About

What is a Fringe Festival?

The Windsor International Fringe Festival: July 16 to July 25, 2010
The Windsor International Fringe Festival (The Windsor Fringe) began development in 2006 by Actors Theatre of Windsor (ATW), a not-for-profit professional theatre company, as part of its community outreach program (ATW Actors Umbrella). The Windsor Fringe was inspired by the Fringe theatre phenomenon that established itself in Western Canada in the early 1980s and which has grown to include a North American tour of festivals.

This tour provides theatre artists with the opportunity to perform at Fringe festivals across North America. ATW desired to provide a similar affordable and accessible avenue for local independent artists to showcase their work. Fringe Festivals have traditionally been an incubator for new work and new artists, and Windsor's participation allows local artists to grow and develop their work, while affording the opportunity to network with and be exposed to the work of artists from across North America. The Windsor Fringe allows the local theatre scene to join the cutting edge of international theatre performance.

What is a Fringe theatre festival?
It is a 7 to 10 day performing arts event, where live theatre and other performing arts are presented in an informal, accessible and low cost environment. Audiences are invited to experience the work of seasoned veterans alongside that of emerging artists. Local, national and international performing companies benefit from working and learning together in order to stimulate artistic innovation. Applications for participation in Fringe Festivals are accepted on a first come basis or by non-juried lottery.

Fringe Theatre was first staged over 50 years ago by theatre groups who were not allowed to participate in Scotland's prestigious Edinburgh Theatre Festival. These groups performed on the 'fringe' or the outskirts of the city of Edinburgh and 'Fringe Theatre' was born. This type of festival has become so popular that there is now a 'Fringe of the Fringe' in Edinburgh, Scotland.

How does a Fringe Festival work?
Well, basically it works like a co-op, minimizing costs and risks to all participants while maximizing returns to artists. Artists pay four to five hundred dollars for a fully equipped venue, professional technician, box office staff, insurance on their show and publicity for the festival as a whole - cooperation draws a greater audience. For much less than it would cost to do it from scratch, 18 companies will share 3 venues, each getting six performances and each keeping 100% of their set ticket price.

 

Your browser is not able to run this Flash script. You must have JavaScript must be enabled and You must have Flash installed.

The Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals is built on four principles:

  1. No Artistic Direction. Artists are selected by ‘first come, first served’.
  2. No Censorship. Artists have complete freedom to present their work.
  3. Accessibility to artists. Anyone can apply to the Fringe.
  4. Accessibility to audience. Ticket prices are kept low and 100% of the ticket price is returned to the artists you see on stage.

For more detailed information, please visit the CAFF home page: www.fringefestivals.com

The Windsor International Fringe Festival was founded in 2007 by Actors Theatre of Windsor (ATW), a not-for-profit professional theatre company.  as part of its community outreach program (ATW Actors Umbrella).

ATW Actors Umbrella's aim in producing the Windsor Fringe is to increase affordable and accessible avenues for professional theatre:

to create opportunities for independent artists to showcase their work;
to grow Windsor’s cultural identity and profile;
to provide a new engine to contribute to the development of the entertainment industry,
Arts & Culture Tourism, and the regional economy.

 

Established in January 2006 Actors Theatre of Windsor ( ATW) is a professional theatre company, who's aim is to develop a viable professional entertainment industry in Southwestern Ontario and Southeastern Michigan.

Co-founded by Mona el Baroudi and Gordon Mackenzie, the public programming of ATW has two core components:

ATW Main Stage, which produces professional theatre and our season of shows paying participating trained actors, and production crew a living wage;

ATW Actors Umbrella, a community outreach program which produces the Windsor International Fringe Festival and WHAT’S ON! ‘The Arts & Culture Calendar of Windsor-Essex in Canada South’.
www.actorstheatreofwindsor.com