Uptown | Anya Vitali

My alarm goes off...

6:00am. Alarm goes off. Question life choices.

Quick shower, a stretch and then straight into "event mode." First job: check emails, messages, and cancellations - aka, what's gone wrong while I was asleep? Spend 5-10 minutes getting ahead of any potential chaos and pretending everything is under control.

If there's any last-minute printing, now's the time. Then it's checklist in hand, packing the car like I'm heading off on a survival expedition - which, honestly, isn't that far off.

My work day begins...

It really starts the moment the phone begins ringing. People have read the emails -but sometimes they just need a bit of reassurance (or a human voice to confirm the world isn't ending). So, a few calls later, everyone's feeling good. Or at least better. By 7:15am, I arrive at the park. Coffee would be nice, but there's no time for dreams like that.

Suppliers roll in from 7:30am: staging, power, sound-basically, all the things that make the event look like an event and not just an empty field. Crew arrives at 8:00am, we have a quick team chat, and then it's "go" time as everyone splits off to their roles.

From 7:00 to 10:30am, it's a full-speed mission to transform the park. In theory, everything runs smoothly. In reality, it's more like a live-action puzzle where pieces occasionally go missing, show up late, or break.

There are a few "rollercoaster moments" (read: minor heart attacks), but somehow it all comes together. It always does. Eventually.

And just like that - ready or not - the public arrives at 11am.

My current job...

As the director of WeCreate, I'm a seasoned event producer and placemaker, bringing music, creativity, and vibrancy to Tamaki Makaurau.

I currently contract to Auckland Council, Tataki Auckland Unlimited, and a range of other clients, delivering everything from live music to creative programming at all levels.

Booking talent and coordinating logistics for events both large and small is my forte, with a particular edge for creating immersive, experiential moments that connect with audiences.

I'm also working on the curation of the Cross St Music Festival for 2027, an event that has been running annually for the past seven years.

Alongside Celia Ruane, I'm a co- founder of the Basque Park Summer Series, bringing together community, local businesses, and a whole lot of good energy in Uptown, with support from the Uptown Business Association.

My typical day...

My days are all over the place - in the best way. One minute I'm producing a fashion show, the next I'm knee-deep in an art installation, live music set, or coordinating a full-blown market.

At Basque Park, it's basically running between setups, performances, workshops, and stalls, making sure everything is actually where it should be (and working) before the public arrives. Safety is always priority number one- after that, it's making sure everything kicks off on time, or at least looks like it did.

Events are a huge amount of work for a very short window, but when it all comes together, there's nothing better than seeing the scene is set and people laughing, dancing, and connecting. This is my biggest joy!

My big break...

I wouldn't describe it as a break so much as a steep learning curve. The fast-paced environment prepared me well for working on high- profile events. In the early 2000s, I worked as an event producer at New Zealand Fashion Week, where I spent eight years managing multiple areas of production. My role involved curating large-scale art and fashion shows, designing and building venue interiors, and collaborating closely with a wide range of stakeholders and sponsors, with three years working on producing the two public days, which were large numbers and high turnover for the venue.

It was a period of immense growth and empowerment. I was fortunate to be surrounded by passionate, highly-skilled people, and I was trusted by my peers to take ownership of projects, curating and creating some truly memorable events.

Outside of work...

I travel both locally and internationally to source inspiration for events. I attend showcases, theatre, and festivals to discover talent and experience work first-hand. Connecting with artists and being present in the arts community allows me to create across any genre or theme, because building culture means being part of it. Other than that, you will find me curled up with a podcast or a book, or mixing music at home for my own listening pleasure.

My worst habit is

Is probably being hard on myself. Things fall over on events all the time, and you have no control over what people decide to do at the last minute - which can be frustrating, but I have learnt to be flexible, breathe and let it go. It must be part of getting older and wiser - I hope!

I'm proud of...

Bringing Basque Park Summer Series to Uptown with my friend Celia Ruane. It was a proud moment for us.

My gorgeous daughter, who has now been flying as a flight attendant on Qantas for 6 months. It's a demanding job - she's shown her strengths, and Mum gets some perks for travelling, too!

My plan B ...

Head up north and live off the land. I am hoping plan A works as I am a city girl at heart!

I chose Uptown because...

The area has much to offer and I loved the park - it was a factor in moving to the area, with a vision to bring a public event to the locals. The diverse businesses and the yummy food on my doorstep are a real bonus, and the ease of getting to my events in the area was a factor in choosing to live and work in Uptown.

I fall asleep...

After debriefs from the day and catching up on any minor problems, you can get wound up and over-excited from an event, so it's good to have routine to destress and unwind from the day's festivities! I like to check out of my "event head" and off my devices, and destress with some music or cooking, then stretching with a good herbal tea to send me off to sleep.

WeCreate

Website: wecreate.co.nz

Instagram: @wecreate_nz

Share Their Story

Subscribe

info@uptown.co.nz