD&Co which is based here in Whakatū Nelson. Johny has extensive experience in economic and community development, including delivering regional initiatives such as the Te Tauihu Intergenerational Strategy and Project Kōkiri.

He is passionate about the potential of arts and culture in Te Tauihu, particularly championing and supporting the growth of Ngā Toi Māori. He was involved in the creation of the city's arts and creativity strategy He Tātai Whetū and has been supporting the development of an iwi-led approach to Toi Māori in the region. As a massive Nelson Arts Festival groupie, he excited to give back to the festival that gives so much to Whakatū Nelson.

Sarah Yarrow

Sarah (she/her/ia) has over 20 years experience in local government focused on community wellbeing, arts and the environment and was involved in arts management with the Salisbury International Arts Festival in the United Kingdom. Sarah has a professional interest in good governance and is a chartered member of the Institute of Directors.

Sarah is a founding board member of the Nelson Festivals Trust and was part of the group that assessed and recommended how the Festival could be moved successfully from council to community governance and management. She has had a life-long involvement in the arts, growing up in a family heavily involved in the am dram scene in provincial New Zealand.

Luke Acland

Luke (he/him/ia) is a lawyer and partner of one of Nelson’s oldest established law firms Rout Milner Fitchett. The firm specialises in corporate and commercial matters and Luke is primarily the litigation partner with emphasis on employment/industrial and general commercial disputes. Luke was a Nelson City Councillor for two terms before joining the RMF partnership and he currently holds various governance roles including the boards of local charitable orgainsations and school board of trustees. Luke has been involved in the performing arts from a young age and obtained an undergraduate degree in art history. Luke has recently taken up fishing after relentless pressure from his children and it’s good fun.
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