Celebrating social and cultural diversity

Hastings Fringe develops fledgling and emerging talent and brings new work to diverse audiences. We use mainly non-traditional venues, bringing art into the community and challenging performers to create art in unusual spaces.

Artists gather feedback from audiences to enhance their artistic practice.

We celebrate social and cultural diversity by offering a platform to developing artists from LGBTQ+, disabled, and black and ethnic minority communities. This has included poets, actors, and musicians.

The first Fringe in 2015 featured a diverse programme, including film, music, comedy and poetry. We were described as ‘an undisputed hit with performers and audience alike’ Hastings Observer.

In 2016 we expanded our core programme with new art-forms, events, and creative therapy workshops for people experiencing disadvantage, offering new pathways into the arts.

In 2017, we developed our theatre strand to include International professional New Writing from Ireland, USA and Sweden which all received outstanding audience reviews.

In 2018, we expanded our programme even further as we hosted events for an entire month at 13 venues around Hastings and St Leonards! We also premiered the very successful Hastings Film Fringe which featured powerful National and International movies as well as a programme of New Writing which gave a creative platform to many up and coming film-makers of the future.

2019 was even more exciting, as we created an entirely unprecedented event for Hastings – The Hastings Theatre Festival, a curated programme, which celebrated cultural diversity with Five Star shows direct from Edinburgh International Festival.

2020 brought many festivals to a close because of the pandemic. But we came fighting back with our Virtual Fringe Festival giving a platform to great shows from around the globe in 2021. We held an enormously successful Family day event in Alexandra Park which featured music, circus , comedy and interactive fun throughout the day.

2023 beyond will see an explosion of events so BE PART OF IT!

Hastings Fringe Festival is a Community Interest Company (No. 09919593)