Melbourne Fringe Festival 2018 - Join the dot (points)

MEDIA RELEASE

This September, Melbourne Fringe presents an 18-day celebration of independent art, presenting 444 genre-busting events in over 160 different venues right across Melbourne. Across the Festival, diversity is key with an eye popping 775 LGBTIQ+ artists participating and 198 artists identifying as deaf or with disability. Fringe also champions gender equality, with 1,780 female identifying artists presenting work, compared to 1,442 male identifying artists.

Melbourne Fringe Festival 2018 asks – are you game? Think of the city as a playground, an art playground, that celebrates a diverse program of events and performances across all artforms imaginable.

Melbourne Fringe Festival 2018 in numbers:

• 444 shows/events
• 2,745 performances
• 255 World premieres
• 279 Australian premieres
• 319 Victorian premieres
• 41 international events
• 341 international artists
• 47 inter-state events
• 416 interstate artists
• 4 shows performed entirely in language other than English (Auslan [not just Auslan interpreted], Mandarin, Indonesian)
• 6 shows from West Africa
• 1 show performed in a bus
• 1 show performed in a hotel swimming pool

Melbourne Fringe Festival artists facts: o 3,358 total artists o 1781 Female identifying o 1442 Male identifying o 135 identify as a gender other than male or female (trans, non-binary, etc) o 775 LGBTIQ+ artists o 198 artists identifying as Deaf or with disability o 44 shows with artists who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander o 100 Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander artists

Melbourne Fringe is a big, bold and gloriously playful celebration of independent art that takes over the city from 13 to 30 September 2018. See established and emerging artists stand side-by-side, to make Fringe a fun, affordable way to experience art in Melbourne – are you game?

The full program will be announced on 15 August, when all tickets will go on sale at www.melbournefringe.com.au

For additional information and images please contact Zilla & Brook Publicity
Fiona Brook: Fiona@zillaandbrook.com.au
03 9690 7000 / 0407 900 840