A short summary of your project

We're raising £2,000 to support the Colchester Fringe Festival in 2024, a dynamic event showcasing diverse arts and performances. Your support will help create an inclusive platform for local, national and international artists, enriching our community with diverse culture and creativity.

Who are you?

We are a passionate team of artists, organisers, and community enthusiasts dedicated to bringing vibrant and diverse cultural experiences to Colchester. Our team is made up of students, staff and alumni of the University of Essex and includes experienced festival staff, local artists, and volunteers who share a love for the arts and a vision for a more connected, creative community in our city!

Your story

The Colchester Fringe Festival was born from PhD research conducted at Essex and is a unique celebration of the arts, offering a stage for innovative performances. Unlike typical festivals, our Fringe encourages risk-taking and experimentation, providing a rare opportunity for emerging and established artists to connect with new audiences. Our goal is to make the arts accessible to everyone, fostering creativity and a community spirit in Colchester.

Due to the current arts funding climate, our funding has decreased by 92% since our first festival in 2021. In short, larger organisations are receiving less funding from national bodies each year. Which in-turn means they are going for the smaller pots of funding which we would normally be successful in receiving. This means, there is less funding available for smaller arts organisations such as ourselves, which is why we need a helping hand!   

Each year we create a festival that transforms Colchester into a bustling hub of artistic expression. This is important to us because we believe in the power of the arts to inspire, educate, and bring people together. By donating, you'll help provide a platform for artists to showcase their work and make a significant cultural impact on our community.

Where will the money go?

If we hit our minimum target, the funds will cover:

• Design: £500
• Marketing and promotion: £500

If we reach our full target, we'll also invest in:

• Additional marketing and promotion - £1000
• Anything we raise above our target will be used to expand the festival with more performances, additional workshops, and extra events for attendees and artists.

Rewards

We have some fantastic rewards to thank everyone who donates, whatever the amount. Check them out on our crowdfunding page!

FESTIVAL DATES

Friday 25th Oct - Sunday 3rd Nov 2024

Find us here

Help us succeed!

You don't need to give money to help us succeed! Please share this project with anyone you think would support us—on Instagram, Facebook, by email, in a chat over the fence, or on your blog. The more people who know about it, the more likely we are to make this happen. And if you can, please sponsor us and help bring the Colchester Fringe Festival to life. Thank you!