A global network. A shared purpose. A stronger Fringe movement.
About World Fringe
World Fringe is the international organisation connecting and strengthening the global Fringe ecosystem.
Since 2007, we have brought together Fringe festivals, artists, producers and cultural leaders from around the world to share knowledge, build partnerships and champion the value of Fringe. Working across continents, we support a thriving international network that encourages collaboration, develops new opportunities and helps Fringe festivals flourish.
From supporting emerging festivals to delivering the World Fringe Congress, advocating for the sector and enabling international connections, our work helps ensure that Fringe remains a vibrant, innovative and accessible force for creativity worldwide.
Why World Fringe?
Fringe festivals are one of the world’s most vibrant expressions of creativity. They champion artistic freedom, celebrate diverse voices and create spaces where new ideas, new work and new talent can flourish. Together, they enrich communities, strengthen local economies and foster cultural exchange across borders.
Collectively, Fringe festivals form a global ecosystem—an interconnected network of artists, producers, venues, audiences, volunteers, funders and civic leaders united by a belief in the power of creativity to inspire, connect and transform lives.
As the global Fringe movement continues to grow, so do the opportunities to collaborate, share knowledge, support artists and develop new partnerships across countries and cultures. By learning from one another and working together, festivals can become more innovative, resilient and impactful, creating lasting benefits for artists, audiences and the communities they serve.
That is why World Fringe exists.
We connect the people, festivals and organisations that make up the global Fringe ecosystem, creating opportunities to exchange ideas, build international partnerships, champion artistic innovation and celebrate the unique value of Fringe worldwide. Through collaboration, advocacy and shared learning, we help strengthen the global Fringe movement and unlock opportunities that no single festival could achieve alone.
Together, we are building a more connected, ambitious and sustainable future for Fringe—one where artists thrive, festivals flourish and communities everywhere experience the transformative power of creativity.
Fringe festivals:
- incubate new talent
- enable artistic risk
- strengthen communities
- support creative economies
- increase cultural participation
- attract tourism
- develop future cultural leaders
Our Impact
The global Fringe movement creates extraordinary opportunities for artists, audiences and communities around the world. Together, our network represents:
- 300+ Fringe festivals
- 30 million+ audience members
- 170,000+ artists
- 60,000+ performances annually
- Activity across every continent
These figures represent far more than festivals. They reflect a thriving cultural movement that nurtures artistic talent, strengthens communities, drives local economies and creates opportunities for international collaboration and cultural exchange.
What We Do
Four simple pillars:
🌍 Connect
- Build relationships across the global Fringe community.
🤝 Collaborate
- Share knowledge, develop partnerships and create new opportunities.
📣 Champion
- Advocate for the value and impact of Fringe worldwide.
🚀 Grow
- Support innovation, international exchange and the future development of Fringe.
Our Vision.
We envision a world where arts and culture are recognised as essential to thriving communities—where creativity is valued, diverse voices are celebrated, every artist has the opportunity to create and be heard, and everyone can participate in, experience and shape cultural life.
We believe Fringe festivals have a unique role in creating that future. As open, inclusive platforms for artistic freedom, experimentation and cultural exchange, they inspire new ideas, nurture emerging talent, strengthen communities and build understanding across cultures.
Through collaboration, shared knowledge and international partnership, World Fringe creates the conditions for artists, festivals and communities to flourish together. By connecting people, ideas and opportunities, we help unlock the full potential of the Fringe movement to enrich lives, strengthen places and inspire positive change around the world.
We believe that when artists, festivals and communities thrive, creativity becomes a powerful force for opportunity, understanding and a more connected world.
History of World Fringe
World Fringe grew from a simple belief: that Fringe festivals are stronger when they work together.
Holly Lombardo has dedicated her career to supporting, researching and championing Fringe festivals and the artists who make them extraordinary. While establishing the Brighton Fringe and directing a venue at the Edinburgh Fringe, she recognised that festivals around the world shared a common spirit, but had few opportunities to connect, collaborate or learn from one another.
Determined to change this, Holly began introducing artists to visiting festival directors and creating opportunities for Fringe organisers to meet and exchange ideas. These informal conversations evolved into Fringe Festivals Around the World, a panel event launched at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2005, bringing together festival leaders to share knowledge with artists and arts professionals.
Building on this growing international community, World Fringe was established in 2007 as part of the World Festival Network, with a vision to connect the global Fringe movement and strengthen the relationships that enable it to thrive.
Over the following years, Holly travelled extensively, visiting Fringe festivals across the world, developing partnerships and researching how best to support festivals, artists and the wider sector. Together with Cath Mattos, World Fringe expanded its international reach—creating touring opportunities, supporting the development of new Fringe festivals, advising artists and producers, delivering workshops and consultancy, and fostering collaboration across continents.
In 2012, in partnership with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, World Fringe launched the inaugural World Fringe Congress. For the first time, more than 80 Fringe leaders representing 49 festivals across 20 countries came together to explore the future of the rapidly growing Fringe movement. The Congress marked a significant milestone, establishing a global forum for collaboration, shared learning and international partnership.
Today, World Fringe continues to connect and strengthen the global Fringe ecosystem—bringing together festivals, artists and cultural leaders to share knowledge, create opportunities and champion the value of Fringe around the world.
