Tuesday 28th March 2023, in Music & Performing Arts

Two of New Zealand's most respected musicians, pianist Michael Houstoun and composer John Psathas, come together for an extraordinary one-hour programme in which they explore through music, text, and film some of the most pressing issues confronting our world today.

Following the stunning world premiere at the 2021 Auckland Festival of the Arts, Psathas has created a new Voices at the End (originally for six pianos) for solo pianist, an epic cinematic audio soundtrack, and a brand-new full-length synchronised film that weaves in around the music.

Voices at the End was inspired by the film Planetary by author and environmental activist Joanna Macy.

In his latest work, Second-Hand Time, Psathas explores an entirely new format by combining the emotional power and excitement of virtuosic musical performance with a pre-recorded cinematic audio soundtrack (drawn from real and electronic worlds). He integrates these with synchronized projected text that delivers social commentary on current and crucial issues, such as runaway economic models and their impact on society, education, climate change, current life and culture, and the future prospects of the human race.

Wednesday 29th-Thursday 30th March 2023, in Festival

A one-woman developmental piece of character theatre exploring the roles within motherhood through storytelling. Join mum Charlotte for her retelling of the trials and tribulations of parenting two children with all the constraints and expectations of society's judgements. Devised and experimental collaboration between Donna Chapman and Nikkie Karki.

Nikkie Karki in collaboration with Donna Chapman (Nelson)
Genre Storytelling, Comedy
Age Rating R16 (Adult Language)

Wednesday 29th March 2023, in Festival

Dancing is Debra's No 1 passion in life, with her favourite affirmation, 'I was born to be a dancer'. Dancing With Debra is a metaphor for the way Debra has moved through life.

This one-woman show is set to entertain, confront and challenge beliefs about people with Down Syndrome and disabilities.

Debra has attended various forms of dance classes over the years, which has allowed her to develop her own unique freestyle and lay claim to being the ‘Queen of Improvisation’. In this show, Debra has choreographed her unique dance style to a carefully selected soundtrack ranging from Beyonce to Patea Māori Club with storytelling about her journey to adulthood.

This is a show of uplifting optimism and overcoming barriers, a story about the power of self-belief. Be prepared to be charmed by this fun and poignant performance, with some surprise moments of audience inclusion and interaction.

Debra Allen (Nelson)
Genre: Storytelling, Dance, Music

Wednesday 29th-Thursday 30th March 2023, in Festival

The Departure Lounge is an autobiographical one-woman show about sex, suitcases, sailors and finding love in all the wrong places.

While waiting in The Departure Lounge for a flight to an uncertain future, a 70 year-old woman unpacks and repacks the baggage she’s accumulated over a lifetime, beginning with her dysfunctional family in 1950s small town NZ before heading, via a disastrous OE, to 1980s Auckland where she leads a passionate double life in a risky and clandestine underworld.

Can we transcend our upbringing? Is it possible to outrun the past? Can light – even love – be found in dark places? These are the big questions which lie at the heart of the show, and which are impossible to answer until we enter The Departure Lounge.

The audience at the 2022 premiere performance, described the show as “courageous”, “powerful” and “deeply affecting” and an “invitation to look at our own lives without expectation or judgement”.

The Departure Lounge is written and performed by Ro Cambridge, with director and dramaturge Donna Chapman.

Many thanks to Creative Communities and Arts Council Nelson for their support.

Ro Cambridge and Donna Chapman (Nelson)
Genre: Theatre

Thursday 30th March 2023, in Music & Performing Arts

Mark Menzies performs at NCMA’s 2023 Lunchtime Concert Series.

NCMA’s Lunchtime Concert Series is proudly sponsored by Nelson Pine Industries.

A merchant fee may be charged on credit and debit card transactions.

Cash and eftpos available for door sales at Nelson Centre of Musical Arts from 10am – 4pm, Monday to Friday.

Please contact Nelson Centre of Musical Arts if you require wheelchair seating on 03 548 9477 or music@ncma.nz.

Thursday 30th March 2023, in Music & Performing Arts

The Veils will be touring …And Out Of The Void Came Love in New Zealand in March & April 2023. Their first national tour since the sold out Nux Vomica 15th anniversary tour of 2021.

Powerfully voiced Australian folk artist, Grace Cummings will play support on all shows.

Thursday 30th March-Thursday 28th December 2023, in Community Events, Conservation & Environment

Looking for work?
Pop in and chat with Employable, a free employment service for anyone who identifies with having a physical or mental health barrier.

Employable is a supported employment service funded by the Ministry of Social Development.
They can assist with all aspects of your employment journey from CVs and cover letters, to interview skills and everything in between.

You can find Employable in the Library on the last Thursday of every month, 10am - 12pm.

Thursday 30th March-Saturday 1st April 2023, in Festival

New York based comedian Tristan Miller offers rapid-fire observations about mental health and identity, as well as a grab bag of absurd characters, as they share their experiences living with Bipolar Disorder.

Tristan believes that laughter is the first step toward empathy. Through this hour of comedy, Tristan hopes to educate, enlighten, entertain and create empathy for those who live with mental illness. Their goal is to start a conversation about mental health, with the hope that those who are living with mental health issues will feel more welcome to share their story.

“funny, sweet, creative, and thoughtful on the issue of mental health…” Myq Kaplan (comedian)
"Tristan is ahead of most comedians their age." Gary Gulman (comedian)

Tristan Miller (USA)
Genre: Stand Up Comedy
R14 (Adult Themes, Language, Suicide)

Outstanding Actor in a Musical or Comedy at Midwinter Madness Short Play Festival, New York

Friday 31st March 2023, in Community Events, Conservation & Environment, Education, Heritage & Culture, Festival, Food, Wine & Brewing, Markets, Shows & Fairs, Music & Performing Arts, Visual Arts & Crafts, Wellness, Eco & Recreation, Workshops & Retreats

Telehealth is a way of attending your medical appointment. Instead of seeing your clinician (doctor, nurse, or other healthcare professionals) in person at their clinic, you connect with them through a phone or video call. Like you would call your friends and whānau!

Drop by the Elma Turner Pop-up Library to chat with Telehealth staff about how the service can work for you.

Last Friday of every month,
10am - 12pm

Friday 31st March-Saturday 1st April 2023, in Festival

Irish comedian Alan McElroy has been a victim of mistaken identity loads of times! He has received job applications from people who think he is a Hollywood director, hacking attempts, and even received a death threat. After trying to convince them all of the mistakes, he decided to have fun with them and set them hilarious tasks & wind them up. Come to this show to see what happened!

Alan McElroy is an award-winning Irish comedian, living in New Zealand. He is fresh from a sold-out run with The Full Irish & The Comedy Pub Crawl at Melbourne International Comedy Festival and also a regular guest on RNZ’s The Panel. He has performed at Edinburgh Fringe and Electric Picnic as well as performing to sold out crowds around New Zealand with his Irish & Scottish comedy show, Booze & Craic.

★★★★★ “Excellent Irish storyteller performing a hilarious night of comedy” Funny Tonne, Melbourne International Comedy Festival

“A very enjoyable hour of comedy. There is never a dull moment as McElroy’s is able to find the funny side of any situation.” - The Speakeasy

"Audacious, Ironic, Frenetic, Irish! Good for a laugh!" Theatreview

Alan McElroy (Auckland)
Genre: Stand Up Comedy, Storytelling

Friday 31st March-Saturday 1st April 2023, in Festival

Backroom Comedy has called in Nelson's big guns for a night of shameless shenanigans, tomfoolery, and jocular hijinks.

Each night delivers a new ensemble of the region's finest, bringing their special set of skills and aiming at maximum laughs for your amusement.

On the bill are: Jace Hobbs, Áine Byrne, Glenn Cousins, Tom Baker, Sarah O'Connell, Erin Parry, Richard Townsend and Chris Lippiatt. All corralled and kept in check by Dave Vandy as MC.

Backroom Comedy (Nelson)
Genre: Stand Up Comedy

Friday 31st March-Thursday 28th December 2023, in Community Events, Conservation & Environment, Education, Heritage & Culture, Markets, Shows & Fairs, Music & Performing Arts, Sports, Visual Arts & Crafts

Telehealth is a way of attending your medical appointment. Instead of seeing your clinician (doctor, nurse, or other healthcare professionals) in person at their clinic, you connect with them through a phone or video call. Like you would call your friends and whānau!

Drop by the Elma Turner Pop-up Library to chat with Telehealth staff about how the service can work for you.
Last Friday of every month, 10am - 12pm.

Saturday 1st April 2023, in Festival

Discover a new perspective on familiar Nelson streets and sights with extra dimensional traveller Router Sidewalker.

An improvised walking tour where you choose the direction. Performed over a hundred times in seven towns, you can put your trust in this daring, cult classic outdoor theatrical feat by George T Fenn (‘Spirit of the Fringe’ for both Auckland and Wellington fringe festivals). Router Sidewalker is a passion project developed with the premise of found spaces and combatting urban stimulation fatigue.

The performance snaps the audience out of their habitual unobservance of familiar spaces and encourages them to take a moment to examine the fine details of their environment they normally block out.

The show is 100% improvised and different every time, taking a new route.

“This is an improvised performance that is so good that there are moments when you wonder what has been set up before.” Theatreview

George T Fenn (Auckland)
Genre Improv, Comedy, Promenade

Saturday 1st April 2023, in Music & Performing Arts

After ten years of rapturous performances, Penny Ashton's Promise and Promiscuity is celebrating by heading to all its favourite venues. Having recently wowed Nelson with Olive Copperbottom and Showy Ovaries, Ashton is back and can't wait to jump about with excitement on the gorgeous Theatre Royal stage once more.

Follow the fortunes of Miss Elspeth Slowtree as she battles literary snobbery, her mother's nerves and Cousin Horatio's digestions, all armed with a superior wit, excellent ukulele skills and generally being quite bright ... you know ... for a girl. Balls will be attended, crosses will be stitched and manners will be minded, all with not one ankle in sight.

Penny Ashton (Winner of 2018's World Buskers Festival's Iron Chicken and Best Theatre at the Adelaide Fringe) is NZ's own global comedienne having performed over 1000 solo shows all over the world. In 2021, she also made the most of lockdown by launching her own menopause podcast Showy Ovaries.

" ... Go if you dearly love a laugh" Dominion Post
" ... a triumph of delightful satire." Otago Daily Times

Saturday 1st-Sunday 30th April 2023, in Community Events

HERITAGE WALK – all month Make your way around Whakatū discovering hidden secrets and finding the answers to our Heritage Hunt. Grab a map and set of clues from any of our three branches and return completed maps to be in to win our Tuku23 prize at the end of the month.

Sunday 2nd April 2023, in Community Events

In 1856 gold was found in a small tributary of the Aorere River, resulting in the country’s first major gold rush. At its peak 1500 men worked the field, boosting economic activity significantly in the province and hastened the settlement and development of Golden Bay. It also spurred the introduction of legislation that was to govern mining in NZ until late in the 20th century.

Dr Mike Johnston, ONZM, has an illustrious career in both science and history, with much of his working life devoted to NZ Geological Survey (now GNS Science). Alongside his impressive list of scientific publications, Mike has shown in his books, articles and public lectures a great interest and knowledge in regional history, and in how geological resources have influenced Maori and European settlements. Through his initiative and expertise in science and history he has been honoured by several agencies, regional and national.

Wednesday 5th April 2023, in Music & Performing Arts

The Impossible Has Already Happened brings together two nation's stories of water amid a growing global climate crisis.

Choreographers Claire O'Neil (NZ) and Jennifer Mascall (Canada) take on the human relationship to water and its power to sustain, nourish, disrupt and dazzle our planet. It draws parallels to our flowing lives, to stagnated situations, and presence of being. With a sense of urgency, this work highlights our precious natural resource and all it can achieve.

Footnote New Zealand Dance and Mascall Dance (Canada) are bringing this international co-production to New Zealand shores in March/April 2023 and Canada in November 2023.

Thursday 6th April 2023, in Music & Performing Arts

Enjoy the music of Nelson born singer/songwriter Bryce Wastney.

Inspired by the acoustic music of Cat Stevens, Neil Finn, and Travis, Bryce’s music naturally traverses the folk, country, rock and pop genres – always soulful whatever the genre. His songs are skillfully performed with both piano and acoustic guitar. Naturally framed with entertaining stage banter and stories.

NCMA’s Lunchtime Concert Series is proudly sponsored by Nelson Pine Industries.

A merchant fee may be charged on credit and debit card transactions.

Cash and eftpos available for door sales at Nelson Centre of Musical Arts from 10am – 4pm, Monday to Friday.

Please contact Nelson Centre of Musical Arts if you require wheelchair seating on 03 548 9477 or music@ncma.nz.

Thursday 6th April 2023, in Music & Performing Arts

Natalia Lomeiko violin, Yuri Zhislin viola; with special guest – Anya Zhislin piano and violin

Bach Inventions
Haendel/Halvorsen Sarabande
Mozart Duo in G major
Haydn Divertimento
Pergolesi Siciliana
Massenet Meditation
Prokofiev Sonata for two violins

Saturday 8th April 2023, in Sports

Only memberships on sale now!

As an NBS Nelson Giants season member you receive the following benefits:
✅ Tickets to all 9 home games of the 2023 NBL season
✅ First pick on seats and your selected seat for the entire season
✅ No ticket booking fees
✅ Invitation to our Members open day, where you will have an opportunity to watch practice and hang out on court with the team.
✅ Be the first to receive Giants news and updates

We have made 300 season memberships available for purchase in 2023 and if 2022 is anything to go by these WILL sell out. Last year we were the only club in the NBL to sell out all 9 home games and we are determined to make 2023 an even bigger and better season.

To get your Nelson Giants season memberships, visit https://giants.flicket.co.nz/memberships