Presented by a range of our partner organisations these awards recognise achievement in specific fields and provide mentoring and professional development opportunities within these fields.

2023 Artist Development Awards

• Best Emerging Indigenous Artist, supported by Wilin Centre (VCA & MCM)
  Amelia O’Leary – STAUNCH ASF

• Best Emerging Producer, supported by MILKE
  Olly Lawrence – Le Freak, T4T, An Evening with JK

• Headroom Award, supported by RISING
  Burnout Paradise

• Innovation in Circus, supported by Theatre Network Australia
  Le Freak

• Innovation in Dance, supported by Theatre Network Australia
  ~~~~~ “…derelict in uncharted space…”

• Innovation in Theatre, supported by Theatre Network Australia
  A Dodgeball Named Desire

• Emerging Company Incubator Award, supported by Monash University’s Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music and Performance
  Full Cream

• Comedy New Work Award, supported by Melbourne International Comedy Festival
  Success In Everything

• Market Ready Award, supported by Regional Arts Victoria
  NIUSIA

Presented by Festivals from across Australia these awards provide assistance to present your work at one of our partner festivals. These awards are chosen by representatives from the partner festival.

2022 Touring Awards

• WA Touring Award, supported by FRINGE WORLD Festival
  Le Freak

• SA Touring Award, supported by Adelaide Fringe
  Hot Fat Crazy
  

• New Zealand Touring Award, supported by New Zealand Fringe
  Sam Kissajukian: 300 Paintings

• NSW Touring Award, supported by Sydney Fringe
  A Dodgeball Named Desire

• QLD Touring Award, supported by Brisbane Comedy Festival
  Am I the Drama?

Best in Furniture
Cheeky by Maryam Moghadam

Best in Lighting
Cannons of Hope by Ilan El

Best in Object Design
Creating Character by Phong Lai

Best Experimental
Nature 2.0 (Series of Three) by Pattie Beerens

Best Bespoke Design
…that awaits the end of life by Jacky Cheng

Honourable Mentions
Piccolo Wall Sconces by Vi Le

Of Rubbish and Relics (series of three) by Richard Greenacre

Design Fringe is supported by

Naomi Milgrom Foundation
Linden New Art
Vic Women’s Trust
Palais Theatre

Presented by Melbourne Fringe along with some of our key partners, the Special Awards recognise excellence from our participants in ways that aren’t covered by the Artist Development awards. This includes recognising technical excellence, emerging talent, great feminist work, outstanding venue management and much more.

Special Awards

• Access & Inclusion Award
  I Am (Not) This Body
  
• Best Work By An Emerging Artist
  The Coconuts – Brown on the Outside, White on the Inside
  
• Director’s Choice Award
  Zaffé
  
• Industry Trivia All-Star Champion Award
  Melbourne Theatre Company
  
• Melbourne Fringe Living Legend
  Moira Finucane
  
• People’s Choice Award
  Mechorstra
• Sound and Technical Excellence Award, supported by FOHP (Front of House Productions)
  ~~~~~ “…derelict in uncharted space…”
  
• Spirit of the Fringe
  Burnout Paradise
  
• Venue of the Year
  Abbotsford Convent

We are committed to ensuring that the diversity of judges represents to the diversity of artists in the Festival and in the Australian population. Judges are selected through a broad consultation process that is based upon significant contribution and experience in the sector.

Our 2023 judges include the following industry professionals:

Cabaret

Bridget Bantick
Christopher Fieldus
Clare Bartholomew
Emma Ford
Fiona Scott-Norman
Jacob Kuek
Jacqui Martin
Karen Taranto
Kit Richards
Linda Catalano
Rory Kurth
Rowena Hutson
Sam Leaman
Samuel Dariol

Circus

Antonella Casella
Cath Carmody
Christian Schooneveldt-Reid
Christy Flaws
Gail Kelly
Masha Terentieva
Mitch Jones
Nicole Warren
Penny Miles
Ruth Oakley

Comedy

Adam Seymour
Alexina Coad
Andrew McClelland
Carmelo Costa
Claire Harrison
Claire Sullivan
Conor Barton
Colwyn Buckland
Daniel Teitelbaum
Denise Damianos
Diana Nguyen
Eddie Pattison
Ged Wood
Grace Jarvis
Jacinta Anderson
Jayden Masciulli
Joanne Brookfield
Jordan Barr
Leah Collins
Lillian Birch
Morgan Carter
Nick Caddaye
Patrick Hayes
Paul Horan
Peta Sloley
Sam Gray
Samuel Boyd
Sarah Neville
Sunanda Sachatrakul
Tom Noble
Xander Woollard

Dance & Physical Theatre

Andrew Fuhrmann
Bonnie Su
Caitlin Dear
Chris Boyd
Daniel Newell
Efren Palimican
Elyse Cox
Estelle Conley
Hamish McIntosh
Maggie Zhu
Nak Assavatheptavee
Philipa Rothfield
Reis Low
Rita Lahtinen
Shannon Prickett
Vanessa Crampel
Sodi Murphy-Shrives

Experimental

• Afsaneh Torabi
  Belle Hammond
  Bron Belcher
  Cassandra Fumi
  Ciaran Frame
  Dan Koop
  Erick Mitsak
  Glynn Urquhart
  Luna Gawler
  Mark Pritchard
  Roshelle Fong
  Scotty So

Kids

Aseel Tayah
Emma Dodd
Penelope Bartlau
Rinske Ginsberg
Ruth Oakley
Sarah Neville
Shannah Mcdonald
Thomas Caldwell

Music

Amos Roach
Bria Rechner
Oliver Packard
Rhi Borger
Tom Backhaus
Zac Abroms

Theatre

Alberto Di Troia
Alice Qin
Alonso Pineda
Andrew Blackman
Anne-Marie Peard
Brodie Murray
Bronwyn Pringle
Callum Dale
Chris Mead
Danish Sheikh
Elizabeth Brennan
Elizabeth Davie
Emilie Collyer
Jason Lehane
John Bailey
Joshua Lynzaat
Kenny Waite
Keira Lyons
Kenny Waite
Lucie Dess
Lyall Brooks
Marcel Dorney
Myron My
Natalia Sledz
Oliver Bailey
Petra Kalive
Philip Thiel
Phoebe Mason
Ren Jiang
Rinske Ginsberg
Rupert Bevan
Sam Gaskin
Tom Gutteridge
Vanessa O’Neil
Yvonne Virsik
Zoe Meagher

Visual Arts & Film

Alister Karl
Edwina Green
Kenny Waite
Natasha Jones

Words & Ideas

Beau Windon-Smith
Sarah Walker
Walter Kadiki