The Leader Nelson edition

Fringe Festival reveals a twist

- CARLY GOOCH *Nelson Fringe Festival runs from April 29 to May 7. Tickets available at or visit for shows.

Nelson’s Fringe Festival programme was revealed on Saturday.

It includes a new addition which may have the public scratching their heads.

The visual arts community has 19 artists who have been secretly paired with Fringe shows to creat an artwork inspired by the title of one of the shows.

Nelson Fringe Festival art director Laura Irish said photos of the art work would be displayed at the Nelson Public Library and the Richmond Library, with originals at the Refinery Artspace during the week of the festival.

The public will be able to match the art with the show.

She said it was nice to have the visual and performing arts com- munities coming together as they didn’t overlap very often.

In its third year hitting Nelson’s stage, the Fringe Festival has been gathering momentum.

Last year 23 shows took the spotlight, while this year, 38 were preparing to raise the curtain.

Irish said the ‘‘sheer volume of shows’’ this year was ‘‘crazy’’.

‘‘We weren’t expecting that. It’s good, but it’s a lot more work.’’

Tickets for the shows and workshops went on sale midnight on Sunday and Irish said tickets had already started to sell.

She encouraged keen festivalgo­ers to get in early as last year tickets sold out before Fringe even opened.

 ?? PHOTO: MARTIN DE RUYTER/ FAIRFAX NZ ?? Laura Irish, artistic director of the Nelson Fringe Festival at the launch of the festival programme at Fairfield House.
PHOTO: MARTIN DE RUYTER/ FAIRFAX NZ Laura Irish, artistic director of the Nelson Fringe Festival at the launch of the festival programme at Fairfield House.

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