What is the Melbourne Fringe?

Melbourne Fringe was founded in 1982 and is an umbrella organisation supporting and advising a large number of independently run arts companies and activities. The Melbourne Fringe Festival, the principal activity of the Fringe organisation, aims to bring the most contemporary, innovative and trend-setting work, created and presented by independent artists, to the broader Melbourne audience. The Fringe Festival is all about work that is new and contemporary, sometimes surprising, sometimes confronting, but always exciting. We pride ourselves on presenting the best in new, creative ideas.

In 2003 the Melbourne Fringe heads into our 21^st year, with great pride in our history. The Festival focus for this year will not only be towards the artists themselves, but towards art in the community. The Melbourne Fringe will seek opportunities to involve artists with the community and to directly involve the wider public in the event - not just as audience but as participants.

The State Government, through Arts Victoria, provides the base funding for the Festival administration, to enable the presentation of what is seen as the seed-bed of important, and necessary, cultural activities. This product development aspect of the Festival often leads to presentation in more commercial Melbourne and interstate festivals; interstate touring and international opportunities are growing. The exchange of ideas and art is a priority for Fringe.

Despite our growth over the last two decades, we have never lost sight of the primary reason we exist - to resource and support the creation and presentation of new art. We will continue to do this by initiating programs that respond to contemporary practice and the needs of artists as they emerge.

As a wide-ranging project, it provides opportunities for the training of participants in every aspect of arts management, production, marketing and creativity.

The strong independent arts scene in Melbourne, which flourishes year-round, is highlighted, in all its complexity, at the time of the Fringe Festival.

The Melbourne Fringe Festival is one of a kind and will continue to be so.

Festival Facts:

• The Melbourne Fringe Festival's hub is in inner city Melbourne, with over 100 venues participating across the city.
• The 2003 Melbourne Fringe Festival will run from 26 September to 12 October.
• 2003 is the Melbourne Fringe Festival's 21^st year.
• Independant artists have always been the focus of the festival, in 2002, 248 events and 3000 artists participated in the Festival program, the largest Festival yet.

High, Wired and Handsome 2000
Photo: Carla Gottgens