about cambridge fringe festival

The idea of a Fringe Festival was founded way back in 1947 when eight groups gate grashed the Edinburgh International Festival. What they did caught on around the world and now there are over 40 Fringe Festivals celebrating the arts worldwide.

Cambridge Fringe Festival carries on that great tradition of freedom of expression for the arts, by creating a fringe festival that supports an open arts policy with no artistic vetting. For us as organisers it is about bringing you extraordinary performances and emerging talents, often as part of non-commercial shows. It’s about that now little used showbiz word “Variety”.

Summers in the City of Cambridge are certainly busy, with some excellent productions from the City Council and others; yet we feel it lacks a soul, a feel of real variety and choice – perhaps an opportunity to pop into a small pub or club to see something really different, to hear something special or indeed to watch a new play in a great (and unusual) setting.

While Edinburgh Festival Fringe remains the largest of the Fringes, Camfringe looks to follow in its footsteps by supporting innovative performances and building on this city’s already substantial contribution to the arts.

Cambridge Fringe Festival Limited, is an independent, self financing, commercially run company that does NOT promote shows or events; but instead works to help promoters, venues, performers, actors , musicians and others come together in a way that is beneficial to all.

Fringe Director, Daniel Hannan aims to encourage venue managers to diversify during the Fringe, introducing new talent and new ideas to premises where never before have the arts found a stage.

Cambridge Festival Fringe, although promising nothing, will likely oversee a revolution in entertainment policies throughout the city centre, the suburbs and out into the fringes of the city itself. Satellite villages and towns will be encouraged to get involved, bringing our communities closer. Thousands will likely be introduced to theatre and music events who previously would never have considered it as entertainment. Many will be encouraged to take to the stage themselves, knowing that they will be given every encouragement and help to achieve that secret ambition.

Local people will be entertained, often without charge in some of the FREE Street Theatres. Visitors to the city will amaze at its increased vitality and shopkeepers will be encouraged to take part; with a variety of ideas that promote the Fringe, the arts and their businesses in a partnership beneficial to all.

To find out more about how you can become involved in the Cambridge Fringe Festival 2007 or to have your questions answered: email info@camfringe.com