2012 NAF FRINGE

2012 National Arts Festival Fringe registration opens

Registration for productions and visual art exhibitions to be included in the 2012 edition of the National Arts Festival Fringe opens on October 17, 2011.

“Artists who want to be part of the 2012 Fringe have until January 20 next year to get their forms in to us, and we’re on hand before then to help with any questions they may have,” Fringe Manager Zikhona Nweba said.

After the success of this year’s 11-day Festival, and the launch of the “50% Fringe”, Festival organisers have announced that the 2012 Festival will run according to the same structure.

“We found it worked well to run the Festival over two full weekends, giving day visitors and those who can only attend over weekends greater choice when planning their visit,” Festival CEO Tony Lankester said.

Fringe performances staged on the last Sunday will sell tickets at a 50% discount on their usual price. “By the end of the Festival, audiences have a clear idea of what they want to see, which were the most talked-about productions and which drew the highest accolades from the critics. The 50% Fringe gives those coming for the second weekend a chance to fill their day with some of these top quality productions, and give performers the opportunity to end the Festival on a ‘high’, hopefully attracting a capacity crowd,” said Festival Manager, Kate Axe Davies.

Participation in the 50% Fringe day is voluntary for productions, but last year’s experience showed that those productions deciding to stay on for the extra day benefitted from an audience who might have been deterred by higher ticket prices.

The Standard Bank Ovation Awards, now into their third year, continue to provide a benchmark of success for productions on the Fringe, allowing artists recognised for the quality of their productions, a progression to the Arena platform. With Festival CEO Tony Lankester the newly-appointed inaugural head of the international Fringe Festival Alliance, 2012 is bound to see the strengthening of International relationships and, as in 2011, many international producers shopping for shows at South Africa’s biggest and longest-running Arts Festival.

Registration forms and the Info Booklets are available on the website – www.nationalartsfestival.co.za. Hard copies can be obtained from the Festival office and any queries can be directed to the National Arts Festival office, by e-mail – fringe@nationalartsfestival.co.za or telephone 046 603 1103. Online submissions can be made at www.nationalartsfestival.co.za/fringe

The National Arts Festival is sponsored by Standard Bank, The Eastern Cape Government, The National Arts Council, The National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, The Sunday Independent and MNet.