About AFAF

Now in its 11th year, the Asheville Fringe Arts Festival (AFAF) provides artists with opportunities to explore the edges of their work, collaborate across genres and bring innovative performances to culturally adventurous audiences. The artistic mix has included local and imported actors, dancers, singers, videographers, painters and musicians presenting experimental works in cross-genre improvisation, Butoh dance, puppetry, sketch theatre, modern dance, and performance art. Since its inception, AFAF has presented hundreds of performances involving an incredible number of artists of all kinds.

Launched in 2003 by Asheville Contemporary Dance Theatre Artistic Directors Susan and Giles Collard, AFAF has grown from a single-venue performance to a city-wide festival with a fiercely loyal following. Asheville artist-educators Jim Julien and Jocelyn Reese have been involved with AFAF since its inception and gradually began taking the reins as AFAF Artistic Directors.

In August 2012, they embarked on a journey to Edinburgh, Scotland, where they represented Asheville at the World Fringe Congress, saw performances, participated in workshops, and networked with Fringers from around the world. Upon return to Asheville, they set out to assemble a team of super powered people to manage festival logistics and promotion. A festival guide with amazing amounts of useful information was produced and will be available January 11th, 2013. Huzzah!

AFAF is a program of ACDT, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and is supported by a grant from the North Carolina Arts Council; visionary sponsors who value Asheville's vibrant arts scene; generous individual donors; and a host of stalwart volunteers.