Artrage/Fringe World CEO and creative director JO THOMAS responds to Rowan Keene’s Thinking Allowed “Why Fringe is a farce” about his belief the festival has being pursuing untrammelled growth at the expense of artists’ returns.

FRINGE WORLD has always been, at its heart, a festival about access, opportunity and connection — bringing people together across Perth and Western Australia through live performance, creativity and shared experience.

We understand the concerns raised in recent commentary (“Why Fringe is a farce,” Thinking Allowed, January 31) about the pressures that can exist within an open-access model, particularly in a challenging arts economy. 

It is true that the broader performing arts sector is still in a period of crucial rebuilding post-Covid, and no single festival can or should be expected to carry the weight of the entire ecosystem.

Fringe World is one part of that ecosystem — an important platform, but not the only one.

What is sometimes missed in public discussion is that the festival is not simply an exercise in marketing scale. 

Behind the program is a clear strategic direction being driven by a small, highly committed team working year-round to support artists, grow audiences, and strengthen pathways for creative careers.

Open access is not an absence of intention — it is a deliberate choice to create entry points for artists at different stages, from first-time independents through to established professionals. 

Increasingly, Fringe World is focused on ensuring the festival is not just a moment of presentation, but part of a broader development pathway.

This year, that has included direct reinvestment back into artists through cash awards, and new initiatives such as The Next Act Fund, designed specifically to support artist development and future work.

Supporting local artists remains central to our purpose, and we are actively working to diversify the offerings across the festival so that more communities can see themselves reflected on our stages.

Audience growth is also a significant focus of the festival’s strategic direction. 

We know the long-term sustainability of artists depends on expanding participation and deepening engagement, and we are actively working to grow audiences in practical ways — including taking work to more suburbs and communities across Perth, building new regional partnerships such as our emerging collaboration with Busselton, and strengthening promotion to interstate and international visitors to increase cultural tourism and broaden the audience base.

Sustainability is also a key priority. 

This year, we strategically reduced the duration of the festival as part of our commitment to long-term viability and to support stronger audience engagement and better sales outcomes.

We are also contributing to sector-wide learning through our involvement in a three-year research project Fringe Forecast – Designing Festivals for the Future: Climate, Culture & Community Care, which is focused on how festivals can evolve responsibly in a changing environment.

Fringe World contributes enormously to Perth’s cultural and social life — activating streets and venues, supporting local hospitality and businesses, and creating moments of joy, provocation and connection across the city. 

That contribution is not abstract: it is felt in the vibrancy of our communities and the opportunities created for artists to take risks, build skills, and reach new audiences.

We welcome ongoing conversation about how the arts ecosystem can better support artists, and we remain committed to ensuring Fringe World continues to evolve — with integrity, purpose, and care — as a platform for opportunity, belonging and creative growth.