Sydney Fringe Festival announces new hubs and initiatives for 2021

Following a successful digital season in 2020, the Sydney Fringe Festival returns this year with hubs and new initiatives activated from 1st – 30th September 2021, including the inaugural Young Henry’s Made In Sydney Hub and City Tatts Musical Theatre and Cabaret Hub.

The Festival returns in 2021 with a physical footprint that will once again enliven Sydney’s CBD and highlight the city’s vibrant culture, with a diverse program of performance, exhibitions and events spanning music, theatre, comedy, visual art, film, dance, circus, literature and poetry.

The 2021 Festival will present two new initiatives continuing Sydney Fringe’s work supporting local communities including Art In Isolation, showcasing new works developed as part of the Sydney Fringe’s 2020-2021 residency program, and a new series of AUSLan interpreted and relaxed performances at Eternity Playhouse every Monday of September.

Sydney Fringe Chief Executive and Festival Director, Kerri Glasscock notes “after our incredibly successful digital program last year, Sydney Fringe is delighted to be returning in 2021 with a physical footprint that will once again bring life, colour and support to the precincts and venues of Sydney.

“Our new hubs and initiatives reflect the dynamic ways we found to directly support artists and the broader performing arts sector during the covid pandemic as well as our ongoing focus to implement long lasting change post recovery. The 2021 Festival will celebrate the sector’s tenacity and invites audiences to get back out and explore Sydney’s amazing talent while directly supporting the artists and venues who need it most. Watch this space - we can’t wait to show you what we have in store!”

New to Sydney Fringe in 2021 is the Young Henry’s Made In Sydney Hub that will fill PACT, Erskineville, and showcase ready work by leading independent Sydney based theatre makers. The new hub builds on the success of the inaugural 2020 Made in Sydney season presented as part of Global Fringe, the Festival’s highly successful digital program that premiered and live streamed local Sydney made works alongside international headliners by leading Fringe Festivals around the world in September 2020.

The inaugural City Tatts Musical Theatre and Cabaret Hub will take over the Segars Ballroom and Omega Lounge at City Tattersalls Club, Pitt Street with a program of Sydney’s best cabaret, musical theatre and dance talent, including a pop-up Innocent Bystander wine bar.

Art In Isolation is an ongoing development program, facilitated by The Sydney Fringe with the help of the Inner West Council and Sydney Fringe Donors, that responds to the Covid crisis and offers paid residencies to artists across performance, writing and visual art. Since September 2020, 20 artists have been commissioned to create new work for the 2021 Festival, these works and more will be presented in a brand new festival hub at Mothership Studios in Sydenham, featuring experimental and cross artform programming.

For the first time in 2021, Sydney Fringe has partnered with Darlinghurst Theatre Company and will take over the venue every Monday during the festival to host AUSLan interpreted, relaxed and accessible performances of award-winning works from the 2021 Touring Hub at the beautiful Eternity Playhouse, Darlinghurst.

Also new to 2021 a refreshed FRINGE KIDS program that will culminate in a weekend of free family friendly and kids programming at Darling Quarter including silent discos, headline music gigs and performances.

Returning 2021 highlights include the much loved Touring Hub, showcasing a hand-picked program of award-winning works from international and interstate festivals at Fringe HQ Newtown, Fringe Comedy is back at The Factory Theatre, Marrickville and NIDA returns as a partner to present the popular Emerging Artist Touring Hub at Erskineville Town Hall.

The full program for the 2021 Sydney Fringe Festival will be announced in July. Please visit The Sydney Fringe website for further details and updates.