Key Festival events have been released for 2012 Dunedin Fringe Festival featuring UK punk poet John Cooper Clarke, Frocks on Bikes, fire and pyrotechnics, and a programme of experimental film in the Octagon.

The ninth Dunedin Fringe Festival, to be held from 15-25 March, will present 50 events incorporating 370 artists from throughout New Zealand as well as international guests. The Festival’s diverse programme showcases innovative art by emerging and established artists in all art forms from comedy to digital art.

In 2012 the Festival has a special focus on experimentation and this is reflected in the programme with some truly extra-ordinary acts but also in a new audience development campaign encouraging people to “Experiment with Your Entertainment”. Festival Director, Paul Smith, says thinking outside the square is fundamental to good art but it is also an important element in audience satisfaction.

“As audiences we want to be surprised, intrigued, and entertained, and sometimes to achieve that you have to take a wee risk, step outside your comfort zone and go and see a show or an artist you know very little about. The Fringe is the place where new ideas emerge and new talent is discovered, and we encourage audiences to share in the discovery.”

The Festival’s open-access artist policy and strong reputation ensures a high level of participation from artists with 25 world premieres at the 2012 Dunedin Fringe Festival. Nineteen artists have received an additional boost with $22,500 in funding from Creative New Zealand distributed to support the development of new work for the Festival. Festival Director, Paul Smith, says this is an important investment in New Zealand artists and will result in a high quality programme being presented to audiences.

“The Dunedin Fringe has built a reputation as a launching platform for emerging artists, many of whom have gone on to perform at Festivals throughout the world.”

The 2012 Dunedin Fringe Festival will be the ninth festival held in Dunedin since it was founded in 2000. Run by an independent charitable trust, the Dunedin Fringe Festival is the only Fringe Festival in the South Island and part of a growing circuit of fringe festivals world wide.

“The Dunedin Fringe is now part of a circuit of fringe festivals with our dates following the Wellington, Auckland and Adeliade Fringe Festivals. This is great for artists as it makes touring more viable and it’s great for our audiences as it means they get to see some outstanding events that would otherwise never make it to Dunedin.”

The full Festival programme is available at www.dunedinfringe.org.nz

SPECIAL EVENTS

Festival Launch: Tweed Ride & Frocks on Bikes

15 March, The Octagon, 5:30pm, free

Look out for some stunning fashion as artists, fashion designers and models join us for a colourful ride from the entrance of Woodhaugh Gardens down George Street to the Octagon, where we will officially launch the 2012 Dunedin Fringe Festival. Join us in the Octagon for Dunedin’s first ever fashion show on wheels and the unveiling of Rare Goods, the Festival’s shipping container cinema showcasing digital art and film.

Rare Goods

15-25 March, The Octagon, 12:00noon – 6:00pm, free

A rare shipment of digital art, film and animation will be on show in the Octagon for the Festival. This is an opportunity to enjoy original work by some exceptionally talented artists, designers and tertiary students. Don’t miss the Dunedin premier of the 3D Maori creation story that was developed by local company Animation Research Limited for the Rugby World Cup.

John Cooper Clarke: British punk icon comes to Dunedin

21 March, Sammy's, 8:00pm, $40/$30

Legendary punk poet John Cooper Clarke brings his unique style of punk poetry to the Dunedin Fringe Festival for one electrifying night. Biting, satirical, political and very funny, his set is characterised by lively, rapid-fire renditions of his poems that have become as distinctive as his visual appearance. A British punk icon, having supported bands like the Sex Pistols, Joy Division, and The Fall, John has left an ideligible mark on today’s pop culture. Martin Phillipps will be performing a short set of rare and obscure songs from the Chills’ back catalogue.

Fireström

16 March, The Octagon, Dunedin, 8:00pm, free

Highly Flammable, NZ's premier fire and pyrotechnics performance troupe, are back from the island of Stromboli, Italy, Europe’s most active volcano and site of the world-renowned Stromboli Fire Festival. Join us for their new fire show, which fuses extreme fire and pyrotechnics. Supporting acts include the irrepressible circus and comedy personality Vinyl Burns (Wgtn) and Dunedin’s extraordinary Taiko Drummers. This is a spectacular one-off fire show suitable for all ages.

Polson Higgs Comedy Club

15-17 & 22-24 March, Ironic Café & Bar, 7:30pm, $25/$20

The 2012 Polson Higgs Comedy Club presents two seasons of outstanding comedy with a mix of emerging talent and internationally experienced performers. This year’s Comedy Club has been curated in collaboration with local group the Comedy Intelligence Agency and features a line-up show that ensures variety, new and provocative work and a lot of laughs. One door price gets you four comedians and one hell of a good night out!

Festival Club

15-17 & 22-24 March, Ironic Café & Bar, from 10:00pm

$10 or $5 with any same-night ticket from another Festival show

Mix it up with Festival artists and audiences at the 2012 Festival Club. This year’s Festival Club features an outstanding programme of entertainment by local and touring musicians, with our MC – the ever-fabulous Stanley Manthyng – ensuring you feel as special as he looks. Come kick up your heels and join us for six nights of magical mayhem!

Pecha Kucha Night #13

18 March, Fortune Theatre, 7:30pm, $10/$8

Pecha Kucha is a global phenomenon happening in over 450 cities from Chattanaooga to Yogyakarta with hundreds of creative images and stories shared every week. An array of talented artists, performers and designers sparking with wit and ingenuity share their private passions. Each presenter shows 20 images with each image displayed for just 20 seconds. Once started there is no stopping! The quick-fire format, the stories behind the images, the people you meet on the night, all come together to make this a captivating event not to be missed. A list of presenters will be posted on the Festival website.