Nelson ambition to become a City of Craft gets national endorsement
The New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO has endorsed Nelson’s Expression of Interest in becoming a City of Crafts and Folk Arts.
Photo: Martin de Ruyter / Nelson Mail
The endorsement meant Nelson could proceed with developing of a full application.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) had a Creative Cities Network to identify, promote and encourage co-operation among cities’ creative sectors.
Each country could only have one city in each category, and Aotearoa New Zealand already had cities of music in Auckland, film in Wellington, literature in Dunedin, and design in Whanganui.
Last year, the Nelson City Council agreed to pursue recognition as a city of craft, allocating $15,000 from the city revitalisation budget to support the application.
A report to the council at the time said the history of craft in Whakatū dated back to Māori using resources such as pakohe to create taonga.
“The region is renowned for its ceramics, jewellery, glass blowing, fine woodwork, costume design and crafts, making everything from beer, cider and peanut butter to fishing vessels.”
The endorsement of the expression of interest was a significant milestone, the council said.
Mayor Nick Smith labelled it great news.
Photo: MARTIN DE RUYTER / Nelson Mail
“Nelson has a strong arts heritage, from early Māori creativity to institutions such as the Suter, Theatre Royal and NCMA. The creation of the World of Wearable Art in Nelson and events such as our jewellery and clay weeks and Adam Chamber Music Festival reinforce our credentials.”
The region hosted New Zealand’s longest running regional arts festival, with this year’s event starting on Thursday, while Hiwa, the new arts development agency, showed “continued commitment to crafts and folk art”, he said.
He Tātai Whetū Arts and Creativity Taskforce chairperson councillor Matty Anderson said the inaugural Nelson Tasman Pasefika Festival, which was held on Saturday, October 17, was an example of the council’s He Tātai W
“It helped members of the Pasefika community feel visible and expanded the experiences of members of the wider public.”
The council would work with the national commission to draft an application.
No timeline had been set for a final decision.
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