Host an Event

All you need to know about becoming a Fringe venue.

underground venues at night

Do you own or manage a space in or around Buxton?

Do you want to bring the excitement and buzz of the Fringe through your doors and be featured on our venues page?

Our many performers and discerning audiences are always on the look-out for new things to do and see, and new places to do and see them in.

You could benefit from all that they have to offer by inviting them into your venue

Buxton Festival Fringe runs alongside the annual Buxton International Festival every July.

The Fringe is an open-access arts festival, run entirely by volunteers. Anyone can enter an event into the Fringe. Performers and artists use the Fringe website to find out where potential venues are, and can use the information we provide to help decide which might be the most suitable. They would then negotiate directly with a venue, to arrange times, charges, etc. - both parties need to have a clear understanding of what's going to be provided and by whom. When all entries are in, full listings go up on our website and a programme is published and distributed widely across the Peak District and beyond.

Some venues charge the entrants to use their spaces, usually to cover their own expenses. If you do not have an event licence, entrants will need to get a Temporary Event Notice from the Borough Council (£21). As there is quite a wide variety of potential venues on our list, it is possible that in some years your space might not be used, equally, you are under no obligation to agree to host any event with which you are not entirely happy.

For each potential venue, the following details are required:

  1. A short description of the space available - approximate size and how many people it could hold, plus any technical equipment you are able to provide. Photos of the space are also useful. You may like to make suggestions of the type of event you think it might suit, or that you would be keen to take.
  2. Access details for those less-able-bodied, eg: "unfortunately, not wheelchair accessible, step up to front door then level within."
  3. Charges you will make - some venues have set fees, others say "negotiable", or "according to costs".
  4. Details of whether you do or do not have an event licence.
  5. The contact details of the person entrants should deal with - phone number and email preferably.

It is also useful to have the venue's postcode and an idea of where best to park cars.

All venues are listed on the venues page with full information on locations, facilities and accessibility.

If you are interested in becoming a Fringe venue, please contact our friendly Venue Liaison team who will be happy to chat about what is involved and to discuss the information needed.