the story of bnfn

THE STORY OF THE BNFN

The Baltic Nordic Fringe Network (BNFN) aims to simplify systems and provide touring opportunities for artists applying to one or more of the Fringe festivals in the Baltic Nordic region.

The festivals have one thing in common: they aim to elevate the local through the global to offer the audience unique experiences outside the traditional, to push boundaries and promote artistic innovation and bravery.

WHY A NETWORK?

Since the humble launch of the Stockholm Fringe Festival (STOFF) in 2010, participating artists have expressed the desire to combine their “Stoffholm” visit with additional tour dates in the Nordic region. Until now, a touring theatre network in the Nordic region had not existed.

WHO IS BEHIND IT?

In 2016, team Stockholm Fringe Festival (STOFF) created the Nordic Fringe Network together with its younger sister festivals Gothenburg Fringe Festival and Bergen Fringe Festival.
In 2018 Lahti Fringe Festival (Finland) joined our global community, followed FINFRINGE (Åbo/Finland) in 2019.
Reykjavík Fringe Festival’s pilot edition took place in July 2018
Zagare Fringe Festival (Lithuania) joined the network in late 2018.
In 2019 CPH STAGE(Copenhagen/Denmark) joined the network as a partner. The festival had already existed for many years.
Tallinn Fringe Festival joined the network in 2020.
Oslo Fringe Festival & Trondheim Fringe Festival & Tranås at the Fringe are our youngest family members!
In 2023, the network rebranded from the Nordic to the Baltic Nordic Fringe Network (BNFN) to truly reflect all the network member festivals.
In 2024, Bergen Fringe Festival was put on hold and remains idle until further notice.

NETWORK BENEFITS

The benefits of synchronising all Baltic Nordic Fringe festival initiatives go hand in hand with our “many little streams create a river” approach to festival management.

Working together will not only create a more robust and bigger Fringe movement in the Nordic region but also offer an attractive touring opportunity to local and global artists.

Audiences will be offered high-quality acts from across the globe.
New work will reach a new and broader audience.
Artists will be able to make their visit to the Nordic region more sustainable and economical.
Overseas cultural institutes and embassy culture departments will be able to join forces with their sister branches in other Nordic countries to tour/support artists from their regions.