Celebrating the artists, audiences and moments that shaped FRINGE WORLD 2026 ✨
From a Festival season full of bold ideas and brilliant artists to a memorable Awards Night celebration, FW26 was one to remember.
Thank you to everyone who brought this year’s Festival to life 💚
The next chapter is already taking shape. Follow our socials and sign up to our newsletter on our website to stay connected as we look ahead to 2027
Perth is changing.
Culture is growing.
FRINGE WORLD is evolving.
ARTRAGE is looking for its next CEO.
We want a bold leader with vision, energy and ambition - someone ready to shape the future of one of Australia’s most exciting cultural organisations.
This is a chance to:
→ lead a globally recognised festival brand
→ grow year-round cultural impact
→ champion artists and audiences
→ build the next era of ARTRAGE
And yes, you get to live in Perth - one of the world’s most liveable cities.
Applications are now open, click the link our bio to see more.
We’re so grateful for the WA Government’s support of FRINGE WORLD 💛
This is investment that flows straight to artists, arts workers, local businesses and communities.
2026 Festival:
✨ $10.91M box office
✨ $8.34M paid directly to artists and independent venues
✨ almost 500,000 people engaged
✨ Events across 32 suburbs + regional WA
✨ Free and family-friendly experiences for everyone
At ARTRAGE we’ll keep working hard to make sure this support delivers for artists, audiences and community. We are a not-for-profit registered charity with a mission to create spaces where creativity thrives and where artists and audiences connect.
📸 Ven Tithing
We were proud to represent ARTRAGE at the 2025 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards last week, with FRINGE WORLD Festival a finalist in the Major Festivals & Events category.
Held at the iconic Fremantle Prison, it was a lovely evening celebrating the people, destinations, and experiences that make Australia’s tourism industry so vibrant.
Congratulations to all the finalists and winners recognised on the night, and thank you to the organisers for such a memorable event in a truly unique setting.
And that’s a wrap on FRINGE WORLD 2026 ✨
In just four weeks, there have been 600 shows featuring more than 3,000 local, interstate and international artists across Perth and wider WA.
FRINGE WORLD isn’t just one event; it’s thousands of acts of courage, risk, generosity, and creative determination.
To our artists, presenters, venue teams, producers and audiences: thank you! You are the reason Perth becomes louder, brighter and more playful each year. And we at ARTRAGE are so proud to be able to deliver this to the state.
Awards Film credit to the talented @amberleylobo and @markwong__
With sincere thanks to all our partners and supporters, including @lotterywest , @cits_wa , @westernaustralia , @cityofperth
THE MARTIN SIMS AWARD 🏆 ✨ Drumroll please...
Awarded to a Western Australian artist showing progressive excellence, this honour comes with $15,000 from the Fringe Fund to support national or international touring. It recognises the best new WA work destined for stages far beyond Planet Perth.
Named in honour of Martin Sims, former Chair of the Artrage Board and a lifelong advocate for the arts in WA, this award backs bold vision with real momentum.
🏆 Winner – Human Entertainment by The Blue Room Theatre & Noah Skape
A stunning debut solo work by Noah Skape blending clown, punk cabaret and musical performance. Built from heightened characters, explosive skits and found audio soundscapes, the show shifts between absurdity and vulnerability inside a black box theatre setting. A truly exceptional piece of work.
A massive congratulations to Human Entertainment, and to every one of our 2026 award winners. We are in awe of the creativity, risk-taking and sheer brilliance shown across this Festival. The talent in our festival, and watching these works grow, evolve and take their place on the stage is exactly what Fringe is all about.
That concludes the awards for 2026, and we couldn’t be more proud 🥹
We’re in the last lap of festival season and the engine is still humming, glitter in the fuel tank, confetti in the air. 🚂✨ Full steam, no brakes.
Behind the curtain, something tender has been unfolding. The legends at @lawsonflats have flung open their doors to some of our Artists, Staff and Friends all festival long. A soft landing pad. A quiet exhale. A place to untangle lanyards and thoughts. We’re wildly grateful for the generosity and the effortless cool the Lawson crew bring to the table. 💛
If you’re searching for that third space, the in between place beyond the moving and grooving, where conversations stretch and new constellations of people form… this is your sign.
Find the nook between the noise.
Find the minds that mirror yours, or beautifully don’t.
Reach out to the Lawson team and step inside. 🌿
Image Credits: Traianos Pakioufakis @traianos
FRINGE has entered the chat 🗣️💥
Big shoutout to our besties at @lotterywest 💙 We couldn’t do it without their support - helping us turn Perth all the way up with jaw-droppers, belly laughs and that “one more show” energy every single night.
The stages are set ✨ Lock in your shows and experience the joy of FRINGE 💘
📸 Portia Gebauer
The FRINGE WORLD 2026 program is live now! 🎉
Last week we kicked off the season with our Program Launch event ✨ One of our favourite highlights was our CEO & Creative Director Jo Thomas looking incredible in her pink @luxedesignerfashionhire dress.
A huge shout-out to Luxe Designer Hire, a profit-for-purpose initiative by @vinnieswa . They offer curated collections of new season and vintage designer ball, day, evening and cocktail event wear, helping women look and feel their best while supporting those facing hardship in WA. 100% of their profits go back to the community🩷
Here’s a look at some standout moments from the night.
Photos by Tori Lill
Go On-Air with Your FRINGE WORLD Show!
We’ve teamed up with RTRFM to offer 7 promotion packages valued at $500 each to help emerging and independent artists promote their Fringe shows. This initiative supports artists in connecting with new audiences and growing their creative careers.
🗓️ Applications close: Friday 14 November
🔗 Head to the link in our bio for more info
📸 @famoussharron and @80emusic by Giselle Natassia
Program 1 of Rooftop Movies is here! 🎬
Opening 29 October, get ready for your favourite cinema to return.
With a fresh revamp, stunning sunsets, films you’ll be talking about for days, and plenty of food and craft beers to keep you fuelled, your nights just got better.
Full lineup in the bio – go on, get your tickets and start planning your rooftop adventures.
