Nelson Jewellery Week (NJW) is New Zealand's premier celebration of contemporary jewellery making.
Taking place biennially in Whakatū Nelson, NJW is a vibrant week-long festival for jewellery markers, lovers and wearers. National and international makers are involved in unique exhibitions, workshops, talks, community initiatives, children’s activities and social events around Nelson CBD.
Proudly presented by Arts Council Nelson, NJW aims to support the jewellery community by creating vital opportunities for skill sharing, professional development, and collaboration among practitioners. The event also connects artists with audiences and markets, encouraging growth and sustainability within both creative and commercial landscapes of the jewellery industry.
NJW is brought to you by a collaboration between Arts Council Nelson and practitioners, enthusiasts and supporters of the Whakatū jewellery community.
FOR MAKERS, WEARERS & VIEWERS.
FESTIVAL PRODUCER
ARTS COUNCIL NELSON
Arts Council Nelson promotes, initiates and supports projects ​and activities that stimulate and strengthen the​ artistic and cultural life of communities in Whakatū.
A vibrant hub, advisory body, and creative incubator, Arts Council Nelson has served as a leader and facilitator of Nelson’s creative industries for more than 30 years.
Arts Council Nelson established Nelson Jewellery Week in 2021, as a partnership between Refinery ArtSpace and local artists to create an inclusive platform for makers, wearers and admirers of jewellery of all kinds.
Alongside NJW, Arts Council Nelson runs a number of flagship creative events in the region, including Nelson Clay Week and Changing Threads. They also run the Refinery Art Gallery, showcasing local and national artists in regular exhibitions.
In 2024, Arts Council Nelson is led by Community Manager Lloyd Harwood, alongside Refinery Gallery Manager Janja Heathfield, Special Projects and Events Manager Andy Meldrum, and Communications and Marketing Lead Lil della Porta, with support from Arts Council Nelson Committee.
Arts Council Nelson works with a number of talented local contractors to produce Nelson Jewellery Week.
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
KAY VAN DYK
Kay worked with Arts Council Nelson in 2020 to initiate Nelson Jewellery Week, working as Project Manager for the inaugural 2021 event, and alongside Katie Pascoe as co Project Manager in 2023.
Kay is the Director of The Bench | School for Jewellery, opened in February 2024 in Whakatū Nelson, and works as a contemporary jeweller, object maker, and teacher. She tutored on the Bachelor of Arts and Media Object Design course at Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT Te Pūkenga) between 2011-2020 and has taught Adult Community Education jewellery courses for 22 years. She went on to manage Magenta Creative Space, a project space for artists with a lived experience of mental health prior to opening The Bench. Kay is part of Project 21, a jewellery collective that includes herself, and Whakatū jewellers Joel Fitzwell, and Katie Pascoe.
Kay’s current practice explores the relationships between materials, meaning, and their relationship with the body. Recurring themes of loss and longing are intercepted with playful experimental dialogues between the artist and what she finds at hand in her vast collection of ‘things’.
HISTORY
Nelson Jewellery Week (NJW) was established by Arts Council Nelson in 2021, emerging from a partnership with The Handshake Project, which was led by Peter Deckers and Hilda Gascard. This collaboration began with Chain Reaction, Handshake’s 10th anniversary exhibition, which brought together jewellery makers and audiences in Whakatū. Inspired by the event’s success, NJW was launched to expand the reach of contemporary jewellery in New Zealand, creating an inclusive platform for makers of all levels—from beginners to internationally acclaimed artists—to connect, learn, and showcase their work.
Since its inception, NJW has grown into a dynamic, multi-day celebration that includes exhibitions, workshops, masterclasses, public talks, and community events, inviting everyone to engage with the art of jewellery and body adornment. In response to the challenges faced by craft and design schools across Aotearoa, NJW has also taken on a crucial role in sustaining a supportive ecosystem for jewellery makers, fostering skills and knowledge exchange within the sector.
Today, NJW continues to promote connection and creativity, supporting local artisans, galleries, and retailers, while nurturing a growing community of makers and enthusiasts who celebrate jewellery as both an art form and a means of personal and cultural expression.
GALLERY
All the artworks pictured on our website are the incredible work of Nelson Jewellery Week artists, including Karolina Gorton, Katie Pascoe, Raspberry Productions, Jane Dodd, Anna Wallace, Josephine Cachemaille, Macarena Bernal, Lee Woodman, Caroline Thomas, Annie Pokel, Mandy Flood, and many more.
