CariFringe is an umbrella festival encompassing multi-disciplinary cultural and regional arts in the Bahamas. This inaugural festival will occur from October 1 to 11 and will be an annual event. The event features a wide variety of activities including theatrical productions, concerts, art exhibitions, literary readings, social gatherings, workshops, discussions, parties and craft markets from a variety of creative communities locally and regionally.
Though the event is inspired by the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) it has one primary difference – it is designed and managed by artists for artists.
According to the Carifringe website: “CariFringe aims to expose locals and visitors to the best in the Caribbean arts through a diverse schedule of events and experiences. We have drawn on our collective experience attending and participating in similar regional festivals such as the two most recent CARIFESTA’s, Guyana 2008 and Suriname 2006. Additionally looking to annual international fringe festivals in Edinburgh, Oregon and Art: Basel in South Florida, the Fringe model has convinced us of the marketability of festivals and festival economies in the Caribbean region.”
Strategically timed to boost the Bahamian economy during the slow period, the Carifringe concept builds on the successful Art Basel model which transforms Miami Beach each year into a bustling hub of creativity and excitement drawing in a vast and varied crowd of visitors, artists, patrons and investors. Along those lines Carifringe aims to nurture Nassau’s development as an art district while stimulating tourism.
