Fringe themes reveal contemporary artistic concerns

Open access Fringe Festivals don’t just allow artists of all stripes to showcase new works; they also provide a snapshot of the zeitgeist.
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Publicity image for Kill Climate Deniers at Melbourne Fringe Festival; photo by Sarah Walker.

With more than 300 ticketed productions on offer at this year’s Sydney Fringe Festival, and over 450 events and 6000 artists in the Melbourne Fringe Festival, navigating their respective programs can be more than daunting. Sometimes we select works to see based on the reputations of participating artists or because they’re friends; at other times we may be swayed by a well-written blurb, an intriguing title or a striking image.

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Richard Watts OAM is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, a Melbourne Fringe Festival Living Legend, and was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize in 2020. In 2021 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Green Room Awards Association. Most recently, Richard received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in June 2024. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts