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Fringe Demographics

Patrons of Fringe Festivals include art lovers of all kinds.

Based on Minnesota Fringe Festival projections (the largest unjuried Fringe in the country), approximately 40% of the estimated 35,000 patrons were under the age of 35 – an astonishingly high number for arts audiences. A recent Edinburgh Fringe annual report listed 47% of its 2.5 million patrons traveling from out of town to attend the festival (it is the #1 tourist destination in the UK).

Low ticket costs and hard-hitting performances draw younger audiences between the ages of 22 and 35 – especially those who don’t normally attend live arts shows. Our Internet initiatives target active users of social networking sites including Facebook and Twitter; these tools tend to appeal to younger users. Large-scale arts festivals generally appeal to members of the LGBT community; we are working with community leaders to feature the June 2010 festival as a part of the Pride month festivities. Entertainment industry and community contacts will attend and participate.

Artists participating in Fringe Festivals generally include emerging professional artists, amateurs trying out new ideas, and experienced artists seeking new outlets. There is a healthy touring circuit amongst Fringe artists, so many come from outside town, including international destinations.

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