Latest news with #StephenCronin
BBC News
30-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Durham Fringe Festival sees record numbers but appeals for sponsors
Durham Fringe Festival organisers have hailed this year's event a success after it attracted another record in its fifth year, last week's performances drew audiences of 8,500 people - an increase of about 1,000 on the previous record-breaking and co-founder Stephen Cronin said the organising team and more than 100 volunteers were "exhausted" as they wrapped up the event but were "doing great".However, he said the grassroots festival had to sustain sponsors and partnerships to keep future ticket prices low, describing local support as "vital". More than 110 performances were put on between 23 and 27 July in around the city centre, including cabaret, theatre, stand-up, music, circus and magic first Fringe in 2021 attracted about 2,250 visitors and it has been growing year on year. Dr Cronin said partnering with local businesses, councils and Durham University had been critical for helping people access the arts, as it helped to keep ticket prices do not pay for the venue or technical support and they receive 70% of ticket income."Those are things we've done from the beginning and they're very precious to us," he said."But that leaves us with the cost of delivering any complex event like this."He said the festival needed to sustain local support going forward."That support from the area is vital to us," he said. The majority of those who volunteered were local to the area, Dr Cronin said while younger volunteers had the opportunity to develop people skills by working front of house, some previous technical volunteers had gone on to build a career in the sector."Sometimes it's just about being together with people who like what you like and you get to meet new people and get to see some amazing things," Dr Cronin said the team would soon move on to planning the 2026 festival."It never stops," he said. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Durham Fringe back for 5th year after 'extraordinary' growth
A "friendly" grassroots festival is returning for a fifth year, after attracting record crowds in Fringe launched in 2021 and has seen its audience more than triple, with people travelling from London and Manchester to attend. One of the organisers Stephen Cronin said the event's "extraordinary" growth was "rare". Singer-songwriter Isabel Maria said taking part in the Fringe last year had helped her "a lot" and she was looking forward to performing again. There will be more than 110 various performing arts shows between 23 July and 27 July. Mr Cronin, who is originally from Sunderland, said they were going to "make a bit of a fuss" of the fact the Durham Fringe was turning five, and throw a birthday party on the first day of the event. The festival's first edition attracted about 2,250 visitors in 2021. Last year, more than 7,500 attended. "We never expected to take off quite so well," Mr Cronin added the event was helping people get a start in performance and hopefully boosting the city's economy. Isabel Maria, 18, performed at the Fringe last year and went on to win a North East Culture Award in November."I feel like I don't often play in Durham, there's not that many music venues I'm aware of, but I've met some amazing people," she said. "There's so many amazing creatives in Durham, it's really nice to bring them all together with Durham Fringe."A core team of about nine people is organising the event with the support of more than 100 volunteers. Mr Cronin said the festival had been so successful because it was "approachable". "Somebody said right back in our first year that we are a friendly fringe and that's precious to us. It's precious that people think that we are friendly and helpful and supportive," he paediatrician added he hoped the event would still be around in 10 years. "As we can see year on year, we've had a substantially growing audience, which is actually quite rare. A lot of theatre has struggled to keep their audiences growing."The fact that we've grown our audience from 2,250 in the first year to 7,500 in the fourth year is extraordinary in my mind and we hope to keep on growing. " Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
