Sydney Fringe Festival will not take place in 2020 as planned due to restrictions surrounding coronavirus.
It's not all bad news though – Sydney Fringe will partner with five international Fringe Festivals to present Global Fringe, to be streamed live in September.
Working together with Stockholm Fringe, Brighton Fringe, New Zealand Fringe, San Diego Fringe and Hollywood Fringe, Sydney Fringe will present new and recent work online.
Four Sydney-produced events and eight international events will premiere, with each to be professionally recorded and streamed.
“As COVID-19 forces us to re-examine the very foundations of live performance business models, Sydney Fringe have been working to explore meaningful ways to bring our artists and our audiences together digitally," Sydney Fringe CEO Kerri Glasscock says. "We are excited to partner with some of the world’s most respected Fringe Festivals to present this new digital model of Fringe for the unique circumstances we find ourselves in this year.”
Global Fringe may allow for some in-person experiences in September, depending on gradually relaxing public health guidelines.
“Should social distancing guidelines allow, we hope to present Sydney Fringe events live at the Old 505 Theatre in Newtown, with international works streamed cinema-style on the big screen. A decision on this will be made closer to the time in line with advice from Government and health authorities,” Kerri says.
The event aims to present international work like never before, while simultaneously providing local Sydney artists with the opportunity to share their work on a global stage.
