Nelson Arts Festival 2021

Nelson Arts Festival (21-31 October) is one of New Zealand’s longest-running regional arts festivals with a fantastic mix of theatre, music, dance and visual arts as well as its literary programme, Pukapuka Talks. Through communal experiences, and sharing of hearts and spaces, the 2021 Festival will connect audiences with unmissable arts experiences.  

For eleven days, Nelson’s venues will be filled with the likes of Red Leap Theatre’s Owls Do Cry, physical theatre and circus performer Tom Monckton, Pasifika voices in Fua Creative’s Matala, and Auckland Theatre Company’s game-changing The Haka Party Incident. Music is across the board, including country with Tami Neilson, pop with The Beths, Taite Music Prize winner Reb Fountain, roots and dancehall with Rubi Du & PollyHill, synth-pop with KITA and the cool jazz of Lucien Johnson Quartet.  

If cabaret is your thing, don’t miss rising star Rutene Spooner’s Thoroughly Modern Māui. Fancy some flamenco? Try Paul Bosauder. Meanwhile over at The Boathouse, comedians James Rogue and Pax Assadi will be cutting up a storm of laughs.  

A festival highlight will surely be the daily art installation performances by the renowned Charles Koroneho. All this and more, capped off with the world-famous Mask Carnivale where everyone comes to town for the best street party ever.  

Full programme at www.nelsonartsfestival.nz