Humans are fortunate creatures. While we may not always be aware of it, we spend our lives bathing in art.
It’s in every small bar and space you’ve ever visited, the murals you see when you get off the bus, the décor and music in that coffee shop you love. And then there’s all the stuff you don’t see. All the hidden, little treasures you would love if only you knew they existed. In a city as expansive as Sydney, at any given moment, just a few blocks away there is bound to be an artist creating something that would blow your mind.
This is where the Sydney Fringe Festival comes in. Director Kerri Glasscock likes to think of the festival as roadmap to everything artistically awesome in Sydney. “We’ve located pockets of really cool stuff that’s already going on and then built on that to create these mini-hubs around the city. That way you can stay in one area one night and see multiple things and then go to a different area next time you venture out.”
Image © Cynthia SciberrasThis year, the festival will be kicking off with the third installation of Fringe Ignite. Curated by Grammy-nominated pianist, Barney McCall, the festivities will take place on Stanley Street in Darlinghurst. “We’re going to see some great names doing some unusual things because they have to accommodate Stanley Street’s tiny spaces and odd parameters.”
Comedy lovers will want to check out Marrickville’s Factory Theatre which will be impregnated with a host of quirky new performance spaces just for the festival. “Fringe comedy is all about up-and-comers and established artists trying stuff that’s whack and new. It’s a gamble, but you might just get to see the next big thing before everyone else.”
That’s the great thing about Fringe Festival in general: it’s all about taking chances. “There’s heaps on and it’s not expensive, so I always encourage people not to plan too much or look for big names. Just take a chance on something you’ve never heard of before. That’s how you find things that are truly great. And, if it wasn’t up your alley, you’ve still had an adventure.”
Image © Cynthia SciberrasIncreasingly, Sydney Fringe is having a year-round presence that lives beyond the festival. “This is perhaps what excites me the most because we’re creating real change, being a part of our city and working through major hindrances to the artistic community.”
This year, they’ve focused on reinvigorating Parramatta Road, a dusty thoroughfare that’s had a vacancy rate of up to 90% over the past few years. “It doesn’t have residents, so noise isn’t an issue, and rentals are cheap. Working with council, we’re rebranding it as a new creative arts precinct, ready to launch in September as part of the Fringe Festival. This is certainly not a quick fix. Fringe is really just reintroducing it to the world and giving it a little nudge.”
For Kerri, forging new connections and nurturing old ones is the heart of Sydney Fringe. “It’s about uniting our sector in a good news story and connecting our beautiful independent artists and venues with audiences.”
The Sydney Fringe Festival runs from 1-30 September, with locations all over the city.
