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Melbourne Fringe

Melbourne Fringe democratises the arts. We have a vision of cultural democracy – empowering anyone to realise their right to creative expression.

We champion discovery and experimentation, supporting the development and presentation of artworks by, with and for the people of Melbourne. We run the annual Melbourne Fringe Festival, the year-round venue Fringe Common Rooms at Trades Hall, and a range of arts sector leadership programs that uplift and mobilise our community.

We started life in 1982 as the Fringe Art Network, and now in our 41st year (we look great for our age, don’t you think?) we remain committed to our roots – a collaborative, encouraging, representing and uniting of artists of all disciplines. Over four decades we have matured to become one of our state’s most significant and adventurous arts organisations. We usher artists forward from the fringes, champion big new ideas and help new work find its audience. We work year-round as educators, promoters, advocates, and creators. We are supporters, we are challengers, we rock the boat and we question the status quo. And we love a cheeky party or two.

Read more about where we’ve been and what we’ve done in our History of Melbourne Fringe.

Annual Reports

2022 Melbourne Fringe Annual Report
2022 Melbourne Fringe Annual Report
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2021 Melbourne Fringe Annual Report
2021 Melbourne Fringe Annual Report
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2020 Melbourne Fringe Annual Report
2020 Melbourne Fringe Annual Report
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2019 Melbourne Fringe Annual Report
2019 Melbourne Fringe Annual Report
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2018 Melbourne Fringe Festival Report
2018 Melbourne Fringe Festival Report
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2017 Melbourne Fringe Festival Report
2017 Melbourne Fringe Festival Report
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2016 Melbourne Fringe Festival Report
2016 Melbourne Fringe Festival Report
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Melbourne Fringe Festival

The Melbourne Fringe Festival is Open Access – that means that anyone with something to say is invited to come say it under our umbrella. With 450+ events presented annually by Melbourne’s emerging and independent artistic talent across every possible artform, in-theatre experiences sit alongside digital art, live streams and outdoor events made by big names, new names and everyday citizens scratching their creative itches.

Fringe Fund

The Fringe Fund helps our very best emerging and independent artistic talent achieve incredible things, with Cash to Create contributing financially to the creation of brand new work and Cash for Equity levelling the playing field.

Our Venue - Fringe Common Rooms

Located in Melbourne’s iconic Trades Hall, Common Rooms is Melbourne Fringe’s year-round home for independent artists, for workers and for people who like to party. It’s a meeting place housing a licensed performance space and a salon, for one-off and regular events, including live music, performance, comedy, cabaret, dance parties, spoken word, workshops and rehearsals.

We’re a cultural enterprise, which means that we use bar sales from commercial events to support local artists with opportunities to test their ideas and reach new audiences. We offer a vibrant year-round program of accessible performances and events at Trades Hall, ensuring everyone can discover the best emerging and independent artistic talent.

Fringe Common Rooms is a culturally and physically safe space for our community, including LGBTIQ+, First Nations, people who are Deaf or with disability. We welcome all artists and creative people, as well as the residents of Trades Hall, workers and members of the union movement.

Fringe Common Rooms is where culture and community collide.

So if you have an idea for an event, whether it’s a show, private function (or really anything you can dream of) then we want to hear from you. Click here for venue hire.

Supported by Maureen Wheeler AO and Tony Wheeler AO

Sector Leadership

Melbourne Fringe is blazing a path forward – and we’re bringing our community along with us. We deliver artist, artform and industry development programs all year round, inspiring, activating and sharing knowledge to strengthen our sector. We are dedicated to supporting emerging artists, increasing diversity in the arts and helping build sustainable careers.