Between 29th July and 2nd August, Durham Fringe Festival will return across 11 Durham City Centre performance spaces. Audiences will be invited to explore over 130 unique shows across a programme that will deliver just shy of 300 performances across the five-day event. Genres include theatre, music, stand-up comedy, comedy theatre, magic, spoken word, cabaret, dance, physical theatre, circus, and kids shows.
In just over a week, this year’s festival will once again transform Durham into a vibrant hub of live performance, with venues ranging from historic buildings and theatres to cafés, bars and outdoor spaces, all within easy walking distance of each other. Whether audiences are looking to discover emerging artists, enjoy family entertainment, or see established names, Durham Fringe offers an accessible and affordable way to experience an exciting mix of local, national and international talent.
To encourage audiences to sample the breadth of the programme, Durham Fringe’s “Discover” ticket offer gives audiences 10% off when booking three different shows in a single transaction (full price tickets only).
Concession tickets are also available across much of the programme, with discounted tickets for groups and schools helping to make the festival as accessible as possible. The festival’s venues are all located within approximately 15 minutes’ walk of one another, making it easy for visitors to build their own Fringe experience throughout the five days.
Visit the Durham Fringe website to see the full lineup and book tickets. Browse shows by date, genre, venue and more: durhamfringe.co.uk/events
Durham Fringe is thrilled to be partnering with Gala Theatre Durham, one of the festival venue partners, to present Harriet Kemsley as a Saturday night headline act. Following her eye-opening appearance on the first series of Last One Laughing UK, multi-award winning stand-up comedian Harriet Kemsley tries out new material in this work in progress show. As seen and heard on Live at the Apollo, Would I Lie to You?, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and co-host of the wildly successful Single Ladies In Your Area podcast, Harriet has been described by Time Out as ‘a very funny rising star’ and as one of Rhod Gilbert’s ‘Ten Comics to See’ in the Mail on Sunday. Tickets for this show are sold directly through the Gala Durham website.
Alongside established performers, the festival continues its commitment to providing a platform for new voices and original work. Audiences can expect world premieres, works in progress, award-winning touring productions and performances from artists travelling to Durham from across the UK and beyond. The Fringe’s curated programme celebrates creativity in all its forms, offering something for seasoned theatre-goers and first-time Fringe visitors alike.
Maria Baranowska, Durham Fringe CIC Festival Manager states: “We are so excited to be returning with our 6th and most ambitious Fringe Festival to date. We’re showcasing artists from Durham and the wider North East region, but you’ll also get to see shows coming from across the world – Taiwanese physical theatre and Spanish folk music programmed against homegrown talent! You’ll never have to pay more than £15 to see a show. In this current climate, accessibility to performing arts is something we’re working hard to protect for our local communities.
“This year, we’re really excited to be featuring The Academy in our venue lineup, Durham Fringe’s first ever long-term performance space! The Academy will remain open beyond the summer festival, creating a new black-box theatre venue, housed in a former retail space in Prince Bishops. This will be a space where we’ll showcase performance and build a space for performers to learn, make and thrive. You get to see it first at this year’s festival!”
About Durham Fringe
Durham Fringe Festival is operated by Durham Fringe CIC, a not-for-profit volunteer-led organisation with the aim of supporting and advancing performing arts in County Durham and beyond, not only by delivering a world-class annual arts festival, but also providing support to performers and offering volunteering opportunities. 70% of ticket sales go directly to performers and Durham Fringe CIC absorbs various overhead costs that can prevent people from bringing their ideas to the stage. However, costs are not passed on to audiences. Ticket prices are kept low to make attending realistic for as many people as possible. The organisation therefore relies on grants, sponsorships, donations, and invaluable volunteering support to survive.
Since its inception following the COVID lockdown in 2021, Durham Fringe CIC’s focus has been taking forward the dream of building a brilliant annual fringe festival in Durham. Inspired by Edinburgh, our older and much bigger sister, the festival celebrates all genres of performing arts.
