What is Your Fringe About?

What is Your Fringe About?

Clearly defining your festival’s artistic focus will guide decision-making and attract the right audience and performers. A strong festival identity helps shape programming, partnerships, and branding while ensuring that your event stands out in an increasingly competitive arts landscape.

Festival Identity

Determining the core identity of your Fringe Festival is a crucial step in planning. Consider:

• Artistic Focus: Will your festival be broad and multi-disciplinary, or will it concentrate on specific genres such as theatre, dance, music, spoken word, cabaret, or street performance?

• Size and Scope: Will it be a large-scale international festival, a regional arts gathering, or a hyper-local showcase?

• Cultural Relevance: How does the festival align with the cultural history and creative community of your location?

• Audience Engagement: Who are you aiming to attract – general audiences, families, industry professionals, or niche art lovers?

• Venue Strategy: Will you use traditional theatres, outdoor spaces, pop-up locations, or unconventional venues such as cafes, parks, and warehouses?

Example: The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is the world's largest open-access arts festival, featuring thousands of performances across multiple disciplines, from theatre and comedy to circus and experimental arts. Its identity is rooted in creative freedom and inclusivity, making it a global hub for artistic expression.

Programming Model

The way performances are programmed will influence both the artistic quality and accessibility of your Fringe Festival. There are several different approaches:

• Open Access: Any artist who secures a venue can participate. This model allows for an expansive and diverse lineup but requires strong marketing to help artists reach audiences. (Example: Edinburgh Fringe)

• Curated: A selection panel or jury programs the festival, ensuring high artistic standards and thematic cohesion but limiting accessibility. (Example: Dublin Fringe)

• Hybrid: A mix of open-access and curated programming, offering opportunities for emerging artists while maintaining quality control. (Example: Adelaide Fringe)

• Lottery-Based: Applications are randomly drawn until capacity is reached, creating an unbiased selection process. (Example: Orlando Fringe)

Each model presents different challenges and benefits. Open-access festivals foster creative risk-taking and new talent discovery, while curated events ensure a refined artistic experience. Hybrid models can provide a balance between accessibility and quality.

Key Values

Your festival’s guiding principles will shape its reputation and long-term impact. Key values to consider include:

• Innovation: Encouraging experimental and boundary-pushing performances.

• Inclusivity: Ensuring diversity in programming, accessibility for artists and audiences, and representation of marginalised communities.

• Community Engagement: Connecting with local artists, businesses, and cultural organisations to strengthen regional identity.

• Sustainability: Implementing eco-friendly policies, reducing waste, and considering the environmental impact of festival operations.

• Affordability: Keeping ticket prices and participation fees accessible to a wide range of performers and audiences.

Marketing and Branding Considerations

Defining your Fringe Festival’s unique identity will influence how you promote the event:

• Brand Messaging: What story are you telling? What makes your festival different?

• Visual Identity: Logo, posters, website, and social media branding should reflect the festival’s artistic ethos.

• Press & PR Strategy: Engaging media outlets, influencers, and arts critics to generate awareness and credibility.

• Community Outreach: Building relationships with schools, cultural institutions, and local governments to embed the festival within the wider community.

Examples of Successful Fringe Models

Each major Fringe Festival around the world has a distinct identity shaped by its programming model, artistic focus, and key values:

• Edinburgh Fringe (UK): Open access with a vast diversity of performances, ranging from high-profile productions to experimental solo acts. Emphasises innovation and creative freedom.

• Adelaide Fringe (Australia): A hybrid model with a mix of open-access performances and curated programming. Strong industry support for artists touring globally.

• Hollywood Fringe (USA): Open access with an emphasis on independent artists and networking opportunities. Encourages collaboration between artists, producers, and industry professionals.

• Brighton Fringe (UK): A mix of curated and open-access performances, with a strong local focus and an emphasis on grassroots creativity.

• San Diego Fringe (USA): First-come, first-served model, ensuring accessibility for new and emerging artists.

Final Thoughts

Taking the time to define your Fringe Festival’s identity and values will provide a clear direction for programming, partnerships, and audience engagement. Understanding where your festival fits within the global Fringe landscape can help inform strategic decisions that ensure longevity, artistic impact, and community relevance. Whether you aim for an internationally renowned open-access event or a niche, tightly curated festival, the key is to remain authentic to your artistic vision while supporting the needs of both artists and audiences.