March 29, 2023

Dunedin Fringe Festival 2023 was an outstanding success! 🌟

Despite the challenges leading up to this year’s festival, we hosted 67 live events from Aotearoa, Canada, the States, Switzerland, Scotland, the UK, and Australia and sold more than 5,000 tickets. That’s over $93,000 of income that supports Fringe artists to create and share their work with audiences like you! (did you know that 100% of Fringe ticket sales go to the artists?!) We also hosted over 20 online shows from all over the world. Although we’re still collecting stats, it looks like 2023 is one of the biggest Dunedin Fringes yet! But size isn’t everything — what matters most is the support we’re able to give artists, the experiences we’re able to bring to audiences, and the joy and buzz Fringe creates in Ōtepoti/Dunedin. Art connects us, transforms us, nourishes us and changes us. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for being a part of this joyous celebration of art, culture and creativity! Kate, Katrina, Ruth & the Dunedin Fringe team 🧡

Te Whare o Rukutia
Sunday, March 26, 2023

Excellence in Visual Art Award (Sponsor: Gordon Harris the Art and Graphic Store):

WINNER:
City Planners 2023

FINALISTS:
Cozzie Livs
Salon All Sum (Sam Caldwell)
Cartographies of a Future
Rainbow Connection

Excellence in Dance/Physical Theatre Award (Sponsor: Southlaw):

WINNER:
The Sensemaker

FINALISTS:
TwentyNineteen
Cartographies of the Future: “Traces”
The Flying Femmes
Presentation is Everything  

Excellence in Comedy Award (Sponsor: Southlaw):

WINNER:
Presentation is Everything

FINALISTS:
Eli Matthewson: Gutterball
Brendon Green: I’m Happy You’re Here
Lesbihonest
Fresher

Excellence in Music Award (Sponsor: Hawkstone Chambers):

WINNER:
TwentyNineteen

FINALISTS:
Spectacle: Play
Dark Radio
Salon All Sum
An Incomplete Education (UNE ÉDUCATION MANQUÉE)

Excellence in Theatre Award (Sponsor: Hawkstone Chambers):

WINNER:
Dark Radio

FINALISTS:
The Sensemaker
愛，媽媽 Love, Mum
Flow
The Bear

Outstanding Performer (Sponsor: Walsh and Beck):

WINNER:
Marea Colombo (Flow)

FINALISTS:
Elsa Couvreur (The Sensemaker)
David Correos (Head Empty)
Ethan Cavanagh & Sweeney Preston (Presentation is Everything)
Brent Caldwell (various)

Outstanding Emerging Talent (Sponsor: SBS Bank):

WINNER:
Tama Alexander (Fresher)

FINALISTS:
Chai (Real)
Cynthia Lam (Love, Mum)
Melissa Katherine (The Apology)
Miriam Noonan (Lessons Learned from Hannibal Lecter)

Outstanding Design Sponsor: (Southern Lights & Services):

WINNER:
Lamb to the Slaughter

FINALISTS:
Dark Radio
The Bear
愛，媽媽 Love, Mum
City Planners 2023

Outstanding Technical Achievement (Sponsor: Strawberry Sound):

WINNER:
Dark Radio

FINALISTS:
The Sensemaker
The Bear
Cartographies of a Future
TwentyNineteen

Dunedin Favourite Comedian award (Sponsor: Dunedin Comedy):  

WINNER:
Tama Alexander (Fresher)

City of Literature ‘Beyond Words’ Award Sponsor: (Dunedin UNESCO City of Literature Office):

WINNER:
Wonderful

FINALISTS:
Flow
The Sensemaker
Brendon Green: I’m happy you’re here
愛，媽媽 Love, Mum

Most Promising Pacific Artist Award (Sponsor: Creative New Zealand):

WINNER:
Rosie Roachē: Flāneur

FINALISTS:
Ma’taria Pekepo: Toku Inangaro i Taku Peu Maori
Padma Naidu: Wandering Wonders Incensed

Phil Davison Special Contribution to Festival Life (Sponsor: Dunedin Fringe):

WINNER:
Gareth McMillan

Warwick Broadhead Memorial Award (Sponsor: Woof!):

WINNER:
City Planners 2023

NZ Touring Award (Sponsor: Dunedin Fringe in association with NZ Fringe):

WINNER:
Out at Sea

Best in Fringe (Sponsor: Dunedin Fringe):

WINNER:
The Sensemaker

FINALISTS:
Flow
Dark Radio
TwentyNineteen
愛，媽媽 Love, Mum
David Correos: Head Empty
The Bear
City Planners 2023

A huge thank you to our Dunedin Fringe 2023 Award Judges who worked so hard to make these happen:

Lisa Allan
Lisa Warrington
Mike Chewie Bennet
Nick Tipa
Paula Hellyer
Sandra Muller
Lisa Wilkinson
Fairleigh Gilmour
Alison Embleton (Ally)
Alister McDonald
Amie Taua
David Green
Harrison Kennedy
Reuben Crisp
Suzanne Renner
Terry MacTavish