From Humble Beginnings
In 1960, the local arts community felt there was limited opportunity for local talent within the Adelaide International Festival of Arts program, so a small group of independent artists presented shows on the ‘fringe’.
These brave artists forged an innovative, open-access festival with no curators. They sought to defy the exclusionary practises of cultural gatekeepers, and threw it open, allowing everyone to be part of the arts in South Australia. To this day, the spirit of inclusivity and a non-curated structure are at the crux of our Festival.
On the fringe of the Adelaide Festival, this small group of creatives produced a thriving, bi-annual platform for artists to try out new work, experiment, and engage with new ideas.
In 1975, ‘The Fringe’ changed its name to ‘Focus’. The idea was to bring focus to the development of our own culture in South Australia.
By 1982, the event was expanding, with 86 groups performing in more than 50 venues with a further 56 visual arts exhibitions. In addition, 16 performing groups were active in schools and public spaces across the metropolitan area.
In 1988, organisers (in discussion with Actors Equity) allowed international artists to join our burgeoning festival. With a greater international flavour, 1992 to 1993 were years of tremendous change. Going back to our roots, we once again became the Adelaide Fringe, and with the goal to broaden our footprint
A New Century
The 2000 Fringe was dedicated to Fringe Patron, Don Dunstan. The former SA Premier had passed away the previous year. His vision of social justice and cultural diversity still lives on in Adelaide Fringe.
In 2007, Fringe became an annual event, ending four decades of running side-by-side with the Adelaide Festival's biannual format.
