In 2007 Forest Fringe decided to open a space for artistic experimentation that would run concurrently, but as a separate entity, with the mammoth Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Quite a tall order when you realise that the great and the good within the arts fill Edinburgh every August to marvel at the enormity of the world’s largest arts festival. But since that decision Forest Fringe has built a strong reputation as a not-for-profit, artist-lead organisation whose Edinburgh venue is now world renowned.
In 2010 Forest Fringe began organising Microfestivals, taking their work to other places in order to build relationships and broaden the engagement with artistic communities and audiences and from December 13th to 15th The Lir Academy will welcome Forest Fringe to Dublin as part of ‘The Lir Presents….’ programme.
“We’re really happy that Dublin was chosen this year to host the Forest Fringe Microfestival,” Jessica Hilliard of the Dublin Fringe Festival told NewsFour. “It’s around this time of year that all the festivals have come to an end and we are working hard towards next year, but it’s fantastic to have Forest Fringe here to fill the hole we all seem to feel when all our other festivals have finished.”
This fresh initiative will see an incredible array of artists come to the Lir. Acts such as Action Hero, the high octane daredevil Bristolian performance artists with the Irish premiere of Watch Me Fall, Dan Camhan, the winner of best male performer for 30 Cecil Street at Dublin Fringe Festival 2012, Veronica Dyas, a leading emerging Irish talent will be reviving her solo performance In My Bed; a personal account through identity, childhood and relationships.
Artist/performer/writer Tim Etchells will be creating a new installation in response to the space at The Lir. Amy Conroy, winner of the 2011 Dublin Fringe Festival award for best female performer will be using Forest Fringe as an opportunity to share early elements of her new performance Break, which looks at the complexities and challenges of the education system. Kieran Hurley will premiere Hitch, one man’s depiction of his journey from Glasgow to the G8 Summit in Italy in 2009. Deborah Pearson, live artist and co-founder of Forest Fringe will be in residency at The Lir for the week and also Travelling Sounds Library, a regular feature of the Forest Fringe will bring their travelling audio collection (with librarian)!
There’s a lot to be seen, so dust off your fedora and get into the arts some more, darling.
by Joe McKenna
