The Fringe Team

Marion Catlin
Natalie Jode
Dave Guttridge
Madi Meadows
John Allen
Andrew Smith
Juliet Hayward
Elizabeth Armstrong

Photography Dave Guttridge, The Photographic Unit Tel 417100 assisted by Alan Reed and Andi Sapey


Thanks to our partners, families and everyone else that has helped make the Festival happen

About the Fringe

A bit of history...
The Norwich Fringe Festival is in its 8th year. It was started in 1998 by Ian Johnson and Pete Morgan as part of the Norfolk and Norwich Festival which was then run by Marcus Davey. The following year, Marcus left Norwich to run the Roundhouse and the N&N Festival gained a new director, Peter Bolton. Under his direction, the main festival moved to May, but the Fringe has continued under its own steam, keeping to its original 17 or so days in October.

The Fringe Festival has been handed on over the years to different groups of people to run and so it is a bit different each time.

The Fringe Festival is largely unfunded. It relies on support from its sponsors and supporters, small grants from Norwich City Council and Norfolk County Council and advertisers to pay for publicity and the programme. The rest is produced on a shoestring and using the enthusiasm and resources of local artists and performers. We hope this results in a livelier, more accessible festival, giving opportunities to those that really want the chance to show what they can do and a tremendous amount of voluntary work is contributed by its organisers.

The programme is different each year depending on the skills and interests of the volunteers and steadily the profile of the festival is building up as more people become aware of the Festival. The ambition is to make it as well-known as Edinburgh as a stand-alone alternative festival and to involve as many people as we can in the 16-day event.

For the last four years we have been lucky enough to use the old Bally Shoe Factoryin Hall Road, courtesy of Targetfollowas well as up to 30 venues in the city but this year the Factory has been turned over to artists' studios and although we will have some events and exhibitions there,in 2007 it will not be a major venue as it has been before.

The long and boring bits

Although we have a team of volunteers, the Fringe depends on the involvement of the artists in the running of the Festival so if you take part you will be required to help with cleaning, invigilation, workshops, distribution and other things that need doing. Apart from being practical it is one of the things that gives the Fringe its special atmosphere and people get a lot out of it too so if you make a submission, please also clear some time to be available before, during and just after the Festival to help.

We have a number of possible venues around the city, including The Playhouse, Dragon Hall, Maddermarket, Millennium Library at the Forum, BBC and more and we will match artists/performers to the most suitable space. You can indicate a preference with your submission and we will try and place people where they wish to be.Last year there were 30 stops on the Fringe in the City art trail.

If you have an idea or would like to help, please contact us at info@norwichfringefestival.co.uk or call 01603 621935.

If you have an idea for a visual art submission or a performance please send details to Elizabeth Armstrong at submissions@norwichfringefestival.co.uk or by post to 74 High Street, Wicklewood, Wymondham, Norfolk NR18 9QA giving as much detail of your proposal as you can, preferably including images of previous work or CDs.

Submission forms available 20th February– submission deadline is 28th April 2007. We will be discussing ideas in June but the sooner you get in touch the better. We will accept submissions after that date but the sooner you pitch the more likely we are to be able to programme you in. People will be informed whether we have been able to include them by 30th June and there will be a full-member meeting in July and also in August.

Our policy is to try and accommodate as many ideas and proposals as we can but submission does not guarantee inclusion. We will always discuss ideas with you to see if they can be adapted and can often help people with less experience to do what they want to do so if in doubt, send it in.

Visual artists
There will be opportunities to exhibit artwork throughout the city in one of the locations that has offered to be a Fringe venue. Where applicable, ideas for new venues and site-specific collaborations are welcomed. Types of work can include painting, textiles, mixed media, ceramics, photography, sculpture, installation, video, performance art,and more and may be from single artists or groups. It is not necessary to have shown before as we offer help and part of the Fringe is giving people opportunities to try new things.

Fringe Performance
There will be a series of performance nights at various venues around the city. We will 'curate' these nights from our proposals to include music, poetry, theatre and dance depending on what we think will go together. Submissions can include music of all kinds, poetry, performance art, dance. Generally, performers are not paid but the Fringe Festival offers an excellent platform for up&coming acts who want a venue and/or exposure, or for more experienced performers who want to try something experimental. In exceptional cases, if project funding is found, then certain performers may be paid.

Volunteers
There are many things that we need help with, both in the build up to, and during the Fringe Festival. Tasks will include: programme distribution; helping at the Fringe Launch, cleaning and hanging prior to the Factory opening; and other hands-on and/or behind the scenes assistance. We also need people to act as a link between Fringe in the City venues and the artists.
We welcome all offers of support, so if you would like to be involved then please contact the Fringe team via the contact details given on this sheet.