Assistant Producer
Nelson Festivals Trust
Mō mātou | About us
Nelson Festivals Trust is committed to igniting creativity and connection through transformative arts experiences.
Our flagship yearly event, the Nelson Arts Festival continues, as a strong pou for the Whakatū creative community. Now in its 32nd year, it is the longest running annual regional festival in Aotearoa.
Every Spring, we curate, craft and celebrate 11 days of unmissable arts experiences in of Whakatū Nelson, Te Tauihu (and beyond).
The Nelson Arts Festival Trust acknowledges Whakatū as our tūrangawaewae, our home and our foundation. We honour the eight tangata whenua iwi of Te Tauihu and uphold our responsibility to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, with a commitment to continuous learning.
For over 30 years, the festival has served as a conduit for creative expression in our community, weaving together stories of people and place. The grit, determination and imagination that made this festival possible in the very beginning is alive and well today. We will continue to nurture this kaupapa.
We celebrate the many hands, hearts, and minds that make Nelson Arts Festival unique to our region.
Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role
The Assistant Producer will deliver on-the-ground artist engagement and logistics for Nelson Arts Festival 2026, ensuring artists are supported throughout the build-up and delivery of the festival.
The role supports the Festival Producer and wider team, delivering high-quality manaakitanga (artist care) and ensuring travel, accommodation, scheduling, and logistics run smoothly, while helping keep artist, event, and operational information accurate and up to date across festival systems, including Airtable.
This is a hands-on role suited to someone who is organised, adaptable, confident working with administrative systems and information, enjoys working with people, and thrives in a fast-paced festival environment.
If you love multidisciplinary arts and have strong organisational and interpersonal skills, this could be for you.
What the role involves
- Coordinating artist logistics including travel, accommodation, ground transport, and scheduling
- Acting as a key point of contact for artists during festival delivery
- Supporting Signature / Special Event (TBC) logistics and on-the-ground delivery
- Ensuring artist hospitality (riders, green room, kai) is delivered with care and attention
- Preparing and distributing schedules, itineraries, and welcome packs
- Supporting artist engagement moments such as welcomes, meet-and-greets, and programme activations
- Working with volunteers and festival crew to support ground transport and on-site coordination
- Maintaining accurate artist information using festival systems (including Airtable)
- Supporting invoice tracking, budgeting updates, and festival reporting
- Assisting with permits, visas, and travel documentation where required
- Contributing to a safe and well-run festival environment, following all Health & Safety procedures
What we’re looking for
- Strong organisational and communication skills
- Calm, practical approach in fast-moving environments
- Experience in festivals, events, arts or logistics (advantageous)
- Confidence working with systems and managing detail (e.g. Airtable or similar)
- A collaborative, people-focused approach and strong sense of manaakitanga
- Full driver’s licence required
Contract Terms
Start Date: Early July
End Date: 13 November 2026
Total Hours: 270–300 hours (estimated)
Hours of Work
Part-time initially, with variable hours depending on festival delivery needs, including:
- Light-to-moderate involvement during early planning and development phases
- Increased workload during the October build and preparation period
- Peak delivery period during pack-in to pack-out (approx. 19 Oct – 5 Nov 2026)
- Additional hours may be required during key events or final programme delivery periods (TBC)
Additional information
- Flexible hours across the festival period, including evenings and weekends
- Peak delivery period: approx. 19 Oct - 5 Nov 2026
- Availability across festival delivery dates is essential
Me pēhea te tuku tono |
How to apply
To apply for this role please send your CV and a short cover letter telling us a little about yourself, your interest in the role, and any relevant experience to janelle.bish@nelsonartsfestival.nz.
Please use "Festival Assistant Application - [Your Name]" as the subject line of your email and let us know your eligibility to work in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Applications close at 5.00pm on Friday 3 July 2026.
We may begin interviewing suitable candidates before the closing date, so early applications are encouraged.
For more information about Nelson Arts Festival, visit www.nelsonartsfestival.nz