Artists, poets, comedians and performers invited to be part of landmark event in heart of Wolverhampton
A landmark arts and culture event is set to bring artists, poets, comedians and performers to venues across Wolverhampton in the summer.
Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Wolverhampton arts collective Poets, Prattlers, and Pandemonialists have announced the first Midlands Fringe festival will be taking place in the city in July.
Supported using just under £9,000 in public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, the festival will run over the weekend of July 25 to 27, and will put on fifteen Fringe shows across three city centre venues.
The venues are a diverse mix, including the Lych Gate Tavern pub, K Teas Cakes on St Georges Parade and Cafe Royale on Victoria Street.
Additionally, there will be two headline comedy shows, with two top comedians bringing their Edinburgh Fringe show to Wolverhampton, at the Arena Theatre on Wulfruna Street, with one on the Friday night and the other on Saturday evening.
Steve Pottinger and Emma Purhouse from Poets, Prattlers, and Pandemonialists said the Fringe festival aims to bring a taste of Edinburgh’s world-famous festival to the West Midlands.
Mr Pottinger said: "We've done well to get the funding as there's a lot of people looking to get that funding for projects, but it's great that we've secured it for Wolverhampton as there's so many good little venues here.
"There's also a lot of great talent in the region and we just wanted to flag it up and give people something to enjoy in the city.
"We're trying to make sure that we give people a range of different artists and ensure it's not just 15 things that are all the same, so there'll be a great range of stories and performing."
Ms Purshouse, who was the first poet laureate for Wolverhampton, said “Wolverhampton is blessed with great transport links and vibrant independent venues.
"We hope to make Midlands Fringe an annual event, building it year on year, bringing the best in Fringe and comedy here to celebrate our city.”
Details of shows, venues, and headline performers will follow in early June.
For further information, or an in-person interview, emailpoetsprattlerspandemonialists@gmail.com
