The Nelson Arts Festival Manifest Sculpture Exhibition has changed its focus from object-based practice to installations, interventions and new media works. The interactive and site specific works will be dotted around the streets and exhibits of Founders Heritage Park.

The Nelson Arts Festival begins today, immersing Nelson in a feast of arts packed into the twelve days until Labour Weekend Monday.The Nelson Arts Festival Manifest Sculpture Exhibition has changed its focus from object-based practice to installations, interventions and new media works. The interactive and site specific works will be dotted around the streets and exhibits of Founders Heritage Park.

The Nelson Arts Festival begins today, immersing Nelson in a feast of arts packed into the twelve days until Labour Weekend Monday.Founders Heritage Park presents the artists with opportunities to engage with history, and to make thought-provoking works that may be immediately obvious to the senses, or hidden in quiet corners waiting to be discovered.

Nelson artist Nic Moon will present her large crinoline shaped structures at Founders Heritage Park. Wellington design team Grant Corbishley, Andy Irvine and Tony De Goldi present an outdoor interactive work; Waikato artist Gaye Jurisich is constructing a large work involving found materials; new media artists Patrick and Heather Burnett-Rose have an aviation based video work using the historic Bristol Freighter aircraft at Founders; while Nelson's 'Transformative Experience Network' will be staging interventions in the historic dioramas of Founders' old shops and offices.

The Port Nelson Masked Parade kicks the festival off on Friday October 17, with more than 4000 expected to take part and all the usual attractions in the city centre, including food stalls, ferris wheel, a French flavoured Pacifica dub band Mamaku Project and an opportunity for home talent to shine in Everyman Lip Synch.

Nelson City Council Festival Director Annabel Norman says the programme line up includes international treats such as Tierra Flamenca and the Spanish silent comedy Tricicle, top New Zealand shows including circus theatre The Butler and the new Auckland Theatre Company work Ship Songs plus a big focus on free community events like the the Fulton Hogan Family Finale - with the amazing Pet Art Wear (PAW) where dogs in drag take to the cat walk.

"We have a crew of over 20 in the final stages of creating venues at
Founders Park where we are based this year," she said. "People are going to be wowed by the transformation, which starts right from the moment you enter the Windmill and become part of the dramatic video and sound installation
Beacon."

Woollaston Readers and Writers has an extensive programme of talks, mainly
in the Festival Cafe that will run at the Granary, with highlights including
historian Dame Anne Salmond and a late night session with poet Sam Hunt.

Programmes are in council offices, visitor centres, retails outlets and
cafes throughout the region and tickets are on sale at Everyman Records in
Hardy Street in Nelson and on the festival website

The Nelson Arts Festival
Venue: Founders Heritage Park
Date: Thurs 16 - Mon 27 October, 9am - late
Cost: FREE

Image: Nelson artist Nic Moon will present her large crinoline shaped structures at Founders Heritage Park.

16/10/08