We will be open for 2009 entries on November 7th 2008.
Fees structure and deadline for 2009: From November 7th 2008 until February 28th 2009 you only pay £45. From March 1st to 31st the entry fee is £65 and from April 1st to 25th it is £80.
Please note: Winners of Fringe Awards are granted free entry to the Fringe in either the next or following year. In the case of single performers winning a prize, they can transfer the prize to any ONE production/entry in which they are involved within that time frame. See Awards for categories.
Entering the Fringe is a simple process but please make sure you have read all the information in this section of the web-site and give yourself enough time to plan everything.
Here is our 10-point plan. Follow it and you will have a good time on the Fringe. You may even lose weight!
If you are planning to perform a piece affected by copyright, it is your responsibility to obtain the necessary permission. Check out the Performing Rights website for more information on music copyright or Samuel French's website for play copyright.
We have many venues on our list but it is not exhaustive or restrictive. Each year imaginative entrants come up with new places. It is important to choose a venue suitable in size and character for your event. Remember, a small full venue feels much better for audience and performer alike than a big half empty one. The Programme Co-ordinator can offer advice as necessary.
Most venues are a space that you rent and bring your own equipment to but some are managed and supply lights, sound, seating, front of house etc. These usually operate on a takings share basis.
There are outreach venues in towns and villages outside Buxton. If you are using a managed venue please check that they are happy for you to be doing outreach.
Check your venue carefully - with a visit if possible. Make sure the venue and its manager can provide what you want and are helpful. Be certain that you both know what the financial arrangements and any special requirements are.
Please note that on the first Saturday of the Fringe the annual Buxton Carnival parades round the town from 2pm. Venues such as the upstairs rooms of the Old Hall Hotel and the Old Clubhouse may experience some disruption from noise during the afternoon.
You must have suitable cover for your event. Your venue may have cover but please check.
This service is offered by Buxton Opera House Box Office. An extra fee of £10 is payable to the Fringe. Again, this service will offer walk-up, telephone, postal and online sales. You will need to read the details and conditions and fill in the appropriate fields on the entry form. This service is available to the public from June. Online sales will be accessible via link from this web-site.
If you don't want to use this system be sure to enter your own bookings contact on the entry form.
Online entry is now firmly established and you can fill in your details and pay your entrance fee online. The link to this area of the website is at the bottom of next page ("Calendar and Checklist") but please read all the advice before beginning the process.
The deadline for entries is April 26th. Entries received after this can be processed but cannot be included in the printed programme owing to printer's deadlines. Beware of leaving things to the last minute, you will have a poorer choice of venue and performance time and other difficulties often crop up.
As part of the online entry procedure you will also be able to upload publicity photos (jpeg or gif format please). These may be used on the web-site, in the printed programme or in press releases. Particularly for print we need good resolution pics though if you have them bigger than about 2MB you may have problems uploading so please resize first accordingly. Try and keep resolution to 300 DPI if possible but it is better to submit any picture rather than none! N.B. We will display the best pictures on the home page to give you fantastic publicity!
This section is so important that we give it its own page. This includes details of Fringe Sunday and Carnival and advice on fliers, posters, press releases, radio and street performances etc.
Your own press releases can be emailed to the press officer for her information but it is your responsibility to send them out. See How to write a Press Release.
The Fringe Desk needs 50 fliers and 12 posters to display at the desk and on our notice boards around the town. Please post these to John Wilson, 11 Hardwick Mount, Buxton SK17 6PR before the Fringe starts or deliver by hand to the Fringe Desk during the Fringe.
Many other places around town are happy to take posters and fliers if you ask. This is your responsibility.
This year we will be hosting a video/audio display of short trailers for Fringe Events at the Fringe desk on a supersize plasma screen so please send material on disc to 11 Hardwick Mount Buxton SK17 6PR for inclusion (we are confident that we can handle most formats).
DON'T!! The show must go on!! At all costs avoid changes and cancellations. Entrants who make changes inevitably suffer at the box office and cause us a lot of work and aggravation. If alteration or cancellation is unavoidable please inform the venue and John Wilson immediately on 01298 70562.
Eat lots of fruit and exercise regularly.
Next: Calendar and Checklist