World Fringe Day: Our Favourite Arts Festivals Around The World

11th July marks World Fringe Day, an annual celebration uniting over 300 fringe festivals in more than 60 countries. Here at Mobius we have had the pleasure of working on a huge range of arts festivals including Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Adelaide Fringe Festival, Camden Fringe, Lambeth Fringe, London International Mime Festival, LIFT, Bloomsbury Festival, festivals at Camden People’s Theatre, the Roundhouse’s The Last Word and Voila! Europe. To celebrate World Fringe Day, team Mobius shout out some of their favourite arts festivals around the world, with an introduction from our friend Lauren Hance, Artist, Producer & Host of What the Fringe?! 

Lauren Hance: World Fringe Day celebrates all that is fringe theatre, a place where artists grow, experiment, and find joy in creating.

After touring my own solo show at fringe festivals around the world, I started the What the Fringe?! podcast, because I couldn't find one place to learn how fringe actually works, hear from the people doing it, and see how connected this wild global community really is. So, I built it. Every week I sit down with artists, festival directors, reviewers, designers, PR folks, and anyone who is part of the fringe ecosystem, from Edinburgh to Adelaide to Orlando to Stockholm.

Fringe is where careers launch, and yes, I will absolutely use Fleabag as a citation. But fringe doesn't need to lead anywhere bigger to be worth your time. A show that plays three times at a local fringe and closes isn't a stepping stone; it's the whole, complete point.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe started this whole thing, and it's still the dream for many artists. But there are now over 300 fringe festivals worldwide, and the local ones carry just as much power. I think about the woman from Vancouver who realized anyone could apply to her local fringe, so she did, with zero prior experience, just because the opportunity was there. I think about Melancholics Anonymous, a Minnesota company that blossomed into a full-fledged theatre company through its involvement in the Minnesota Fringe. And I get genuinely jazzed thinking about the newly formed New Delhi Fringe, which gives local artists an accessible way to perform in their own city.

Here's what fringe gives a community that nothing else can: original stories you can't find anywhere else and genuine connection between artist and audience. So today: cheer on the fledgling fringe performer. Buy a ticket to a show outside your comfort zone. Support your local fringe.

What the Fringe!? Special World Fringe Day episode will be available here. 

Annabelle: I had the absolute privilege of attending Adelaide Fringe as a Honey Pot delegate and as the press representative for Dutch Kills’ Double Take and Hannah Maxwell’s BABYFLEAREINDEERBAG. I had never been to Australia and had no idea what to expect from the second largest arts festival in the world. I was blown away by the sheer talent, the generosity of the Adelaide Fringe team, Honey Pot and artists when I was stranded for an additional two weeks and just the atmosphere of the festival as a whole. I’m so used to seeing artists from all over the world gather together to celebrate their craft during Edinburgh Fringe and so doing it in the sun with beaches on the horizon just brought it to a whole new level! I can’t wait to return in 2027. 

Check out Annabelle's blog on Adelaide Fringe here: Spotting the Next Fringe Hit: How Adelaide Shapes Shows Before They Reach Edinburgh

Juliet: Does anyone remember Michael Whitehall’s grumbly introduction in the first series of Travels With My Father, when he muttered "why on earth would you leave Putney…" whilst sadly packing a suitcase? It’s a sentiment I’ve long shared, but for Fringe I’ll expand it fractionally: why on earth would you leave London?

My favourite fringe has to be Camden Fringe, not only because it’s so close to home but because I find it a unique opportunity to discover new theatre makers and talent in the city which really reflects the soul of London, bringing lesser known voices and unheard stories to the stage. I was lucky enough to catch Târgoviște Strays by Cockup Theatre last summer at the Hope Theatre, and also join Zena and Michelle on the Camden Fringe podcast to talk all things marketing. Add in gems like the Little Angel Theatre and the Old Red Lion’s Shakefest into the mix and I’m sold. Worth the trip across the river for sure.

Lorn: I am a huge fan of Prague Fringe which has been running in Czechia’s capital for 25 years now. I first stumbled upon this fantastic little fringe festival on a post-graduation trip to Prague where I saw a handful of comedy and theatre shows, interestingly mostly by Scottish artists! By sheer luck, on my final night, I bumped into the festival’s founder Steve Gove in a venue bar and got to chat to him about the festival and immediately knew from his passion, it was a very special place for artists from all over the world. I loved it so much, I returned for the Spring edition the following year with my own show performed at the very bar where I met and chatted to Steve. This year, Steve was awarded an MBE by His Majesty King Charles III for his services to UK and Czechia cultural relations. 

Check our Lorn's blog on Prague Fringe here: How Can The Spirit Of Fringe Festivals Survive in the Current Arts Climate: Lessons Learnt from Prague Fringe

Emma: I like my festivals to have a hint of the bonkers about them, if I come out of something saying ‘I liked it but I don’t know why’ then I’m in my happy place. Sprint Festival at Camden People’s Theatre is excellent for this, and some great artists have cut their teeth there - this is probably not literal, but there’s always a chance it isn’t, I think it might have been a different festival at CPT, but I did once watch Rachel Mars repeatedly run face first into a wall. But I digress. I’m pretty sure Sh!t Theatre are a Sprint alumni, and I’ve watched a lot of Sh!t Theatre shows since!

George: I recently had the joy of presenting a show with queer new writing festival Bokfest at the Hope Theatre. Despite the insane heat and very little budget, we were able to achieve something so incredible, which is a testament to the collaborative spirit, talent, and love of creation that keeps so much of fringe theatre alive. Prior to this, I’ve been involved with fringe festivals from the beast that is Edinburgh to the London Horror Festival, Grimfest and Brighton Fringe. In each and every one, I’ve found an amazing sense of community, creative risk-taking and artistic passion. You can’t always guarantee polish, but the successes feel all the more powerful for being harder won, and the rough, experimental energy makes it an incredibly fertile place to be. I owe my job to fringe theatre as it’s where I learned to market shows. You can get so much from bypassing the gatekeepers and doing things yourself!

Anne: I’ve recently come across a new one in my neck of the woods - Yorkshire Fringe is a festival that the area has been lacking for a long time. There are plenty of town and borough-wide celebrations of culture but nothing that really ties together the creative voices of the entirety of God’s Country. This one looks a really interesting blend of performances, venues and voices so I’m looking forward to seeing how it develops. 

Have you been to a new Fringe festival recently? We'd love to hear about more of them, do get in touch! 

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