Nelson Jewellery Week Call for Proposals

Nelson Jewellery Week (NJW) is a week-long festival of contemporary jewellery in Whakatū, Nelson, returning 1–8 October 2027. It brings makers, collectors, curators, students and the public together through exhibitions, workshops, talks, community events and social gatherings.

Workshops are at the heart of NJW. With few tertiary institutions in Aotearoa now offering jewellery training, the festival gives makers at every stage the chance to build skills and expand their practice. The 2027 programme includes 20–25 technical and concept-driven workshops and a masterclass for mid to late-career makers.

Exhibitions take place across the city in public and dealer galleries, retail spaces and shop windows. In 2027 they will be selected by Caroline Billing, Director of The National, and Whakatū artist Josephine Cachemaille. This year’s festival considers EXCHANGE: jewellery as a site of encounter between maker and wearer, material and meaning, individual and community.

Nelson’s walkable city centre and NJW’s emphasis on manaakitanga make it a warm, connected and participatory event.

NJW is presented by Hiwa, the arts development agency for Whakatū. Formerly Arts Council Nelson, Hiwa gives practical support to creatives, delivers festivals and events, and helps grow a thriving arts and culture sector in the region.

Nelson Jewellery Week (NJW) is calling for proposals for its 2027 programme, running 1–8 October in Whakatū, Nelson. We’re inviting jewellers, object makers, tutors, curators and creative thinkers to be part of the festival in three ways.

Workshops: We’re programming workshops for beginner, emerging and established makers, covering both technical skills and concept-driven practice such as design development and exhibition-making. Workshops will be held at the NMIT jewellery workshop, The Bench School for Jewellery and other spaces around the city. Tutors travelling from outside the region receive support for travel, accommodation and a daily stipend, and materials are reimbursed.

Exhibitions: Selected projects are matched with galleries, retail spaces and shop windows throughout Whakatū. Work will be selected by Caroline Billing, Director of The National, and Whakatū artist Josephine Cachemaille, with preference given to projects not previously shown in Aotearoa. Exhibitors are also invited to give a floor talk.

Special events: Talks, panels, performances, tours, launches, social gatherings and community events are all welcome. If it’s related to jewellery, we’d love to hear about it. NJW can help with programme listing, promotion, box office and finding a venue.

In 2027 NJW considers EXCHANGE, positioning jewellery as a relational practice, though proposals don’t need to respond to it directly.