“We’re looking for credible and captivating proposals that promise to showcase high quality production values, complimented by cutting edge, innovative and bold experimentation,” says National Arts Festival’s artistic director Ismail Mahomed.

Artists have until Friday, 8 May to submit proposals that fall into six thematic categories identified for structuring the Fringe programme.

“The categories give artists some guidelines around how they might position their work within the Fringe programme. They are deliberately broad – but they demonstrate that the programme we hope to present will be a mix of established, proven work; new experimental work; work from both seasoned and emerging artists; and work that grapples with contemporary social issues in South Africa. There’s also room for work that is staged simply 'for art’s sake',” said Mahomed.

The Fringe will once again be supported and hosted by the City of Cape Town. "The City is extremely pleased to be in partnership with the National Arts Festival," said the City’s mayoral committee member for tourism, events and economic development, councillor Garreth Bloor.

Cape Town, as a cultural capital, is a fitting host and we are proud to have the festival’s hub at the City Hall which is one of our strategic assets. The City Hall has become a key venue for local and international event organisers who are increasingly choosing it for a diverse range of cultural events, music shows and conferences. There are lessons to be learnt from the inaugural Fringe Festival held last year and we look forward to another well supported and successful event this year," said Bloor.

Additional support for the Fringe has been forthcoming from long-standing sponsors of the arts, Standard Bank, and M-Net. 

Artists wishing to download the Cape Town Fringe application form and the detailed call for proposals can do so on the Cape Town Fringe website. 

In addition to the public call, the Cape Town Fringe has invited members of the artistic community to take part in an open engagement session with organisers on Monday, 13 April. 

“Last year we staged the inaugural edition of the Fringe and embarked on a steep learning curve. While we have some ideas for the Fringe in 2015, we’d like to invite the artistic community to engage with us, to bring their ideas to the table and to contribute to the shape, flavor and direction of the Fringe this year and into the future,” said festival CEO Tony Lankester. The engagement session will cover areas such as marketing, programming and scheduling, venue choices and audience development. 

Artists wishing to attend the engagement session are invited to email organisers at [email protected]. If they represent an organisation or group of artists, they are asked to indicate which organisation they represent. Organisers will also be proactively inviting key organisations and institutions directly.