A fringe festival as an unjured performing arts festival. In contrast to traditional juried festivals in which acts are selected based on their artistic qualities, fringe festivals accept all submissions regardless of the nature, style or theme of the performance. However, small fringe festivals usually have a limited number of performance slots due to venue limitations and choose participants on the first come, first served basis or by lottery.
The inaugural edition of the Prague Fringe Festival took place in 2002 and attracted about 400 attendees. What started as a humble festival, has grown to become one of the largest cultural events in the Czech Republic. Today the festival offers more than 200 performances of about 40 different shows and attracts around 6,000 attendees from all over the country and abroad. It is the place to enjoy contemporary art in all its forms.
The Prague Fringe Festival runs over ten days in late May and early June. Performances are held in various venues located in Malá Strana, a historic district in Prague famous for its Baroque architecture and numerous landmarks such as Wallenstein Palace and the Church of Saint Nicholas. Many historic venues are transformed into performance spaces for the duration of the festival. However, some artists prefer more intimate venues, such as local bars and cafes, and smaller crowds. The Prague Fringe Festival also features many street performers.
The festival encompasses all genres and varieties of contemporary performing arts including alternative and experimental theater, dance, music, physical theater, comedy, storytelling and spoken word, and more. The Prague Fringe Festival welcomes everything and anything outside the mainstream. It introduces the audience to unconventional and innovative works which represent contemporary theater in all its glory.
Although the Prague Fringe Festival isn’t a competition, its anonymous and independent jury presents several awards. They are the Creative Award, the Inspiration Award, the Outstanding Performance Award, the Spirit of the Fringe Award, and the New Territories Award.
Photo: praguefringe.com
