Rainbow light art projections shine light on safe spaces

​A campaign aimed at highlighting the city’s safe spaces for Nelson’s LGBTQI+ community has received support from Council.

The campaign, which makes up part of artist Shannon Novak’s work in the multi-artist exhibition Sympathetic Resonance at the Suter Art Gallery, involves a series of light art projections.

Novak is seeking individuals, organisations and businesses to sign up as members of the Safe Space Alliance, so they can share their intention for LGBTQI+ people to be valued and welcome, just as they are.

Council is among several large public buildings that have had the Safe Space Alliance’s circular rainbow logo projected on to it. Other buildings include the Nelson Police station, Nelson Hospital and NMIT.

Council’s support for the project has also included the loan of its light projector and a grant of $3000 from its Arts Strategy Implementation budget to allow the Suter Art Gallery to employ projection artists to do the shows.

The light projections were seen for one night at each location over the Christmas period, with the Civic building lit up on the night of 4 January 2020.

Further grants and the loan of the Council’s arts projector will be set up in the coming months to support the city’s arts community.

The hope is the light art projections will inspire others to sign up as members of the alliance, which is free and done by agreeing to a set of terms and conditions online.

For details see the Safe Space Alliance website.