Lack of Vision...

Vision is blatantly trying to cash in on the G's years of blood sweat and tears under the guise of a community event. Tickets are not yet on sale and the organisers have zero experience in what they are doing.

30 Nov 2000

The manager of the Artery (nelson cafe) writes why the Vision event, which is going up against The Gathering is a bad thing...

Stuff.co.nz provides a bit of background: New Year dance parties at odds, Anti-Gathering irks dance party organisers

Last year when the Artery, home of the Nelson Community Arts Centre, lost it's previous corporate sponsor 'Network Tasman', The Gathering stepped in with a $30,000 donation to ensure the survival of one of the regions most important community arts & development service providers.

A little publicised fact, that apart from the fact the Gathering provides employment for hundreds of artists, musicians, DJs, sound, light & tech crew, should be evidence enough for Mike McKenna's 'Trust' that the Gathering is firmly committed to nurturing local community.

42,000 people passed through the Artery's doors in the last year, a vast range from across the region including children, youth-at-risk and elderly intellectually disabled clients, & without the support of the Gathering the centre would now be closed.

Instead of the freeloading approach, I suggest the Vision drop its bloodyminded competitive attitudes and stage a party immediately following the Gathering. As Salmonella Dub proved last year, there exists a huge market ripe for the tapping post Gathering in the Bay, and support services, equipment & crew could be shared rather than stretched.

Surely 'community' ideals mean working with rather than against other local organisations? Let's see some evidence of that mythical 'vision'.