Darwin Fringe Festival

---

About

The biggest platform for emerging, independent and experimental artists in the NT, Darwin Fringe is your community arts Festival with bite.

Australia's most Northern Fringe Festival has been evolving since the mid 1980's and has now been operating annually since 2015. With over 70 events and experiences culminating in 150+ individual performances, 20+ venues across the city, and hundreds of artists, the Festival is a true showcase of the Top End's creative heartbeat as more than 70% of work is presented by Northern Territorian artists. The program goes on sale in May each year, offering a wild, wonderful and unfiltered look into the diverse arts community that makes Darwin tick.

From theatre, burlesque, and comedy, to visual art, music and spoken word, the program spans every genre and discipline imaginable—often in ways you won’t expect. Darwin Fringe offers something truly unique: a grassroots, artist-first celebration that’s as unpredictable and dynamic as the place itself. A space for bold ideas, first steps, and full-throttle expression. Whether you're an artis fanatic, or a curious first-timer, there’s something in the program that will surprise and excite you. 

Artist Applications generally open in October the year before.

---

Submission Requirements

We operate a hybrid open access program through 3 types of Applications:

• Hub: Perform in our subsidised curated venues at Brown's Mart or the Darwin Entertainment Centre
• Performance: For roving and/ pop-up performances looking to receive a fee and be a part of a Fringe event or the courtyard program instead of putting on your own ticketed show.
• General: for shows being presented anywhere else around town (your organise the where it's happening)

---

Finances

The costs involved with Darwin Fringe Applications are minimal and only one fee is due up front and you can apply for a fee waive to cover this. FEES involved in performing as a part of the Darwin Fringe program are as follows:

1. Registration fee – due after you are accepted into the program, $100 for a show that has 1-2 performances or $150 for a show that has three or more performances. This covers your inclusion in the program both digitally and printed. You can apply for a fee waive during the application. EXAMPLE = If you are putting on two different shows you will have to pay $200, if you are putting on a show that goes for 4 nights then you will have to pay $150.

2. Inside ticketing charges – these go towards covering some of the time that it takes to build and manage your ticket sales. These are deducted from your Box Office income at the end.

Ticket price | Inside ticket charge per ticket

• $5-$15 | $1.50
• $16-$25 | $2.50
• $26-$35 | $3.50
• $36-$45 | $4.50
• $46-$55 | $5.50
• $56+ | $6.50

3. Hub fees – These go towards covering some of the costs that we put towards the managing the venues and technical staff. General applications do not have to pay this fee. This fee is removed from your Box Office income after the inside ticketing charges have been deducted.

• 20% for Brown’s Mart Theatre
• 15% for Brown’s Mart Studio
• 10% for Dom’s Bar & Lounge
• 5% for Brown’s Mart Courtyard or Civic Park

See example below for a show that sold 50 tickets at $20 ($2.50 inside ticketing charge) and performed in Brown’s Mart Theatre.

Total Box Office = $1,000
Remove $125 for inside ticketing charges: $1000 – $125 = $875
Then remove hub charge: $875 – 20% ($175) = $700
You would invoice us for $700.
If you are presenting a show in a general venue then you would invoice us for $875.

---

Volunteer Information

We’re building a beast and we need your help to bring it to life! Each year we work with around 50 legends to make it all happen. There's a range of roles and opportunities to get close to the action.

t's a great way to meet people, build understanding of working in a Festival setting and get all of the good feels supporting your community.