Istanbul Fringe Festival

About

Istanbul Fringe Festival, which has been organized since 2019, is an international performing arts festival that aims to bring together innovative and unique works produced by emerging artists from all around the world and Turkey, with audiences of Istanbul art scene. 

The idea of organizing Istanbul Fringe Festival came about in 2017 among a group of friends who have followed and experienced other Fringe Festivals in different countries and cities. The group found the idea of organizing a Fringe festival in Istanbul really exciting. After an intense period of communication with World Fringe Network working on the project, the group started working on Istanbul Fringe Festival 2019 for the first edition. In its first year, the Festival received an unprecedented interest from both artists and viewers. The open call received more than 150 applications from artists all over the world and in September 2019,  festival hosted more than 100 artists both from Turkey and abroad in 20 different shows and reached a total of 4000 viewers. 

Istanbul Fringe Festival, since its first year, is a recognized member of World Fringe Network and the International Fringe Festival Association. Istanbul Fringe Festival, since its first year, is a recognized member of World Fringe Network and the International Fringe Festival Association. 

Istanbul Fringe Festival has also become a partner of Aerowaves Dance Network in 2023.  Aerowaves is a hub for dance discovery in Europe, began back in 1996 at The Place in London. It aims to identify the most promising new work by emerging dance artists and then promote it through cross-border performances. 

Submission Requirements

To submit to the Istanbul Fringe Festival (fringeistanbul), you need to apply by the deadline (Jan 31, 2026, for the 2026 edition) with a fee (€30), offering bold performing arts (dance, theater, etc.) for potential selection, with benefits for accepted artists including fees (€300+ per show), accommodation, transport, and promotion, though you'll need to check their official application portal (likely via World Fringe or their social media) for exact forms and specifics.