Page 28 - Fiji Traveller Issue 2

FRINGE BENEFITS

A new festival for artists and families

By Samantha Magick and Sera Tikotikovatu-Sefeti more edgy. So we do not control what our artists perform.
It's completely free expression. They can say whatever, do
The founder of the inaugural Fiji Fringe Festival says she whatever, they can dress, whatever.”
will measure the success of the event by the response of In Suva, where we haven’t had a HIbsicus Festival for
participating artists. several years, she also wants to create a carnival feel,
Sharleen Ali says her main goal is to create a and attract a wide cross section of visitors over the
platform and space for artists. "After Covid, it's course of the event.
been very hard for artists, there's barely been “I'm not in competition with any of the other
any source of funds. And I think this will give festivals as such, but I think that the
them a bit of a push to become more creative Fiji Fringe will really create some
and to push the boundaries as well. So I think valuable space. We're going to be
for me, if the artists come back, and they say, here to stay, for a long time coming.”
‘Man, Sharlene that was such a great event, I Accessibility is also important to Ali,
was able to get this much money back, and I can't and that is reflected in pricing, with free
wait for next year’, for me, that's a big tick." activities, some tickets as low as $5,
Ali has pulled together an event that will feature over and many family-friendly events.
100 artists—from musicians to a magician to dance Ali says artists, especially
troops to poets—plus an international food village, those who know
carnival rides, kids activities, a visual arts something about the
and crafts tent, and crafts workshops (masi, fringe festival circuit,
weaving and pottery). Everything will take
place at the ‘fringe village’ at Fiji Sports
Council venues in Suva from February
25-March 4.
The fringe festival concept was born in
Edinburgh, on the edges of the famous
Edinburgh Festival, when artists created
their own shows. Now there’s a global
network of 300 fringe festivals, and Ali
says “over the 80 years, fringe festivals
[have become known for] being more
wacky and more out of the box, a lot

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