MEDIA RELEASE
2 August 2006

Resource Consent and New High Profile Board Cements Cuba Street Carnival’s Position as Iconic Event!

The Cuba Street Carnival, New Zealand’s largest street festival has been granted a major resource consent, which sets new guidelines and standards for inner-city events and temporary activities.

“The granting of the resource consent is hugely significant for the carnival. It has eliminated a major stumbling block for the Carnival and is an extraordinary achievement not only for the Carnival but for all events and temporary activities in the inner city,”says artistic director Chris Morley-Hall. (We need to explain why this is a great achievement)

The open-ended resource consent, which was granted after a public hearing on Friday 16 June, will allow the Carnival to operate for two days and three nights with over fourteen music stages, and the ability to close several streets within the city’s entertainment district.

“We won’t use the full potential of the resource consent this year. We want to build the event up over the next few Carnivals, ” says Mr Morley-Hall.

The highly anticipated 2007 Carnival, on February 23 and 24, will include a new circus/cabaret stage and will see the return of the hugely popular kids’ area and Friday night outdoor cinema.

All the Carnival favourites will make a welcome return including five music stages showcasing top musicians from New Zealand and abroad, an extensive market and the beloved Illuminated Night Parade. This will culminate in New Zealand’s biggest street party. To help get people into the spirit, the 2007 Carnival will offer prizes and incentives for those displaying their festive side. Prizes will be awarded for the Best Dressed, Best Photography as well as a plethora of spot prizes given out each day of the festival. Businesses, especially those along Cuba Street and Courtenay Place, are invited to join the party by decorating their shop windows with lights and festive colours.

The Carnival is currently asking for submissions from musicians, artists, performers, parade entrants and volunteers.

The Carnival has also confirmed a new high-profile board, which will ensure that governance and future plans for the event are well managed. The members of the Cuba Street Carnival Board are:

Kerry Robins, Chair, Former Film producer and Manager Embassy Theatre

Mark Blumsky, Deputy Chair, Former Mayor of Wellington and current National List MP for Wellington

Chris Morley-Hall, Secretary, Founder and Artistic Director, Cuba Street Carnival

Nicholas Simcock, Treasurer, Australasian Managing Director Futurestep / Korn ferry

Alister Shennan, Managing Director, FRANK Advertising

Carla Van Zon, Former CEO and Artistic Director, New Zealand International Arts Festival

Nigel Moody, Partner, Gibson Sheat Lawyers

Charles Morley-Hall, Real Estate Manager and former GM of Red Rocks Advertising.

“We wanted to make sure that there are no future impingements to the Carnival’s success,” says Mr Morley-Hall. “With the granting of the resource consent and the confirmation of a fantastic new board, the future is looking great.”

Along with the continued support from Wellington City Council the Carnival has secured partnerships with the Radio Network and The Dominion Post, Frank Advertising and is finalising the family of sponsors over the coming weeks.

The first Cuba Street Carnival was in 1999 and became biannual in 2005 to avoid conflict with the New Zealand International Festival of the Arts. With plans firmly in place for 2007, the Carnival has stamped its claim as one of Wellington’s iconic events.

ENDS

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