WHAT IS THE FRINGE?
100% UNCENSORED • 100% UNJURIED • 100% ACCESSIBLE
• 100% OF TICKET SALES GO DIRECTLY TO THE ARTISTS INVOLVED!
Presenting live theatre in an informal, accessible and inexpensive environment, the Fringe strives to break down traditional boundaries between audiences and artists, encouraging open dialogue between theatre-goers and theatre-creators. Audiences are invited to experience the work of seasoned veterans and emerging artists. Local, national and international performing companies benefit from working together and learning from each other in a vibrant and exciting festival atmosphere. In order to stimulate artistic innovation, applications for participation in Fringe Festivals are accepted on a non-juried lottery.
HISTORY
Fringe Festivals have been entertaining audiences for more than 50 years, beginning with the original festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. In time, these artistic celebrations spread around the world. Over the past 20 years, the Fringe movement in Canada has grown and we now enjoy the presence of more 'Fringes' than any other country. The Edmonton Fringe Festival is Canada's oldest and biggest. The Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival has enjoyed tremendous growth and success since its inception in 1987, and currently ranks as the second-largest event of its kind in North America. Every year, the Winnipeg Fringe Festival welcomes companies from all over the world to present alternative theatre to appreciative audiences..
Did you know...
The Manitoba Theatre Centre is the only regional theatre in the country to produce a Fringe Festival.
CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF FRINGE FESTIVALS (CAFF)
In order to preserve the“Fringe” ideals and principles, festival producers formed the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals and created the four guiding CAFF principles that are still in place today:
1. Participants will be selected on a non-juried basis, through a first-come, first-served process, a lottery, or other method approved by the Association.
2. In order to ensure Criteria One (above), the audiences must have the option to pay a ticket price, 100% of which goes directly to the artists.
3. Fringe Festival producers have no control over the artistic content of each performance. The artistic freedom of the participants is unrestrained.
4. Festivals must provide an easily accessible opportunity for all audiences and all artists to participate in Fringe Festivals.
In 1998 CAFF successfully applied to have the terms “Fringe” and “Fringe Festival” trademarked in Canada to ensure that any theatre festival in Canada wishing to call itself a “Fringe” would obtain membership in the association and agree to abide by both the CAFF mandate and the four guiding principles.
