Melbourne Fringe has wrapped its 42nd annual festival, closing out another triumphant season with more than 460 shows from over 2,500 artists. The 2024 Melbourne Fringe Award winners were announced at the Festival Closing Night Party on Sunday 20 October, and are an opportunity for Melbourne’s arts community to celebrate and acknowledge the diversity, professionalism and exceptional quality of work in each year’s Festival. The 2024 Melbourne Fringe Festival Awards consist of five different types of awards:
Best in Category Awards
The Best in Category Awards are judged by the Melbourne Fringe judging panels. The judging panels are a team of over 30 industry practitioners, drawn from a diverse range of fields and backgrounds. All works are viewed by at least two panel members to be eligible for consideration.
Best Cabaret – Madame Martha’s Hush Cabaret
Best Circus – In Place
Best Comedy – C*N’T
Best Dance & Physical Theatre – Dancing in Infinite Worlds
Best Experimental – I’m Ready To Talk Now
Best Music – Gikilangangu Wergaia
Best Theatre – Running Into The Sun
Best Visual Arts & Film – FLAMES DANCED IN THEIR HAIR BUT DID NOT BURN THEM
Best Kids – Dream Swamp
Best Words & Ideas – Borrow a Brick for Contact Listening
Special Awards
Presented by Melbourne Fringe along with some of its key partners, the Special Awards recognise excellence from participants in ways that aren’t covered by the Artist Development awards. This includes recognising technical excellence, emerging talent, , outstanding venue management and much more.
Access & Inclusion Award – Flies on What-If Island
Best Work by an Emerging Artist – Black Girl Rising
Director’s Choice Award – Temple of Desire
Crowd Pleaser Award – Business and Pleasure
Sound and Technical Excellence Award, supported by Front of House Productions – CON 2077
Spirit of the Fringe – Weave: The Solos
Venue of the Year – La Mama
Melbourne Fringe Living Legend – Yumi Umiamare
Yumi Uniamare (pictured right) is a Butoh dancer, choreographer and creator of Butoh Cabaret works. She has been creating her distinctive style of works for over 30 years and her creations are renowned for provoking visceral emotions and engaging with cultural identities with a sense of humor. Her works have been seen in numerous festivals around the globe and have received several Australian Green Room awards.
2024 Artist Development Awards
Presented by a range of partner organisations these awards recognise achievement in specific fields and provide mentoring and professional development opportunities within these fields:
Artform Shaker
Supported by Theatre Network Australia
Shitbag
Change Maker Award
Supported by Theatre Network Australia
Oliver Ayres, I’m Ready To Talk Now
Best Emerging Indigenous Artist
Supported by Wilin Centre (VCA & MCM)
Maggie Church-Kopp, In Place
Best Emerging Producer
Supported by MILKE
Ryan Stewart
Market Ready Award
Supported by Regional Arts Victoria
Marcus Ryan – Eat, Pray, Walk
Headroom Award
Supported by RISING
The Bloom
Emerging Company Incubator Award
Supported by Monash’s Faculty of Arts
Running Into The Sun
Outstanding Newcomer
Supported by Auspicious Arts
Bisexual Intellectuals
Geelong Creative Development Award
Supported by Geelong Arts Centre
KINDER
Comedy New Work Award
Supported by Melbourne International Comedy Festival
Robyn Reynolds is on trial
New Writing Award
Supported by Melbourne Theatre Company
Ballkids (or, scenes from a friendship)
2024 Touring Awards
Presented by Festivals from across Australia these awards provide assistance to present work at one of Melbourne Fringe’s partner festivals. These awards are chosen by representatives from the partner festival:
Edinburgh Touring Award
Supported by Brisbane Comedy Festival
Shitbag
WA Touring Award
Supported by FRINGE WORLD Festival
a scary thing happened by the CAMPFIRE
SA Touring Award
Supported by Adelaide Fringe
Transmission – into the dark
New Zealand Touring Award
Supported by New Zealand Fringe
Assigned Magician at Birth
NSW Touring Award
Supported by Sydney Fringe
Twenty Million Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
QLD Touring Award
Supported by Brisbane Comedy Festival
A Night with Cherry Vinyl
