PRESS RELEASE For immediate release - May 2015
With 171 entries for 2015, Buxton Festival Fringe is celebrating one of its biggest ever events. Now in its 36th year, Buxton Festival Fringe has gained a reputation as one of Britain's friendliest festivals in a beautiful town that was runner up in last year’s UK Great Town Awards and is also home to the prestigious Buxton Festival featuring opera, music and literary speakers.
The Fringe is a great success story having grown over the years so that in 2015 it boasts nearly 600 performances across more than 30 venues from over 170 entrants. Data from last year’s Fringe showed ticket sales up an estimated 8% overall and 88% of audience members giving approval ratings of 4 or 5 out of 5.Buxton is a Spa, Festival and University town, surrounded by the hills of the Peak District in the heart of England. The Fringe is an integral part of the town's cultural reputation and is the biggest UK Fringe between Edinburgh and Brighton.
The 2015 Fringe takes place between July 8 and 26 with an exciting programme comprising bulging Theatre, Comedy and Music sections as well as Dance, Film, For Families, Spoken Word, Street Theatre, Film and Visual Arts. Entrants come from all over the UK and from as far a-field as Africa and Japan with established stars such as The Ukulele Orchestra and Radio 4 comedians Max and Ivan joining a host of up-and-coming young performers on route for Edinburgh. Returning Fringe Award-winners include all-female Shakespeare group, Smooth Faced Gentlemen and dotdotdot dance with their world-class flamenco. From New Orleans piano to Punch and Judy, there is something for everyone at the Fringe including many performances that are absolutely free.
Events are fully listed on the newly designed Fringe website http://www.buxtonfringe.org.uk The free printed programme will be widely distributed from the beginning of June. The Fringe can also be found on Facebook, Twitter (@BuxtonFringe) and via its blog, accessible from the Fringe website.
A completely open-access festival, the Fringe does not undertake any selection or censorship, and provides a showcase for performers and artists of all kinds in a variety of venues, from a state of the art auditorium to a secondhand bookshop and a local cave. The Fringe also organises reviews for its shows and the sought-after Fringe Awards.
Buxton Fringe's philosophy is that art is for all and Fringe organisers spread the word by entering a float in the Buxton Carnival and promoting a free open-air showcase of Fringe events called Fringe Sunday (this year on July 12). Fringe at Five, a busking opportunity for performers; takes place at the Bandstand in Buxton's Pavilion Gardens at 5pm from July 13-25. The Fringe also conducts community initiatives such as providing work experience for local students and encouraging entrants to perform in schools, care homes and youth organisations.
A BAFA member, the Fringe gave a talk on Social Sustainability at BAFA’s 2012 Roadshow in London and provided an Awards workshop at the 2014 World Fringe Congress in Edinburgh.
Fringe chair Keith Savage says: "We do our best to make the Buxton Fringe affordable for performers and audiences - we want it to be a Festival that is inclusive and allows people to see, hear and share new experiences. There is tremendous loyalty to the Fringe with some artists returning year-after-year, building an audience that relishes and enjoys music, art and theatre in an intimate and friendly atmosphere. Buxton is a Festival town and is geared-up to welcoming visitors; the Fringe is happy to be a part of that and we hope our orange-coloured branding expresses the warmth and vitality we hope to bring every July.”
He adds: "The Fringe is pleased to have the support and sponsorship of local organisations. We work closely with the University of Derby - our long-standing sponsors - so that we can share and learn together. High Peak Borough Council and its staff at the Pavilion Gardens have also been brilliant in supporting us as has Trevor Osborne of the Crescent Spa Hotel Project."
NOTE TO PRESS:
For further information, press releases and pictures please contact:
Press Officer, Amy Simcox: Send message to Press or 07772 854 292
Marketing Officer, Stephanie Billen: Send message to Marketing or 01298 79351
Chair, Keith Savage: Send message to Info or 01298 70705 or 07952 193 521