Nicole Jensen is currently the event manager of BNETwestival.  We decided to catch up with her and do this Twitter-esqe interview to talk about cupcakes, inspiring charities and of course, Twitter!  

NB: Nicole will be on @612brisbane at 6.20am tomorrow morning, September 8 2009. You can also listen live at www.612live.com

Introduce yourself to us!

@NicoleJensen, event manager of @BNEtwestival

How did you get involved with events?

I’ve been doing community events, mostly publicity, since I was 13. Something to do back then. 

What do you love most about events?

Creativity, freedom, helping a client, achieving common goals, having lots of fun! It’s my passion. 

Least like about events?

When things go wrong there can be so much at stake. The stress can get v. high. 

What were your first thoughts of having a festival with Twitter being the core?

Pure Awesome! It’s real-world proof of how rad social media is. I got so excited I couldn’t pass it up.

What is Twestival?

@Twestival is a worldwide Twitter charity event phenomenon – there are 100’s of events happening.

How many events were there in total with the February Twestivals?

202 I believe, run by over 1,000 volunteers.

How did the February BNETwestival go?

Fantastic! Man, it was so much fun! 200+ people came & partied; it was brilliant!

What will we see for September BNETwestival?

Bands, cupcakes, an art auction, burlesque, presentation from @inspire_AUS our charity.

Who is involved in BNETwestival?

Myself, @inquisitivejool, @lanipauli, @taytehampton, @jonathanlai, @mishylane, @emma_catherine, @brodles & countless other tweeps.

Acts?

The Ride, @GoldCoastGirl, @TheSoandSos, @Comp1stSeason, Bertie Page, Sammy Griffin & The Others AKA The Gentlemen.

Sponsors?

Fresh, Mxit, @ourbrisbane & more which are being offered & confirmed.

Any sponsors in particular that you are after?

Anyone who wants to help @inspire_AUS & raise their profile as a socially-aware entity.

Who should we contact for sponsor related questions?

@JonathanLai is our sponsorship manager, or we can be contacted many ways.

Who is your venue for September?

The very sweet digs of @joshuagalleries – Joshua Levi Galleries @ Woolloongabba

How did you come across this venue?

A few committee members had visited at a previous event.  

What will be the difference between @joshuagalleries & Metro Arts?

It’s more relaxed this time. No theatre seating. Outdoor will be used too. 

Will there be surprises in store for us about this venue?

Well, if you’ve ever met Josh you’ll know he’s a charming surprise every day! :D

There will be live graffiti art happening which wouldn’t happen at any other venue in Brisbane.

Will there be existing shows?

Chick Chick Boom will be showing. http://joshualevigalleries.com.au/events/view/215/

About each person.

Did the whole committee found each other on Twitter?

Mostly. 1 or 2 were found through committee members

They were either studying or working in their respective field.

What about BTUB?

@BTUB is also something I help with. It’s the Brisbane Twitter community.

How can we be involved with @BTUB?

Come along to the events! Check out www.btub.org. Host your own events if there’s something we’re missing..

Questions about the charity…

What is charity | water?

Charity:water was supported in Feb by all Twestivals around the world.

Who is your charity for September?

@Inspire_AUS; Aussie non-profit helping youths at risk of suicide

& working on making the world a happier place. Love their work!

What was the process of choosing this particular charity?

We held a Twtpoll vote between nominated Australian charities. This was a long process, as you can imagine.

For those interested in the issue, what other similar charities are out there?

beyondblue, ReachOut, so many more I cannot recall right now.

How much did you raise in the February BNETwestival?

We raised $5000, the highest in the southern hemisphere Twestivals + 15th internationally.

How  much do you hope to raise for the September charity?

We want to better our Feb achievement & raise $6000. I think we can do it

Good luck!

Questions about the art! @briscreative loves art ;)

BNETwestival will also have an art auction! How is it going?

Great! @TayteHampton says we have about 8 works already!

What does each piece look like?

To be honest, I’ve not seen them yet! We mostly get landscapes, abstract, portraits… we shall see!

How will the art be sold?

We’re thinking a mix of silent auction then public bidding will do well respectively

How many pieces do you expect to receive?

I think we will cut-off the live auction at 10 works, but I’d love to see us having to eBay auction any extras we receive.

Is there a focus on Brisbane artists in particular?

Yes. This is due to ease, time restraints. I’d love to get more rural QLD involvement next time – Feb ’10.

How would #BNETwestival involve rural Qld?

Whether it’s helping another city organize a Twestival, selling art, bringing state-wide acts to Brisbane… I’d love to give it a go.

Who has submitted their art so far?

@MarkLobo, @GenRobey, @JMS_, @amassingham, & more. We shall receive these pieces a day or two before @BNEtwestival

Are there specific types of works that you’d like to see more of?

We’ve not auctioned off any sculptures or textiles. That would be cool. Art is a broad term!

For those interested, how can we donate art to #BNETwestival?

Contact @TayteHampton or @emma_catherine. They’ll be managing the art auction.

What kinds of works are you interested in? Personally?

I love abstract art & expressionism. Starry Night by Van Gogh is my all-time favourite masterpiece.

Who made the design of the BNETwestival shirts?

We didn’t end up creating Twestival t-shirts. Shame!

Will there be shirts for September?

Unfortunately not; we ran out of time & also decided it was a risky venture with money to be donated to @Inspire_AUS.

Will there be other merchandise available?

Not at this stage, though there are always surprises in event management. Something might come up!

Cupcakes & food

Apparently you'll be having cupcakes! I love cupcakes. Who's providing the stall?

Volunteers from the Twitter community. We’re offering discounts on entry for cooks.

How did you find the Cupcake Manager?

@Brodles has been helping the committee for a while now & she’s definitely shown she loves her cupcakes!

How many cupcakes will there be? I don't want to miss out.

Good question. We’ll hopefully have an idea of quantity by Wed 9th.

Can people donate?

Cupcakes (Let @Brodles know), money for @Inspire_AUS… definitely welcome!

How can people donate? Can we donate online?

 People can donate online at amiando.com/bnetwestival, where tickets are sold also.

Will there be a theme?

No theming for the event or cupcake stall. We didn’t want to complicate or restrict the evening too much.

What's your favourite type of cupcake?

I’m a sucker for anything white chocolate or colourful. I’ve seen iPhone icon cupcakes before too!

Will there be other drinks & food available?

We’ll provide food & beverages for attendees, yes.

The specifics of this are still being organized, but there’s not a chance we’ll leave tweeps hungry!

Twitter questions now!

Who runs the @BNETwestival twitter account?

Just myself in regards to the Sept event, @lexiphanic has access too, he worked on the Feb event.

Any rules?

Just that I don’t get it mixed up with my other accounts! Keep it fun, personal, never spam.

How can other Twitter users interact with the @BNETwestival account?

Asking questions, retweeting about #BNEtwestival, keeping updated on the blog.

Tips that you have for event attendees & Twitter?

Use the technology to meet new people, have fun & bust some Twitter myths.

What were some cool things that you did in February with Twitter?

@ireckon tweeted live from the soundroom about the entire event. That was so cool of him!

What about September?

We’re having a Twitter feed of the #BNEtwestival hashtag projected on a wall, I’ve always wanted to do this!

What were the surprises about the Twitter feed from the February event?

We didn’t end up with a Twitter projection in February, but it was still fun to see tweets later.

Will you guys be keeping an eye out on blog posts?

Definitely. I’ve got keywords saved on Twitter also to track Twestival conversation.

Any closing remarks?

Just that I’d love to say how proud I am of the team working on #BNEtwestival. Fantastic crew; I feel blessed.

What about to those who cannot attend? How can we switch on this event?

@Twestival headquarters are looking to organize something for this. #BNEtwestival is looking to arrange something live for absent guests.

I’ll use Twitter & Qik.com on the night myself. I’m wanting to blog about tools people can use live to share #BNETwestival.

Thanks @nicolejensen! 

BNETwestival is an all-ages event happening at the Joshua Levi Galleries in 2-6 Ipswich Rd, Wooloongabba on Friday, September 11 2009.  I grabbed a $20 "Keep the Change" ticket today. You can also buy your ticket online here!!