For our Artists

Choosing shows and curating the programme?

We were thrilled to receive over 180 applications in 2026 from artists eager to take part in our first Totnes Fringe Festival. Selecting from so many talented performers was a joyful challenge!

Selection for the 2026 Festival is in hand, and the full lineup will be announced in May 2026.

Our programming team work hard to create a diverse lineup that reflects a wide range of forms and content — from theatre and dance to comedy, spoken word, and boundary-pushing experimental work. We carefully matched shows to venues of different shapes and sizes, ensuring each performance would shine in its space.

Above all, we aimed to craft a festival programme that appeals to as much of the Totnes community (and beyond) as possible — offering something for every taste and curiosity.

Accessible Tickets for All
We believe live performance should be for everyone. That’s why our ticket prices are set as follows

£10 Full Price

£8 Concessions

£6 Under 18

— affordable and fair, to welcome audiences from all walks of life.

80% of ticket revenue goes directly to our Artists, so if you can pay £10, please do!

We asked these questions when we read applications

Is there an audience for this in Totnes?
Probably. For a small town, Totnes has a reputation for being open to the alternative — but we’re not going to pretend to speak for everyone. What we will do is programme work that feels interesting, considered, and worth encountering. Expect us to be open-minded about both content and form. Our audiences come from across the South West and beyond.

Is there a venue that can accommodate it?
We have a range of spaces — but not a conventional touring theatre. If your show relies on a high level of technical support, it may be difficult to stage here. Work that can adapt — or that’s been designed with flexibility in mind — will have a much better chance of landing well.

Is there actually a show?
It’s a fair question. We don’t expect fully produced work — we’re very happy to support new pieces and debuts — but we do need to know that what you’re proposing will happen. The application questions are there to help you demonstrate that: clarity of idea, a sense of how it will be made, and confidence that it will be ready.

And finally — is it exciting?
If we have to make choices, this is what it comes down to. By “exciting”, we don’t mean loud or extreme. We mean work that feels alive. Something you clearly care about. Something that has a reason to exist, and a reason to be seen now.

Hello to our 2026 Artists

We’re so excited to have you join us. Whether you’re bringing theatre, dance, comedy, spoken word, or something genre-defying, you’re now part of the very first Totnes Fringe — a grassroots celebration of bold voices and brilliant performance.
This page is your performer guide to everything that makes Totnes — and this festival — special.

Thanks for Taking the Leap
This Totnes Fringe Festival — and by joining us, you’re not just performing at a festival; you’re helping to shape it.
We know that taking part in a new event ( this is our second year) is a leap of faith. It means trusting the process, the place, and the people. We deeply respect the risk you’ve taken to be here — and we’re genuinely grateful.
This festival has been built with love, care, and a big belief in what artists like you can do when given space and community. Thank you for saying yes.

We’re also working hard behind the scenes to bring audiences through the doors — spreading the word, partnering locally, and making sure your work reaches as many eyes and ears as possible. We are trying to plaster the town with posters and programmes. Please feel free to bring flyers over the weekend- we can get volunteers out on the street with your flyers Edinburgh style and get involved with our social media; collaborate, share a reel and our posts.

Powered by Passion: Our Incredible Volunteers
Totnes Fringe exists thanks to an amazing team of volunteers who give their time, energy, and heart to make it happen. Every performance and every audience member is supported by people who believe in the power of creativity and community.

By joining us, you’re part of a truly grassroots festival—built by artists, locals, and dreamers.

Thank you for bringing your work to Totnes. You're helping shape what this festival is, and what it could become.

Year one was astounding, this second year is shaping up to be even better.

Dartington Hall: A Radical Legacy

A radical legacy

Just beyond Totnes lies Dartington Hall — not just a beautiful estate, but a place of cultural revolution. Founded in the 1930s as a centre for progressive education, social change, and the arts, Dartington became a beacon for experimental thinking and performance.
From 1961 to 2010, it was home to Dartington College of Arts, internationally recognised for its radical, interdisciplinary approach to training performers, musicians, choreographers, and makers. Students were encouraged to blur genres, challenge convention, and create work that was rooted in place, politics, and community.
Dartington’s influence reaches far beyond the South Devon hills. In its heyday, it welcomed some of the most important figures in modern performance and movement, including:

Michel Chekhov, actor and teacher, who founded his Theatre Studio here in the 1930s. His approach to imagination and inner gesture revolutionised actor training.
Rudolf Laban, pioneer of modern dance and movement analysis, who lived and worked on the Dartington estate after fleeing Nazi Germany.
Mary Fulkerson, influential choreographer and teacher of Release Technique, who taught at Dartington in the 1970s and 80s.
Seán O’Casey, the great Irish playwright, who lived at Dartington Lodge from 1938 to 1954, writing and reflecting in the heart of the Devon countryside.

Though Dartington College was controversially closed and absorbed into Falmouth University in 2010, its legacy continues — in the community, in its archives, and in festivals like this one. The Totnes Fringe carries that torch: a belief in the power of experimental work, local roots, and fearless creativity.

Local Walks to Clear Your Head (or Fill With Ideas)

EXPLORE TOTNES AND BEYOND

The River Dart Walk: A peaceful, flat stroll along the river to Dartington (around 30 mins each way). Watch kingfishers dart and herons stalk as you go.

Dartington Hall Estate: This historic estate is also a walk away. Wander through ancient woodlands, past hidden sculptures, and into the Great Hall courtyard.

Sharpham Loop: For something longer (2–3 hours), head downriver through vineyards and fields with glorious views across the Dart Valley.

Bridgetown Nature Trail: Cross the bridge for a tucked-away circular trail through quiet lanes, meadows, and wildflower patches.

VISIT TOTNES INFORMATION

Come for a festival stay for a while. You can read lots more about TOTNES and the surrounding area at the website of one of our sponsors, Visit Totnes.

VISIT TOTNES