News

Fringe 2020 – START HERE!

Steve

Fringe 2020 will run from May 22 – June 7

This year’s registration process is now LIVE

The first thing you need to do is to EMail wendy[at]bathfringe.co.uk: you will then shortly be sent the link to complete the next phase.

While you’re about it, here are some resources to help

www.bathfringe.co.uk/about-the-fringe/putting-a-show-into-bath-fringe/
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gsOVFjNf9n7uIK5Hzbw40GKsuI55vW0zphzvdbfHXbU/edit?usp=sharing
(some of the other resources aren’t there yet, but it’s being added to)
Venues list – still being updated – on this site’s downloads page

FaB Fringe Arts Bath

The FaB curation and submission process is underway. Go to fringeartsbath.co.uk to find out more, the deadline for most things is Sunday 22 March.
If you’re not sure which festival you should be in – FaB are interested in performance too – it’s probably worth talking to both sides at first (we collaborate on just about everything and talk all the time) but then giving one your 100% attention – you will be promoted through a lot of the same networks and bits of paper anyway.

New Work Works 2020

Steve

Are you a Street Theatre Performer (or even an Outdoor Arts Practictioner) in the SouthWest, or with a strong connection to these parts?

Then you might be interested in NEW WORK WORKS, Bath Fringe’s support & mentoring programme for emerging artists, focussed around BEDLAM FAIR at the end of May this year. You need to go to
www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/SGFRD8Y
for the details – do it before the end of Feb or you’ll definitely miss out.

This year is the 50th Birthday of one of Bath’s greatest artistic exports, the Natural Theatre Company, and to connect with that, this time we are particularly interested in character-based walkabouts, but like the Nats too we don’t do predictable and we like to be surprised, so whatever your idea, whoever you are, we want to hear from you.
…oh and pass it on…

‘Outdoor Greats’ symposium documentation

Steve

Our ‘Outdoor Greats’ symposium – which looked at the history of Outdoor Arts through the window of the artists who were based in, or worked in, Bath in the 1970s – was useful as both discussion and historic reminiscence, and that encouraged us to film the event for documentation and reference for future researchers & fans.
The talk – ably filmed by Dan Gale of Somerset Film & Video – is online here (morning session) and here (afternoon).
When we’re more sure about various copyright issues, we will hope to be posting (or at least posting links to) some of the films of the actual events.
Arts Workshop co-founder Phil Shepherd gave a great brief history talk at the exhibition a few days ago. The exhibition will now run on into November, and the book is still on the way (we’ve seen some of the pages, it’s definitely happening…)

Outdoor Greats was, errr, GREAT

Steve

Saturday’s ‘Outdoor Greats’ symposium was a definite hit with audience and contributors: we’ll post here (and on Facebook) when we get the documentation up on line.
MEANWHILE: if you haven’t seen the exhibition, it’s been extended till the beginning of November.
On Wednesday October 16th, Phil Shepherd, one of the Arts Workshop founders, is telling tales on that topic at the Museum. More details here – www.facebook.com/events/2352138628337582/ – or from the Museum of Bath at Work.

Walcot Street, always a curious part of town…

Fringe 2019 through the camera’s eye

Steve

Here are links to some of the many pictures of Bath Fringe 2019

Official Bedlam Photographer Nik Palmer

Fringe pics on Facebook:
Bath Photo Walk do Bedlam Sunday: Pics by Paul Denning
Dr Yaya in action: pics from Natural Theatre Co.
Dr Yaya cast & crew: pics from Natural Theatre Co.
Bedlam Sunday: pics by Luke John Emmet
Bedlam Saturday: pics by Luke John Emmet
Bill’s Back Bar: pics by Luke John Emmet
Dr Yaya: pics by Luke John Emmet

There is also plenty of video – mostly posted live – on Facebook, but the best one is always Sarah Mallabar’s complilation of all the acts of the weekend, The trailer version (1m.20) is here, longer version (7m.20) here…

Bath’s Dark Past brought to light – Fringe moves into the app age

Steve

As part of our outdoor arts programme and one of the trails & maps strand which seems to have spontaneously generated itself for this year’s Fringe, today Bath Fringe announces our first piece of mobile app art!

Bath-based artist Stanley Donwood – best known for his cover artwork for every Radiohead release, as well as Glastonbury Festival’s official poster and T-Shirt – has made several pieces of work, mostly textual, deflating the ideas of Bath’s heritage by extending stories of the city’s history into the realms of outrage & fantasy: these include his pulp fiction novel Catacombs of Terror.

The latest iteration of that material is Bath’s Dark Past, a raging nightmare of the city narrated by Natural Theatre stalwart Ric Jerrom, and turned into an app with the assistance of Bath mobile tech company Blispa. It’s designed to be downloaded and listened to whilst walking the streets; the story unfolds as you follow the trail, like a guided tour – but with a distinct difference. You need a mobile device (no roaming download necessary, it’s a one-shot) equipped with bluetooth – and – if you don’t want to frighten passers-by with stray scraps of wild fantasy – headphones or earbuds.

Download the de.via app and (at present) it’s the only story. Go to https://go.blispa.com/devia and take a trip to a city you will only slightly recognise…