Adelaide Fringe Announces New Director, Greg Clarke

Greg Clarke, Adelaide Fringe 2011 Fringe Director, was appointed late last year and began working at Adelaide Fringe in February 2010. This allowed for a seamless transition between Christie Anthoney and Sandy Verschoor as they finished on a high after their four years as Fringe Director and CEO respectively.

Born in Blackwood, Greg has been working in Sydney for the past 20 years as Manager at Belvoir St Theatre, running his own arts company and Senior Producer at Sydney Opera House. More recently he was Head of Events with the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority staging large scale events including the Darling Harbour New Year's Eve firework displays and music, dance, circus and food festivals.

Clarke recently sat down with members of the Adelaide Fringe to allow audiences to get to know the new director. On the experience he brings to the Fringe, Clarke says, "I've had an fantastic 20 year career working in the in the arts and entertainment industry in Sydney. I've been a festival director, producer, artist, performer, art gallery manager, night club owner and entrepreneur. As a producer at the Sydney Opera House I presented dance, music, theatre, cabaret, and the Message Sticks Film Festival, so to be able to lead a cultural organisation that brings so many diverse art-forms together in the one big three week party really excites me."

Clarke also discussed his visions for the future of the Fringe: "I aim to ensure that Adelaide Fringe continues to be the pre-eminent arts event in Australia and the Asia Pacific. That it continues to attract, support and promote innovative, unique and diverse artists and events that audiences are going to be blown away by, talk about and spread the word that you just have to attend this festival no matter what.

To build new audiences and help artists sell more tickets we aim to create a central Fringe hub right in the middle of the city. Featuring a performance stage and information and box office, artists will be able to publicly showcase and promote their work and give audiences a taste of the Fringe.

Working with a Creative Producer, we will facilitate and collaborate with local artists and Adelaide's diverse communities in creating free public art events, installations and celebrations that will enliven the city and really set Adelaide Fringe apart from any other festival in the world."

From 1960, the Fringe momentum grew with each Festival and for the next ten years Fringe activities existed in tandem with the Festival, but focused in a totally different direction. The Festival itself included what was called Festival Attractions and Other Exhibitions in their program and these were seen to be fringe activities in the more official sense.

Over the years, the growing numbers of fringe artists contributed greatly to the unique, artistic atmosphere in Adelaide at festival time. By 1974, the Festival Board of Governors decided to formally acknowledge the Fringe officially. In 1975 a small group of arts organisations rallied against the more formal approach to Fringe activities by the Festival and in 1976 Focus Inc was incorporated. A small amount of funding was obtained and the first independently organised Focus Festival was held in 1976. Since then, the Adelaide Fringe has grown rapidly in size and diversity in response to the needs of the arts community.

In 2006, with the assistance of ongoing funding from Arts SA and Principal Partner, BankSA, it was decided that the Adelaide Fringe would go annual. With some excitement, artist registrations opened in July 2006 for the first ever annual Fringe in 2007. Over 400 events registered and thousands of people attended which cemented the Fringe's place in the hearts of the people of Adelaide and in February - March of every year. In 2009, the Adelaide Fringe hosted over 550 events and had record ticket sales of over 200,000.

For more information visit www.adelaidefringe.com.au.

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