Asheville Fringe Arts Festival’s artistic directors Jim Julien and Jocelyn Reese announce a series of talks with Fringe expert Dr. Xela Batchelder, who will address the burning question: WTF? — What’s the Fringe?
Attendees will learn about the fascinating history of the Fringe movement and the many festivals that have sprung up in the US and around the world, including Asheville’s own Fringe Arts Festival, which celebrated its milestone 10th year in 2012.
The free series will be held: Wednesday, November 14 at 6:00 PM The ARTery 346 Depot Street, Asheville, NC Thursday, November 15 at 12:30 PM New Hall, Room 15 at UNC Asheville One University Heights, Asheville, NC Thursday, November 15 at 7:00 PM Kittredge Theatre at Warren Wilson College 701 Warren Wilson Road, Swannanoa,
Mr. Julien and Ms. Reese represented Asheville at the World Fringe Congress last August in Edinburgh, Scotland, the birthplace of the Fringe movement. They attended performances, participated in workshops, and met Fringers from around the world, including Dr. Xela Batchelder. Professor of Entertainment and Arts Management at Drexel University since 2008, Dr. Batchelder’s career also includes 13 years as Executive and Artistic Director for Rocket Venues at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the world’s largest and oldest Fringe festival.
The WTF? series is co-presented by AFAF partners Warren Wilson College, UNC Asheville, and the Asheville Area Arts Council. The WTF? series is free of charge and no reservations are required. For directions to the host venues, please visit their websites. Now in its 11th year, the Asheville Fringe Arts Festival provides artists with opportunities to explore the edges of their work, collaborate across genres and bring innovative performances to culturally adventurous audiences.
The artistic mix has included local and imported actors, dancers, singers, videographers, painters and musicians presenting boundary-stretching works in cross-genre improvisation, Butoh dance, puppetry, sketch theatre, modern dance, and performance art. The 2013 Asheville Fringe Arts Festival will be held January 24-27 at multiple venues throughout Asheville. Sponsorships are available now; tickets will be available in January. For more information, contact Festival Manager Charlotte Sommers at [email protected] or 828-254-2621.
