Artist Support at the Heart of New Fringe World Initiative

ARTRAGE has launched the Keep On Fringing grant, to provide direct support to FRINGE WORLD artists that have experienced an unforeseen hardship in the lead up to or during their 2022 Festival season.

Launching as a pilot program, Festival participants will be able to apply for grants up to $1,500 to help get their show on stage, get back into costume and turn the music back on so they can successfully complete the rest of their FRINGE WORLD season. 

ARTRAGE CEO Sharon Burgess said that the organisation was driven to find more ways to support artists. 

"Through the grant we hope no FRINGE WORLD participant will have to cancel or compromise the quality of their show because of circumstances out of their control," Ms Burgess said.  

The grant is funded directly through the generous support of FRINGE WORLD audiences who donate to the Fringe Fund when they purchase a ticket or donate directly at fringefund.org 

Established in 2017, the Fringe Fund is one of the many initiatives managed by ARTRAGE that has the success of artists at its heart.  

Along with supporting Keep On Fringing grants, donations to the Fringe Fund also support cash prizes for FRINGE WORLD Award winners to assist artists with touring and further show development. More than $298,000 has been awarded to artists through FRINGE WORLD Awards since 2012.   

The Fringe Fund is also a means to support FRINGE WORLD artists who are impacted in other ways, such as in response to the February 2021 COVID-19 lockdown that happened mid-Festival. More than $91,000 was donated to the Fringe Fund in response to the lockdown, all of which was returned to artists whose shows were adversely affected.  

Applications for Keep On Fringing will open January 4. More information is available at fringefund.org 

FRINGE WORLD kicks off on 14 January and runs over four weeks until 13 February, packed with an incredible array of cabaret, comedy, circus, theatre and music performances, with a dash of film and visual art exhibitions thrown in for good measure. 

FRINGE WORLD tickets are on sale now from fringeworld.com.au or via the FRINGE WORLD app.  

FRINGE WORLD gratefully recognises the support of its partners including: Principal Supporter: Lotterywest; and Government Partners: the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries and the City of Perth.
 

Image Credit: Burlesque Cinema. Image By: Wade Ranson