23/05/2025
Kia ora to everyone coming onboard this new group I created: Crew and Volunteers NZ Festivals and Events.
Introducing myself (very briefly atm as I'm on a tight deadline to move house, and that's a massive undertaking)
The photo at the top of this group page, I took at Earth Beat Festival 2023, in The Barn, of Cadby Kong performing his magical improv with (kneeling left) and Emily Macklow (right).
I used this photo as it reminds me of the teamwork that created a magical space, the Barn Stage. Sooooooo many talented volunteers had a part in its creation, and this colorful image captures one of the many soul stirring moments and splashes of vibrant color, sooo many pallets brushed across this space over the festival event, and so many performances were shared, soooo many hearts opened, it's a great image to head this page.
So... something (brief) about me:
When I step up to a festival, I step up in full. The people in my team and the event delivery are my prime focus, I sleep enough to not compromise the delivery, but in honesty sleep takes a back seat.
I'm all about sharing the opportunities for others to become involved, and to offer their wisdom and experience to the collective.
Each year I do festivals, I create teams to help design, build, manage and pack down these magical event spaces. The focus is on deep authentic intimate human connection as a team, the event logistics comes second.
This makes being involved a life changing and soul nourishing experience. And we pull off damn fine events as a result. Also lifelong friendships are born.
I discovered Festival Culture in 2015 at the final Prana Festivals 1994-2015 in Ohui, Whangamata. I've been intrinsically involved in as many festivals as possible ever since. I get to probably 10 a year.
I created a Community Festival a few months after Prana closed, with Fish Zandraa, called Aroha Festival, as a way of keeping the Prana vibe going, held at Te Henga Studios & Herbalist Hermitage retreat at Bethells Beach, it was "Gift Culture" based - Free entry, pot luck shared meals, and invited performers and artists shared their gifts freely to create and support the event.
This was a great success, about 400 people came, supported and enjoyed the event and I'll be interested to revisit this impulse again.
A highlight I recall well is that 2 separate friends went there with the distinct intuition and commitment to finding life-long love, found each other there immediately, and got married soon after, inviting me to their wedding as an honoree catalyst in them falling in love.
fast forward to now, I'm involved in several festival projects at many levels. My son Hannon Duncan and I offer full Live Stage Production Services through Love sound And Light and I have been a strong advocate for festival wellbeing and safety through Making Space Safe, creating, supporting and normalizing Safe Space culture at multiple festivals and events, more recently teaming up with Australian Company BMFHQ to offer voluntary exit testing for residual alcohol and drug levels, reducing post event arrests at events like Rhythm and Vines (approx 26,000 ppl).
I see the purpose for this group is to bring people together that are enthusiastic about continuing to build stronger connection and communication and involvement in the many aspects of Festivals Operations and as a point of first call contact for connecting resource demand for skills at festivals with a team of people available to hold those roles and have ideas and enthusiasm to ensure we have a vibrant festival culture alive and well, into the future.
Ill add more on all this as I get more time.
This is a space for open Korero (dialogue) so don't be shy, ask questions and offer your ideas and input and let's grow this important community together.
I have also started another FaceBook Page you may wish to join, for more upper level strategic management and visionary collaboration toward establishing new festival opportunities and high level management teams, at Dream Differently, and a group at the Dream Team. If this is of interest to you please check it out also.
Much love
Rayna Love
