A campaign launched by the Edmonton International Fringe Theater Festival is showing some success at a time when organizers say the event is struggling financially.
In an announcement to unveil the theme of this year’s festival, organizers on Friday provided an update on the ‘Sustain Fringe’ campaign, which calls on the community to support the ‘transformative power of the arts’.
The organization launched the campaign in March and asked the community to donate, sponsor the festival or volunteer their time to help keep the popular summer festival afloat.
“Costs are skyrocketing; funding decreases; and previously reliable revenues are not keeping pace with the production costs of our event,” Megan Dart, executive director of the Edmonton International Fringe Theater Festival, said at the time.
“This rapidly evolving challenge threatens the very fabric of our festival and other festivals like it. Without direct support, our festival will look very different.”
More than 290 people have become monthly donors and have raised $100,000 since the campaign started.
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The largest and longest-running festival of its kind in North America, the Edmonton Fringe is still recovering from the $3 million revenue loss it experienced after canceling the 2020 event due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Based on industry insights, what was previously considered a three- to five-year recovery period in the arts is now estimated to be a 10-year period post-pandemic,” Dart said in March.
Organizers are encouraging the community to become a monthly donor, purchase tickets to the Fringe 50/50 or sponsor the Fringe.
Fringe aims to raise $300,000 by the end of this year’s festival, which returns to Old Strathcona from August 15 to 25.
Fringe puts 216 productions and more than 1,600 artists in the spotlight
Now in its 43rd year, the Edmonton International Fringe Theater Festival will showcase 216 productions in 38 locations, featuring more than 1,600 local, national and international artists.
Last year, the festival received more than 500,000 site visits, generated more than $16 million to the local economy and returned more than $1.2 million in ticket sales directly to the artists.
The theme of this year’s event is ‘Find your Fringe’. In addition to aspects such as the infamous Late Night Cabaret, which moves from the Backstage Theater to the Granite Curling Club, the indigenous-focused performance series pêhonân returns.
More information about the Edmonton International Fringe Theater Festival can be found on the event website website.
