For a third consecutive year, NIDA is supporting the month-long Sydney Fringe Festival as an integral Presenting Partner.
For a third consecutive year, NIDA is supporting the month-long Sydney Fringe Festival as an integral Presenting Partner.
Now into its eighth year, the Sydney Fringe Festival has grown to become the largest independent arts festival in New South Wales. This year, it will run from 1-30 September.
NIDA’s special relationship with the festival continues after we assisted with the development of three master classes for the festival’s Emerging Artist Hub.
Entitled Fund It, Sell it and Make it, the three classes are designed to help artists develop their production from conception through to the stage, with valuable insights from industry professionals and the Sydney Fringe production team.
NIDA’s Deputy Director of Undergraduate Students and Head of Technical Theatre and Stage Management, Graham Henstock, helped lead a Make it master class on 8 July at the Old 505 Theatre in Newtown.
‘The class was designed for artists who have a show at the Sydney Fringe. Along with Kate Gaul and Duncan Maurice, two highly experienced directors, we gave the attendees hints and tips for how to think about and realise certain elements of their productions, such as lighting, sound and sets.
‘The nature of the venues that artists work in at the Fringe often require some additional forethought. For instance, some are pop-up spaces that aren’t technically equipped. So essentially we’re teaching artists how to utilise these spaces on a budget and with flexibility to realise the production to its full potential.
‘The session was well-received and we were able to provide some really useful information to these passionate Fringe artists,’ said Henstock.
Named this year as ‘Sharehouse’, the Emerging Artist Hub is located at Erskineville Town Hall and is playing host to 16 Fringe shows and 80 individual master classes. It features a communal space where creatives can discuss their works and forge connections. Tickets to the 16 original shows being produced in the Emerging Artist Hub go on sale 1 August.
The full Sydney Fringe Festival program is officially released on 1 August, with six feature events already on sale via sydneyfringe.com. The feature events will include immersive mystery theatre, a chain play performed in a hotel to an audience listening in via headphones across the road, a harbourside world music festival, and intimate sets by iconic Sydney songwriter Tim Freedman.
Visit www.sydneyfringe.com for more info.
