Publicity page

Plan Your Publicity Campaign!! There's a lot of competition out there.

The Fringe prints thousands of copies of the full Programme of Events which are distributed widely on a local and regional level and to our Friends' and Press mailing lists. The printed programme comes out in early June but as soon as your entry is submitted it is published on our website and on the Fringe App - you may wish to cite these information sources in your own publicity.

The Fringe Information Desk in the Pavilion Gardens Conservatory is open daily during the Fringe and needs posters and flyers for each event.

Unless you are with Underground Venues, who have their own arrangements, please send these before the Festival to:

The Fringe Chair, Stephen Walker 106 St John's Road Buxton SK17 6UT

or deliver by hand to the desk during the Fringe or the day before we start. These posters will be displayed at the desk and town centre displays such as the Visitor Centre and library. Read more about this in the Posters and Flyers section on this page. About 50 flyers and 8 posters are the minimum we need for this but don't forget to keep some back for putting up in shops, cafes, pubs and elsewhere in the town. Note, the wider distribution of material for individual events is the responsibility of participants. The council does not tolerate any fly posting and is particularly sensitive about street furniture and road junctions.

If you are able, please collect up posters at the end of the Fringe. Think of the environment and consider whether you reallly need to laminate posters; do so only if you intend to collect them at the end of the Fringe and keep them for your records. At the Fringe desk, do not put posters up yourself - let the desk managers do this. The doors have to remain unadorned because of health and safety issues.

Please make it clear on all publicity that the event is part of the Buxton Festival Fringe - use the Fringe logo if you can. It can be downloaded using this link or emailed on request. As of 2019 we have very slightly tweaked our logo and now offer it with white border or with black border and in jpg and eps formats.

Please consider using the town's new Refreshingly Buxton branding on your publicity materials.

Social media is a low-cost medium for publicity with a low environmental impact. Please consider using the various channels in your own publicity and remember to copy the Fringe's own social media accounts into your publicity as we can also promote your shows.

The Fringe is also promoted generally through the local and regional Media. The Fringe press team aims to mention every event individually in by-category press releases which are generally picked up on websites and in local media such as The Buxton Advertiser. You too need to approach them yourselves with photos and press releases. (A regularly updated media list is supplied with confirmation of entry. It is not exhaustive. In particular, do contact the local press from where you are from, for example The Macclesfield Express does not generally cover Buxton but would do if there was a local angle for them). Note, the list is regularly updated so when you are ready to contact press, follow the link to be sure you have the latest version. Some publications require you to advertise before they will print editorial about your event. Local Radio Stations may be willing to broadcast good quality recordings and are keen to interview you, especially if you can go into their studios. Please include a named contact. For advice, see How to write a Press Release.

Please upload photographs as part of the online entry procedure (you will need to pay for your entry before you can do this). Be sure you have sorted out copyright and have permission to use these pictures. If you would like further advice on publicity contact the Press Officer, who would also be happy to receive your press releases for her information and to feature in Fringe blogs.

Fringe Programme Party. This event is run by Buxton Fringe and usually features five to ten minute extracts from performers' shows. It usually takes place on a Friday or Saturday in early June at the Green Man Gallery to celebrate the publication of the printed programme. Contact the Fringe chair via our Contacts page for further information. Other Fringe-organised social events such as Springboard in March or April may offer further opportunities - these will be communicated to you by email.

Blogs, social media, videos and podcasts: The Fringe team does its best to promote Fringe entries via these formats - the more information you give us and contact you have with us, the more likely you are to be featured. NB the podcast is under review for 2024.

Fringe Launch Party. This event is run by Underground but acts from other venues are also welcome. It usually takes place on the night before the first day of the Fringe or sometimes on the first night. Traditionally, it includes five to ten minute extracts from shows as well as live music and sometimes party games! It is a chance for Fringe goers to socialise as well as being a useful place for entrants to publicise their events. Contact launch@undergroundvenues.co.uk for further information.

Fringe Sunday, the Carnival and Street publicity are worth the effort. Fringe Sunday takes place on the first Sunday of the Fringe from 2 to 4.30pm in the Pavilion Gardens. Contact the entries co-ordinator for Fringe Sunday opportunities and the Marketing Officer for more info on how to be involved with the Fringe's carnival float. In general, be prepared to meet the public in costume if possible with handbills at the ready. Impromptu street theatre works too. Suitable sites and contacts are included in the list of venues. There are also busking opportunities outside the Fringe Desk (the rota for this is organised by the desk itself). Fringe on Friday offers a chance to present free show extracts at the Bandstand in the Pavilion Gardens on Friday afternoons during the Fringe. Details to follow.

During the Fringe some 20-minute daytime slots will be available for taster performances in The Pump Room (venue 84 in the Fringe venues list). Fringe performers can email hello@buxtoncrescenttrust.org to discuss these. All slots must be pre-booked and amplification wiil not be possible for these tasters. There is no charge for performers or audiences. The content of these performances must reflect the fact that the general public will be accessing the tasters.

Reviews are posted on the website and Fringe App daily during the Fringe. We aim to post them by midday following the first performance. Participants are welcome to use extracts or the whole review for on-going publicity. In order to get a review, we require you to admit one reviewer on your first night (free of charge). While we make every effort to review every show we cannot unfortunately guarantee this. Please also be receptive to the idea of providing a ticket for other reviewers who may be in town.

Bunting and Balloons: These may be available in limited quantities and especially for venues that need an extra boost of publicity. Please contact the Fringe Desk on arrival. Branded venue numbers and stickers are available automatically. Contact the Fringe Desk if you are missing these.

Fringe Audience Survey boxes and forms: The venues team aims to provide major venues with these. If you haven't received any and would like some please contact Venues via our contact form on the website.