New Program
New CEO

New South Wales’ largest independent arts festival will showcase over 2,900 artists across four precincts and 10 festival hubs, including the reopening of Eternity Playhouse

Sydney Fringe Festival has today unveiled its full 2025 program, featuring more than 460 events and over 2,900 artists across four precincts and 10 festival hubs this September. It also marks a new chapter under the leadership of recently appointed CEO Patrick Kennedy.

As Sydney Fringe Festival’s new CEO, Patrick Kennedy brings over 15 years experience in the arts and cultural sector. Prior to joining Sydney Fringe in 2024, Kennedy held senior roles at leading international agencies and producers, delivering national marketing and publicity campaigns for major Australian productions including Mary Poppins, & Juliet and The Phantom of the Opera, and co-founded London-based marketing agency We Are I Am. He has also been Executive Producer of Patrick Kennedy Theatre Machine since 2009, winning international acclaim for his groundbreaking independent theatre work.

Maree Taylor, Chair of the Board at Sydney Fringe, said of the appointment: “Over the past two months the Board has undertaken a rigorous global search for our next CEO. The process attracted outstanding candidates from across Australia and around the world—a testament to Sydney Fringe’s reputation as one of the world’s leading independent arts organisations. I’m delighted to share that, with the unanimous support of the Board, Patrick Kennedy has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Sydney Fringe.

Patrick is an accomplished leader and internationally lauded theatre maker with a proven track record in championing independent arts, strategic direction and organisational growth. His rare blend of artistic leadership, sector insight and commercial acumen makes this a confident and exciting evolution for the organisation as we continue to shape Sydney’s cultural ecosystem and advocate for a more inclusive, resilient and thriving independent arts sector.”

Tickets are on sale now for the 2025 season, with highlights including the immersive theatre experience When Night Comes by Broad Encounters, internationally acclaimed shows by renowned storytelling duo Wright & Grainger, the return of the Queer Hub and First Nations Hub, and the much-anticipated reopening of the Eternity Playhouse, which will showcase ambitious and cutting-edge works as part of the Off Broadway Hub.

To mark the official opening of the festival, Sydney Fringe kicks off with a free street party on Thursday 4 September at The Rocks, transforming the historic laneways and heritage buildings with hidden performances and live music. It also signals the return of SIDESHOW every Tuesday to Sunday throughout the festival, with an exciting lineup of immersive and experiential shows performed in pop-up spaces throughout the precinct. The unmissable When Night Comes by Broad Encounters is set to take over the Union Bond Store at 6-8 Atherden Street for its Sydney premiere, a bespoke, multi-sensory performance for small groups that blends cocktails and theatre in an interactive show across multiple rooms.

Renowned storytelling duo Wright & Grainger will present three of their internationally acclaimed shows: Orpheus, Helios, and the family-friendly Grandpa Poseidon; and every Saturday, SIDESHOW Wildcard presents one festival show for free at The Rocks Square. From festival favourites to hidden gems, each performance will be hand-selected by the Sydney Fringe team.

For the first time in over a year, Darlinghurst’s Eternity Playhouse will open its doors as the new home of the Off Broadway Hub from 2 – 27 September, welcoming back artists and audiences to one of Sydney’s most beloved performing arts venues. Showcasing bold and innovative shows across theatre, music, contemporary dance and cabaret, highlights include rising star of Australian dance, choreographer-director Lewis Major’s critically acclaimed triple bill performance Triptych, fresh off the back of a world tour. Also at Eternity Playhouse, The Ghana Road Show blends circus arts, music and dance in a vibrant, high-energy performance that celebrates the richness and diversity of West African culture; and the haunting music of Kate Bush is reimagined in exquisite choral and instrumental arrangements by vocal ensemble Eklektika for their brand new show Kate Bush Unmoored.

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Sydney Fringe Festival acknowledges and is guided by the allodial owners of the land that we meet on.

We pay our respects to the 29 clans of the Eora nation and recognise elders past and present, as well as all the First Nations people of Australia.

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