Fringe Festival makes a splash

The Sydney Fringe Festival has exceeded all expectations in terms of ticket sales, with organisers announcing the inaugural event attracted over 100,000 attendees.

Taking place throughout the inner west in September, the Sydney Fringe has rapidly established itself as the state’s largest alternative arts event, encompassing everything from edgy, alternative theatre to major concerts and visual arts openings.

“We didn’t really know what to expect from the first year – but it’s nice to know there is an audience in Sydney for alternative arts,” said the Festival’s artistic director, Kris Stewart. “People were coming from all over Sydney, and even from interstate – across the whole Festival, we had 3,000 artists involved. We had a mix of shows selling out, with other less commercial shows reaching smaller audiences – which is exactly what you want in a Fringe Festival.”

Moreover, Stewart is positive about the prospects of a significant improvement next year. “By the second year, we’ll hopefully be a much more established part of the Sydney calendar – audiences and shows will know it’s coming, with great shows, and I think that’s a really valuable thing.”

A similarly positive reception was garnered from many of the Festival’s participants. “The Fringe was simply fantastic for us,” said Lew Palaitis, from the Hardware Gallery, one of the Festival’s array of venues. “We broke all daily and weekly attendance records, and there was a noticeable impact with us being part of the Fringe. It was such a fun exhibition and the Fringe allowed us to make new connections that we would not have made otherwise.”

Organisers said the inclusion of a large number of free events, as well as free live music, enabled locals and visitors from further afield alike to foster a sense of active participation in the Festival.