Getting to know... Lil della Porta

From Scottish spontaneity to riverside saunas and nights making jewellery, Lil della Porta brings energy, creativity and a love of community to her role as the marketing and community lead at Nelson Arts Festival. With a background in theatre and a passion for the outdoors, she’s the kind of person who’s always up for a challenge – especially if it involves river crossings, mountain biking, or a very cold swim.

At the weekend you’ll find me... walking, hiking, swimming or biking around the local rohe with my partner and friends and family. I love being in the bush and I’m known for getting into any body of water (even if it’s chilly!). A recent highlight was heading up to Pearse Resurgence with friends – we traversed 14 river crossings!

I’m going out for dinner to... The Dog’s Bone! It’s the perfect spot for a relaxed meal, beer and yarn with friends. The burgers are top notch (delicious whether you are a meat-eater or a vegetarian) and the staff and owners are lovely people. Bonus points: there’s often a friendly dog to pat!

The world would be a better place with more... saunas! Anyone who knows me will know I never shut up about saunas. Whether it’s a quick session at MiGym or a mission out to Motueka for a riverside sweat with The Sauna Project, I have developed a (healthy) obsession.

After work, you’ll find me... making jewellery with Kay van Dyk at The Bench Jewellery School. I am currently taking the beginner jewellery-making course. It’s been awesome to get out of the house on a work night during the winter months and learn a new craft.

My simple pleasures are... learning something new. I just bought my first mountain bike, after a lifetime of road biking. I am taking myself way out of my comfort zone, but I’m looking forward to starting out on some of Nelson’s epic mountain biking tracks.

I get myself out of a funk by... a solo walk on Tāhunanui beach, feet in the water and phone left in the car. Nothing beats the ocean, fresh air and time to myself.

The most spontaneous thing I’ve ever done is... move to Scotland in my twenties. I was born in the UK, but I didn’t know much about Glasgow when I moved there. Although I had some steep learning curves and had to get street-smart fast, I made life-long friendships and ended up working at the BBC. Glasgow will always be a special place for me.

I hope in ten years Nelson will... have more affordable rental properties. I am passionate about improving the Whakatū rental market after some bad experiences. I know many awesome people my age who have also struggled to find decent, affordable housing here, and I think it could push the next generation of Nelsonians to other regions.

The person who knows me best is... myself. So far, the best part of my thirties is settling into myself, enjoying my own time and being bold about who I am and how I live my life.

I will never shut up about... Brook Waimārama Sanctuary. It’s incredible to have access to such a large area of native bush so close to town. We often head up there for a weekend walk, and there’s always new things to see, and birds to hear.

As a child, I was really into... theatre. This led me to Wellington where I trained as an actor and director. Theatre was an incredible training ground for me, and I still use the skills I learned in my work now.

See the Nelson Arts Festival programme at nelsonartsfestival.nz