The bets are on in Nelson as to how
long Eleanor Catton’s session at the local arts festival will take to sell out,
when tickets go on sale tomorrow (Saturday 9 August).
“Call me cautious but I give it four
weeks,” says Page & Blackmore Readers and Writers’ coordinator Jacquetta
Bell. “Arts festival director Sophie Kelly reckons a week and Thomas at Page
& Blackmores says four days!”
Bell says while she’s thrilled to have
the Man Booker prize winner leading the line up for the festival, which runs
from October 16-27, there are 13 other great events and two writers’ workshops.
“After years of pleading, crime
fiction fans can meet their darling Paul Cleave, and we’re really pleased to to
host Central Otago artist Grahame Sydney whose retrospective collection of
works will be fresh out from our local stars Craig Potton Publishing,” she
said.
Others on the list include long-time
peace activist Maire Leadbeater on the role protest played in making New
Zealand nuclear free, Damien Fenton presenting his book on the nation-building
carnage and heroism of World War 1, and Auckland University Professor Davinia
Caddy who will be on stage with La Vida string quartet to unravel the mysteries
of classical music.
As in past years most sessions are on
the weekends of the festival at the Granary Festival Café, but Bell says there
are a couple of events that take a new tack.
“This year we’re offering a girlish
lunch with Woman’s Day columnist Sarah-Kate Lynch who recently turned 50, shot
off to Paris to buy shoes and turned it all into a book called Screw You
Dolores,” she said. “And we have an evening gig with Duncan Sarkies and
pianist Sean O’Brien, in The Demolition Of The Century, where private
investigator Tom Spotswood loses his job, his socks and, most worryingly, his
son.”
There are two ‘Thinking Brunch’ panel
discussions – the first is on the future of public broadcasing, to be discussed
by Radio NZ CEO Paul Thompson, Karyn Hay from Radio Live, Carol Hirschfeld from
Maori Television, TVNZ’s Tim Wilson and avid listener Judy Finn. In the second
brunch a week later, visiting writers are joined by a couple of locals on the
topic of war, peace and the shaping of the Kiwi identity.
Readers & Writers wraps up with
Poetry in the Vineyard at the lovely Woollaston Estates on Labour Day, where
Victoria University’s Harry Ricketts will deliver a selection of his poems -
noted for their deftly satiric touch and wry personal commentaries.
Nelson City Councillor Matt Lawrey
will chair the Thinking Brunches and a session on Tim Wilson’s pacey media
satire News Pigs. He said Page & Blackmore’s ongoing
support for the Readers and Writers programme had created an event that was
eagerly awaited in the city.
"Not
only is Page & Blackmore Nielsen's New Zealand Bookshop of the Year,
it's a Trafalgar St landmark and a huge contributor to the arts and culture in
Nelson. It's also owned and run by very nice people," he said. “As the
event producers, the Nelson City Council would like to acknowledge Jacquetta
Bell’s efforts in once again delivering a programme practically pulsing with intelligence,
creativity, insight, beauty and humour.
‘Nelson's
love of the arts and culture is one of the things that defines our city and
makes it such a great place to live. That's why the Council is happy to
support Page & Blackmore Readers and Writers - Nelsonians can really
be proud of this event.”
The
Nelson Arts Festival (October 16-27) is presented annually by the Nelson City
Council as a celebration for locals and an attraction for visitors. More
information and tickets at www.nelsonartsfestival.co.nz
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