The NZ and Melbourne Fringe festivals are joining forces for a special initiative.
Announced today, the Melbourne Fringe Indigenous Exchange Award will bring an NZ Fringe artist over the Tasman, with Melbourne Fringe sending an Indigenous work in the opposite direction in 2027.
Made possible with generous support from Creative New Zealand through the Te Hā o ngā Toi fund, and developed in association with Deadly Fringe, the award will create international touring opportunities for Māori artists, supporting them to present their work in Australia and connect with Indigenous artists across the Tasman.
The initiative champions Indigenous storytelling and creativity, sharing powerful cultural narratives with new audiences, while strengthening the long-standing relationship between the two festivals,” according to a press release.
The Melbourne Fringe Indigenous Exchange Award follows the blueprint of other NZ Fringe Tour Ready Awards, which similarly connect artists with other festivals such as Adelaide Fringe, Sydney Fringe and San Diego Fringe.
“This new award represents an important step in deepening trans-Tasman Indigenous collaboration and opening pathways for Māori artists to share their work on international stages,” the press release adds.
“We’re thrilled and honestly overwhelmed to receive these awards. Fringe is such a special space for artists to take risks, and it means the world to have this work recognised. We are excited to expand this story for an overseas audience! Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini / Success is not the work of an individual, but the work of many.” says Waikamania Seve from The Remaining, the Melbourne Fringe Indigenous Exchange Award winner.
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The 2026 NZ Fringe Awards took place in Wellington on Sunday (March 8), with 22 awards given out at the ceremony.
The big winner on the day was “Just to Be Close to You” for Best in Fringe, with performer Cameron Porter sharing his happiness at winning the award.
“The New Zealand Fringe blew us away with the warmest welcome a touring artist could receive,” Porter said. “The generosity of spirit that our new friends showed us during their performances, our shows and just hanging out renewed our love for the arts.
“The fact that the Best of Fringe award came from such an incredibly talented and kind group of artists makes it all the more meaningful. Thank you New Zealand Fringe and San Diego International Fringe Festival for providing us with this unforgettable experience.”
Check out the full list of winners here.
The 36th NZ Fringe Festival sold over 20,500 tickets across 950 performances, generating over $395,000 in ticket income for artists.
This year’s festival also awarded $91K in grants given directly to artists along with the 22 awards.