Keith Savage, Trustee Buxton Festival Fringe. Buxton Festival Fringe has survived for many years but often in a sense of isolation. The World Fringe Network has brought us to contact with Festival organisers and performers across the UK and internationally. As a result, we feel reenergised and have confidence in what we are doing. It is also apparent that the WFN is an invaluable source of support and enthusiasm for newer festivals.
Adam J.K. Potrykus. Co-Founder/Co-Director Stockholm Fringe Festival, Project Co-Ordinator for Nordic Fringe Network.
Since the launch of the first Swedish fringe back in 2010 one of the most vital resource around has been the World Fringe Network with the subsequent World Fringe Congress events. The same goes for annual World Fringe fairs at various festival.
Being able to rub shoulders with driven fringe creators, share experiences and absorb knowledge from, get inspired by my peers that make up the fabric of our global community has been essential to the development of the Nordic Fringe Network. The WFN is a unique gathering of brainpower that collectively feeds the international start art community by elevating the local through the global.
Like any organisms the WFN needs to be nourished to continue its backbone role in our community. We wholeheartedly support funding applications for the continuation and development of the WFN and the associated World Fringe Congress events.
Jim Julien – Artistic co-director of Asheville Fringe Arts Festival. Our festival has grown and blossomed because the wise counsel and support from WFN. And we are so proud to promote WFN to our audiences so they are aware of the world-wide connection to Fringes around the globe. And of course, we love Holly and Cath!!!
Dom Douglas Co-Director of the Paris Fringe. World Fringe has enabled our festival to join a global arts network and forge links with artists and administrators across Europe and beyond. We have received applications and staged shows that have come directly through our connection with WF. The organisation has given us the confidence and impetus to grow our event and increased the opportunities of our volunteers, organisers and artists.
Davide Ambrogi – Producer and Artistic Director of Roma Fringe.
Since we started WFN help us to grow and get connections worldwide and our enthusiasm has been rising along with it more and more until now.
It’s literally the network of Fringes worldwide.
Sarah Mitrikė, Director Zagare Fringe. When we announced the first Zagare Fringe Festival, it was the first Fringe event in the Baltic Region, and an unfamiliar concept to people here. To be able to show on our funding application that we were in fact part of a World-Wide Network, was a big boost. Not only that, it was a big moral boost to know we had such a supportive network holding our hand.
Hsin-I LIn, Associate Curator of Taipei Fringe Festival
Fringe festivals around the world had long fought for ideal art environment to support independent artists in different continents.
And the WFN created a warm and welcoming platform for festival organizers to exchange idea, practical solutions, and encourage mutual collaborations. Joining this wonderful network definitely lit up our passion to outreach and link with other festivals, and later on lead to the forge of the Asian fringe alliance.
We are proud to share and promote WFN to our audience and art community.
George Wallace; Former Vice President, Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals; Former Executive Director Orlando Fringe; Associate Director IndyFringe. In 2012, I was fortunate enough to attend the first World Fringe Congress, hosted in Edinburgh by WFN. It gave me a platform to be part of an international organization and network with other Fringe leaders. The seminars that WFN have done have been an invaluable learning tool for myself and my organization. WFN is well respected among the global Fringe community.
Michele Gallant; Chairperson, Membership Committee, Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals; Festival Director and Producer Calgary Fringe Festival. I attended my first World Fringe Congress in 2016, and I was amazed at the breadth and scope of all the Fringe Festival leaders and representatives from across the globe. The collective knowledge and experiences gathered together in one space was electric, and I learned so much from their sharing and from the seminars presented. WFN is the glue that brought this amazing family together, and they continue to be a champion force, helping to spread the Fringe Gospel.
Anita Bigsby, Festival Director, Ludlow Fringe Festival. We have attended two World Fringe Congresses now and it has given us a wonderful opportunity to be a part of something so much bigger. We are a small isolated, rural town but meeting up with Fringe Directors from all over the World has given us fantastic opportunities to discuss real issues that face us all in the Arts as well as meeting up with leading national and international touring performers and engaging them in our own festival. Cath and Holly have also provided us with so much invaluable help and advice for free that has helped us grow all aspects of the Ludlow Fringe Festival.
Andrei Nikolai Pamintuan, Founder & Festival Director – Fringe Manila . Fringe Manila would not have been possible without the help and resources provided by the World Fringe Network and their team. In 2012, Fringe Manila was just an idea. Because of the support in resources and literally connecting Manila to the rest of the world, Fringe Manila was able to take root and create an enormous impact in the contemporary art scene in the Philippines. WFN provided our organization with the starter kit that has kept us sustainable over the past years. WFN was able to introduce me personally to resource persons that have come to Manila and helped establish the festival and make it successful. It has pushed arts practitioners grow as a better art managers and art enablers across the globe. We encourage the support of the World Fringe Network for them to continue their amazing advocacy in providing opportunities and platforms for artists and organizations.
Fringe Manila would not have been possible without the help and resources provided by the World Fringe Network and their team. In 2012, Fringe Manila was just an idea. Because of the support in resources and literally connecting Manila to the rest of the world, Fringe Manila was able to take root and create an enormous impact in the contemporary art scene in the Philippines. WFN provided our organization with the starter kit that has kept us sustainable over the past years. WFN was able to introduce me personally to resource persons that have come to Manila and helped establish the festival and make it successful. It has pushed arts practitioners grow as a better art managers and art enablers across the globe. We encourage the support of the World Fringe Network for them to continue their amazing advocacy in providing opportunities and platforms for artists and organizations.
Adam Levine Norway Fringe – co-founder Nordic Fringe Network – Norway representative. Norway Fringe have just now hosted their inaugural year of the festival. This would not have happened without the collaborative support of not only the newly established Nordic Fringe Network, but also of World Fringe. World Fringe were at their earliest opportunity with us to brain-storm and strategize both the Nordic Fringe Network and the Norway Fringe. without the help and guidance and promotion of World Fringe perhaps our festival mightn’t have been able to launch as early as it had and with such fluency. we, at Norway Fringe, endorse full heartedly World Fringe and its intended development.
Ben Hill, Director Hollywood Fringe. WFN has been an invaluable resource in our ongoing efforts to connect the Hollywood Fringe Festival with the world festival community. Through networking, forums, and advice, our first year’s festival will be all the better thanks to WFN.”
Laura, Festival Officer Brighton Festival. I found the World Fringe site really useful when researching festivals of a similar size to us. It gave an excellent insight into what and who is out there.”
Gilly Wadmore, Drama Consultant. As a regular festival-goer, I welcome a comprehensive, one-stop database of festival information. A site that offered background details on performers and included announcements of future events, in one concise location, would be really helpful in planning my visits, work schedules and would save many hours of internet searches.
Tim & Misa, Festival Organisers O’hau Fringe, Honolulu. As a newbie, we are super happy and want to share this with you. In setting up our Fringe we have been very fortunate to utilise the information on World Fringe Network; and a special thank you Holly for your generous support. It has been a slow process but made easier with support from you.
Amelia, Festival Director Grassington Festival. After hearing Holly Lombardo from WFN speak at the British Arts Festivals Association Conference we were inspired to launch the Grassington Festival Fringe, which opened up a successful showcase for local and regional performers in North Yorkshire in year one. We aim to build on this and WFN will be a great tool to help us achieve this ambition. So, all thanks to Holly for giving us the encouragement and motivation to make the fringe happen.