The Cape Town Fringe will be back in the Mother City from 21 September to 8 October 2017 in a brand-new format. Organised by the same team that puts together the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown every year, this year’s Fringe will focus on building a Cape Town Fringe circuit in efforts to offer new theatre makers and artists new opportunities.

This year’s Cape Town Fringe – now in its fourth year – will be held in the CBD, in Langa, Athlone, Delft and Khayelitsha instead of being based at City Hall. Executive Producer Ashraf Johaardien, who was born in Cape Town, says: “Part of the ethos of Fringe festivals across the world has been the creation of platforms and opportunities for artists who have been relegated to the margins.

“While we will have a hub in the city centre, the focus of the 2017 Cape Town Fringe will be on partnering with existing spaces across the Peninsula as well as supporting and nurturing new spaces that have relevance and resonance in the communities where they have emerged. So this year both venues and artists are invited to apply.” – Ashraf Johaardien, Cape Town Fringe Executive Producer

“We are focusing on building a ‘Cape Town Fringe circuit’,” explains Festival CEO Tony Lankester. “We’ve been going for three years and the Cape Town Fringe has made its mark on the City’s arts calendar. We’re very proud of what we’ve achieved. Thousands of performers and tens of thousands of audience members have enjoyed what the Fringe has offered.

“However, across the City, there are venues, theatres, performers, and communities who are battling to find their way into the ‘mainstream’ and, often against enormous odds, are still managing to bring stages to life with great art. So this year we want to work with new theatre makers and spaces to amplify their platforms and the work they are putting on them.”

What we’re looking for

Productions in all genres of performance are eligible for consideration. Preference will be given to smaller and medium-sized works that are able to tour to venues on the planned Cape Town Fringe circuit. Work should be bold, compelling unconventional, socially aware and relevant.

Successful productions will be programmed into venues selected for participation and the Cape Town Fringe team will also work with successful venues to programme from their own networks and/or from the open call for expressions of interest. The Cape Town Fringe will provide overall Festival marketing and produce the works selected.

Cape Town venue owners, production companies, collectives and individual theatre-makers are invited to register expressions of interest online. The deadline for submissions is 31 July 2017.