News

Melbourne Fringe cancels 90% of events

Artists will be refunded for all registration and advertising costs says organisers, as the program goes digital.

3 Sep 2021 14:02

Richard Watts

Performing Arts

The digital production LuisVision will be presented at the 2021 Melbourne Fringe Festival. Photo credit: Sarah Collins.

Hopes that the 2021 Melbourne Fringe might be able to proceed with a mix of live and digital events have been dashed following the continuation of COVID restrictions in Victoria.

Stating that supporting artists was their priority, Fringe continued: ‘We are refunding all registration and advertising costs, plus we’re asking ticket buyers to gift the price of their ticket back to artists (or else they can have a refund too, if they prefer). We want to get more cash into artists hands.’

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Richard Watts

Richard Watts OAM is ArtsHub's former National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, a Melbourne Fringe Festival Living Legend, and was awarded the 2019 Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize in early 2020. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Green Room Awards Association in 2021, and a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in June 2024. Photo: Fiona Hamilton. Follow Richard on Bluesky @richardthewatts.bsky.social and Instagram @richard.l.watts