What is fringe?
What is a Fringe?
Fringes are ‘open access’ theatre festivals, bringing together emerging and established artists alike to tell their stories on stage.
The first Fringe started in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1947 and has grown into one of the biggest performing arts festivals in the world. The second-largest festival in North America is in Edmonton, Alberta , and draws nearly 800,000 attendees a year!
The Calgary Fringe considers itself a BOUTIQUE FRINGE FESTIVAL and is sandwiched between the Winnipeg Fringe and Edmonton Fringe Festivals on the CAFF touring circuit.
How did the Calgary Fringe begin?
While touring Rocky Horror at the Edmonton Fringe Festival, Blair Gallant, the founder of the Calgary Fringe, was struck by the sense of community, understanding, and inclusivity based on tolerance and acceptance that he experienced while at the festival. And the spark was ignited to create a new cultural identity for Calgary!
With a unique blend of artistic and entrepreneurial background, the foundations were set in place to make the Calgary Fringe a sustainable and culturally open festival for all. From the beginning, Blair wanted to build a festival from a few simple ideas:
Create a place where a sense of community is created by using the arts as a conduit to mix bohemian artists with a culturally and socio-economically diverse group.
Provide a place where Artists are free to create without restrictions.
Tolerance comes from the idea that just because it is wrong for me doesn’t make it wrong for you.
The public should have the choice of being exposed to different art forms – or not.
That the festival itself should have no other agenda other than to allow others to have an agenda.
First year plans for 2006 were overly ambitious: 36 theatre companies with 210 performances, five indoor theatre venues, 61 independent films, 18 local bands, 14 international street performers, 200 vendors, 24 youth circus performances, Canadian body painting performances, 10 visual artists, and 10 days of an outdoor festival held primarily along 17 Ave SW. Theatrical performances were split between the nearby Calgary Opera rehearsal hall and Arts Commons, located in the downtown core.
In 2007, the Calgary Fringe Festival became primarily an indoor theatre festival and relocated itself in downtown core, with theatre venues at the Glenbow Museum, Arts Commons, and the #1 Legion.
In 2008, the Calgary Fringe finally put down roots in historic Inglewood with the theatre venues within easy walking distance.
The current Calgary Fringe hosts a dynamic Fringe Festival that includes both live in-person performances and online digital presentations. We are situated in the calendar between the Winnipeg Fringe and the Edmonton Fringe. The Calgary Fringe’s future continues to be guided by Michele Gallant (aka Fringe Mom) - Executive Director and Producer.
Proud members of the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals
“Fringe” and “Fringe Festival” are registered trademarks of the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals. All of Canada’s unique fringe festivals form this cooperative member driven services organization – CAFF - and subscribe to 5 guiding principles:
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.
Artists will receive 100% of the tickets and pass price, as agreed upon between the artists and festivals (less any applicable government taxes). Festivals may add a surcharge to tickets and passes.
Fringe festival producers do not interfere with artistic content of each performance.
Festivals must provide an easily accessible opportunity for all audiences and all artists to participate in Fringe Festivals.
Festivals will promote and model inclusivity, diversity and multiculturalism, and will endeavor to incorporate them into all aspects of our organizations including our boards, staff, and volunteers.
For more information about CAFF, please visit their site.