Jodi Wright founded Christchurch’s World Buskers Festival in 1994 and followed it up in 1995 with the inaugural Jazz and Blues Festival. Now she is at it again, this time with a week-long festival celebrating all things jazz and cabaret. She tells Cityscape what she loves about organising festivals, and what keeps her awake at night.

How do you go about deciding on the lineup for a festival? I’ve learned a bit over the years about artists and acts who appeal to Christchurch audiences as I’ve spent a considerable amount of time attending national and international festivals, concerts and shows searching for acts to enlist for the World Buskers Festival and the Jazz and Blues Festival.

What will be your own highlights in the festival lineup? Every single day of the festival has a show I need to experience.

What is it about organising festivals that keeps you coming back for more? I’ve always been more interested in ‘what’s possible’ than ‘what is’. I enjoy the process of putting festivals together, and I always aim to offer a variety of shows that appeal to a variety of people. I also aim to create festivals that I would like to attend.

How soon do you need to start planning for an event to be a success? I often have an act in my head for years before I get the chance to engage them. This is no more true than this year as I’ve wanted to bring Both Sides Now, Paul Capsis, Michael Griffiths and Tina Del Twist to Christchurch for a long time.

With planning an event, what keeps you awake at night? The money issue is the biggest problem. Securing sponsors and grants is essential to staging festivals like this one. It gets harder every year.

How did you get into the business? I don’t recall a time, even as a kid, when I wasn’t planning an outing or a party. When I went to work for an event and production marketing company in the 1980s, I learned all about what not to do and why, which is better information to have than what to do.

What was your first event? I helped my older sister and her friend create a neighbourhood fundraising fair for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. She assigned me two jobs: ticketing booth junior assistant (if absolutely no one else was available) and head of the clean-up crew.

What mistake have you learned the most from? Leaving something that’s very important to me up to other people to manage.

Tell us about your best and worst experience with staging an event? Nothing in my career has ever made me feel as good as when we staged the World Buskers Festival and the Jazz and Blues Festival in Hagley Park post earthquakes. It was pure joy watching crowds and artists having a great time.

What would be your ultimate event or festival to organise? And to attend? A festival of nonsense. Although I might be the only attendee.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given? You can be a good example or a great reminder (this was not advice given to me about work!).

What’s your go-to spot in Christchurch? The Harry Ell Walkway in the Port Hills.

What do you think Christchurch needs the most? Right now, a forceful champion of the Christchurch arts industry.

What are you listening to/reading/binge-watching at the moment? In the past two months I finished Educated, The Dutch House and Housekeeping. I’ve been listening mostly to Brandi Carlile, Terence Blanchard and The Doors for several weeks.

Is there a particular book or author that has inspired you in your life or career? American author Betty MacDonald.

What is your favourite item in your wardrobe? I want to say something other than my sweatpants and T-shirt but I can’t seem to type that.

What’s your favourite way to spend a Sunday afternoon? Most Sundays, I begin cooking at 2pm to make sure dinner is ready at 5.30pm when our grown daughters, partners and grandson arrive.

You’ve got friends coming from out of town. Where do you go and what would you do to show off the city in – two hours: the city. A half-day: a walk in the Port Hills or to Boulder Bay. 24 hours: a hike, nap, lunch in town and maybe dinner at Tomi Japanese Restaurant.

Where do you go to – Wine and dine with friends: Tomi Japanese Restaurant. Morning coffee: home. Get away from it all: Hawaii.

jazzcabaretfestival.co.nz

Read more

Read our top 5 picks for the Jazz & Cabaret Festival.
Read our Q&A with performer Michael Griffiths here.
Read our Q&A with performer Julia Deans here.