The Fringe Festival sector is growing and Strengthening

We Do… Consultancy, Events, Introductions, Listings, Touring Guide, Advertising We connect… Festivals, Performers, Suppliers, Media, Agents, Venues, Audiences © World Festival Network Ltd In the UK alone over 5 million people attend Arts festivals every year. The World Festival Network connects and supports festivals and performers globally. We develop and benefit, not only festival suppliers and audiences, but the whole sector.

The inaugural World Fringe Congress took place in Edinburgh 16 to 19 August Fringe Festival decision makers met representing 49 Fringe festivals from 20 different countries… “We met to exchange ideas and experiences and we have discovered that within the huge variety of models and philosophies, there is much we have in common”. Each Fringe is unique and is responsive to its own local environment and community. What binds us together is our commitment to a Fringe ideal and our belief in its importance and impact for artists and audiences. We are proud to have created a new network and strengthened the Fringe family. The Congress was created in partnership between Edinburgh Fringe & World Festival Network

When you say Fringe… what does that mean to you?

What the Congress delegates said…

What is a Fringe? © World Festival Network Ltd A Fringe is a grass roots Festival with freedom to celebrate and exchange. It’s a Fringe of a Festival or a Festival of Fringe Arts made possible by the people who take part. Developed organically across the globe, they are unique in style and form every time they open. A Fringe Festival exists to serve the participating artists and audiences through building awareness. They professionally umbrella an accessible development opportunity by administrating a programme of events and creating a platform and market place for new and established art forms. They are constituted through innovation and creative expression. The Fringe ethos is, ‘If you want to do it you can… Fringes offer an alternative!’

What's the difference between.. a Fringe Festival and An International or programmed festival ? © World Festival Network Ltd

Fringe Festivals of the world… Open AccessLottery (CAFF) Programmed or Partly Programmed © World Festival Network Ltd

What are the biggest issues? © World Festival Network Ltd

The unknown… What are the biggest issues? © World Festival Network Ltd

The unknown… Not knowing your budget in year one. Not knowing how many performers will register. Not Knowing if you will be supported every year. Not knowing if you will get funding, sponsorship or advertising sales. © World Festival Network Ltd What are the biggest issues?

The unknown… Not knowing your budget in year one. Not knowing how many performers will register. Not Knowing if you will be supported every year. Not knowing if you will get funding, sponsorship or advertising sales. Being a victim of your own success… © World Festival Network Ltd What are the biggest issues?

The unknown… Not knowing your budget in year one. Not knowing how many performers will register. Not Knowing if you will be supported every year. Not knowing if you will get funding, sponsorship or advertising sales. Being a victim of your own success… Too many venues or venues from out of town wanting to be involved. Too many performers and the staff can’t handle it. © World Festival Network Ltd What are the biggest issues?

What were the Congress outcomes? Keynote speakers: Ruth Mackenzie – Director London 2012 Festival & Cultural Olympiad Graham Sheffield CBE - Director of Arts, British Council Sessions: Size isn’t Everything - Growth and International Aspirations - is bigger better? It’s NOT All About The Money - Engaging with local funding bodies and authorities without talking about cash. Get Me Out of Here! - Visas and onward touring. Fame & Fortune - Fringes as producing houses to support and develop artists. Growing Pains - How do you retain your ‘Fringe’ edge as your festival grows? ‘A Darwinian Crapshoot’? - How do you promote your Fringe & ensure its reputation when you don’t control quality?

How do you retain your ‘Fringe’ edge as your festival grows? How does the growth of a Fringe affect its spirit? How to maintain your entrepreneurial spirit. This session was meant to spark thoughts about how to maintain your Fringes’ uniqueness and to remind ourselves what sets it apart form a programmed festival. How do we keep out edge? The fringe must think about why it started and its mission at this time in our minds during planning and developing periods. Fringe directors do this every day but we may not always realise they are. The edge is about keeping Fringe Festivals independent and keeping their integrity. Why are Fringes different? Sometimes it can be because it is in the opposition to something. They offer shared risk to the city, the administration, the venues and the performers. Does corporate sponsorship compromise a Fringes’ edge? Maybe, but they need resources to support the artists, particularly now it is important to get in new funding streams. What’s the tipping point of losing the edge? Is it corporate control of content? We are very much affected by our financial environment. This includes the costs of venues, printing, day-to-day running costs, travel, wages etc. This can affect a festivals growth. Entrepreneurial spirit isn’t about money for Fringes it’s about ideas. Growing Pains…

Fringes as producing houses to support and develop artists. How do we develop and support artists’ work? How can a fringe festival further an artist’s career? Do we have a responsibility to our performers post festival? Fringes need to make sure they do what they can to get ‘bums on seats’ for the productions. Fringe festivals are a training ground for artists. It is never more important now in times of financial trouble to offer a service which will benefit artists. Training is so expensive. The festival needs to create a facility for artists to meet other artists. The participants get more out of a Fringe if they can establish partners, possible collaboration and learn from other performers. Fringes need to nurture their performers. Fringe artists rely on the festival direction when they arrive in a new environment, new country, town or space. It is a Fringe Festivals responsibility to tell artists they also need to work hard and sell their show as much as it is the festivals to do its best for the performers. It is important to get all Fringe Festival information and e-bulletins directly to its performers. Make sure the venues pass on performers addresses to the Fringe association so the office can make sure their information and tips is getting through to everyone. Fame & Fortune…

Visas and onward touring. How to get visas for touring companies and staff and the logistics of moving performing companies around the world. How could it be easier? Fringes would definitely like host more international work and artists to create meaningful global exchanges and to raise the profile of Fringe around the world. However problems in obtaining visa and the costs involved are a real challenge to this ambition. In the short term, individual solutions will need to be found but potentially longer term solutions can be found through networks. Networks between Fringes and the creation of touring routes could create a greater lobbying force for Fringes, which could then be supported by cultural agencies. Extended versions of all session notes are on Get me Out of Here…

Why are festivals important? © World Festival Network Ltd

Why are festivals important? They are an ‘Arts Market’ They provide a platform for new work They are a testing ground for performance They involved the community They provide jobs They create touring opportunities They provide income to the town They develop the stars of the future! © World Festival Network Ltd

Will Fringe's effect Programmed & International Festivals? Fringes Vs Programmed Festivals…

Will Fringe's effect Programmed & International Festivals? YES! Fringes Vs Programmed Festivals…

Will Fringe's effect Programmed & International Festivals? WHY? Fringes Vs Programmed Festivals…

Will Fringe's effect Programmed & International Festivals? WHY? Because of the development opportunity's they offer there will be more touring talent & brighter stars. They help highlight and lobby against visa issues will aid to the international transit of artists and company's. They will attract new audiences and also develop a love for the arts within the community's, creating ‘arts educated’ and willing audience members. Arts festivals enhance local image and identity; attendees in many festival towns said they felt more positive about the place where the festival was held. This demonstrates that festivals can be an important factor in improving perceptions of places & people. "Excellence comes from hard work and practice, this is why 'Fringe', as a platform for development, is so important for the Arts globally" Fringes Vs Programmed Festivals…

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