ABOUT
SYDNEY
FRINGE

Photography Credit: Clare Hawley

Sydney Fringe Festival is the largest independent arts festival in New South Wales and a NSW Foundation Event with over 350 events presented in over 70 venues across Greater Sydney each year.

VISION

Sydney Fringe has a vision to be celebrated as one of the world’s leading Fringe festivals, and we are well on our way. Each September, emerging artists and culture creators from all over the city join forces with us to share Sydney’s stories, presenting new work across all genres. Outside of festival time, Sydney Fringe works with public and private sector partners to activate unused space, drive policy and regulatory reform, and advocate for independent artists. All in an effort to build a vibrant and sustainable arts, culture and creative industries sector.

We’re also building the organisation itself for the long term. Our 2026–2029 strategic plan amplifies Sydney Fringe from a September festival into a year-round cultural institution with the infrastructure, partnerships and programming to support artists and audiences twelve months of the year. That means new commercial partnerships, deeper philanthropic relationships, and a more diverse, resilient revenue base, all in service of the artists and independent creators who are the reason we exist.

We are a not-for-profit, open-access festival, which means we welcome all artists, creative people and audiences from all walks of life. Each September, culture creators from all over the city join forces with us to demonstrate the kind of city they want to live in all year round. Our program is curated by our artists, for our audiences. Where else can you see hundreds of world premieres made in your own backyard? And if you’re visiting our beautiful city, what better way to get to know Sydney’s true feelings?

The Sydney we love is vibrant, experimental, expressive, playful, creative and diverse. We look forward to a day when our creative communities are adequately resourced, effectively supported and valued for the contribution they make to our great global city. Until then, we’ll keep building toward it by transforming the landscape of our city into unique experiences you won’t find at any other time of the year, and laying the groundwork so that work continues well beyond September.

Join us for the Sydney Fringe Festival every September for a month of delicious, unfiltered, eclectic performances, where literally anything could happen. And stay with us for what comes next.

DIVERSITY OF VOICE

As an open access festival we facilitate the diverse sharing of narratives. Our commitment lies in upholding our values of Freedom of Expression, Access for All, Community Connection, Integrity, and Unfiltered Excellence throughout our endeavours. Radical inclusion is core to the Fringe Festival movement, a global platform that invites artists and audiences alike to share, engage, hear new perspectives and be part of a larger cultural community.

Our festival serves as a converging point for diverse voices worldwide, offering different perspectives. We aim to foster a secure environment where these voices can resonate and individuals can actively engage. Particularly in today’s increasingly complex global landscape, festivals play a critical role as sanctuaries of cultural discourse, where challenging ideas and differing views can be held.