The world as we know it has changed so radically in only a few weeks. Our hearts here at Adelaide Fringe go out to absolutely everyone affected by COVID-19. We are full of love and gratitude to the health workers on the front line. Across the International festival landscape we have been heartbroken to see everything cancelled. While it is absolutely necessary, it’s so sad to know that live performance (something we all love so much) will not be happening for the months ahead, and that the livelihoods of artists, crew and many, many others have disappeared.
The Adelaide Fringe team have been working hard to find a way to directly support artists during the Covid-19 crisis, and we are excited to announce the pilot of an online, digital Fringe experience; Adelaide FringeVIEW. It is an experiment that we would like you all to try out with us.
Adelaide FringeVIEW invites artists to register a video as a Fringe event. In the spirit of Fringe we’re open to all genres and are putting a call out to get creative online. Upload you pre-recorded content, film a workshop or tutorial or upload your highlights from your Fringe seasons. As always with Fringe, we are an open access platform so everyone can get involved. It is free to register as an artist and take part in the pilot. We are waiving all registration and artist ticketing fees to make it available to everyone.
To all Adelaide Fringe audiences: get ready to buy tickets to view the work of Fringe artists online, in the comfort of your own home! Adelaide FringeVIEW is an experiment and a first of its kind for Adelaide Fringe. It is all about coming together to show support for artists in this time when all their performances, gigs, tours and festivals have been cancelled.
The Adelaide FringeVIEW pilot will run until the end of May 2020. We hope it inspires artists to be creative, innovative and think outside the usual experience or understanding of Fringe during the COVID-19 crisis.
Like everyone, we are hoping artists can get back into live performance venues as soon as possible. In the meantime we are hoping that Adelaide FringeVIEW might help create job opportunities and income for both artists and others in the broader creative, technology sector.
The Adelaide Fringe Manifesto is all about being brave, taking risks and pushing boundaries together. Times like these call for innovative, new ways of thinking and seeing, which is why we are launching Adelaide FringeVIEW. We hope you will jump on board and join us in this experiment of taking Fringe online for audiences to enjoy while they have to stay at home.
At this stage we are calling on artists to get video content ready to register, registration opens on Wednesday April 15th on the AVR.
Audiences, get your popcorn and PJs ready for the launch of tickets! Fringe Members have exclusive Adelaide FringeVIEW access from Wednesday April 29, 2020 with the platform officially live to the general public on Friday May 1, 2020. Watch this space.
Stay safe everyone,
Heather Croall
Adelaide Fringe Director & CEO
On behalf of the whole team at Adelaide Fringe