The 2019 Hamilton Fringe Festival just happened. ‘What the heck is that?’ I hear you cry. Well, let me tell you – if you don’t know about the Fringe Festival, you’re missing out on an extraordinary opportunity to witness the local creative scene in action.

But, what is it?

With over 53 events across 16 locations, this year’s Fringe was certainly of epic proportions. Showcasing music, dance, theatre, comedy, film, art, literature and more – the two week festival ran from October 26 to November 9 – a true celebration of our local and visiting creatives.

From Victoria on the River to the Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts and many venues in between: the Hamilton Fringe Festival Trust was founded in 2001, built on the values of accessibility or “open access”. This foundation gives emerging artists a supportive platform, whilst allowing the audience to enjoy their work at an affordable price.

So, what happened?

Blessed with beautiful warm weather, this is the first time the Hamilton Fringe has been held in November. Day time, night time, street, bar and theatre – the variety of events throughout the festival astounded and amazed.

An estimated 3000+ punters enjoyed (either intentionally or inadvertently) the events on both sides of the river during the festival, and many more will now be disappointed that they missed it.

Stilt walkers kept the crowds entertained during the Art Bazaar and Craft Fair in Garden Place.

Highlights were: 

• The music performances of Femininera: showcasing our local female musicians
• Te Ika Ao O Te Rangi: mixed media exhibition by Tracey Tawhiao
• Sugarman: Colombian aerial artist and performer from Raglan
• Art Bazaar and Craft Fair: a day-long market of arts and crafts in sunny Garden Place
• 6-pack Comedy: an evening of token laughs at the Meteor Theatre
• Day of the Dead: La Catrina Sonsystem made a fiesta at Victoria on the River
• Live Art at Good George: cold brews, live DJ, dogs and painting in the sun

Kids enjoyed the craft stations at the Fringe Festival.

“Some of the art projects are incredibly interesting and incredibly unique and that’s part of the brand of Fringe – that’s what happens when you say it’s ‘open access’,” explains Macaila Eve, director of the Hamilton Fringe.

Members of the Fringe Team with the owners of De Stylez Cafe at the Fringe opening event at Victoria on the river.

“These really interesting, unique projects come out and that can be an amazing experience, and it can be a confusing experience,” laughs Eve.

“And it’s worth it! It’s worth it because you have something to talk about, you have a story to tell.”

A magical wizard selling ‘Mad Arab’ beard oil and making enchanting music in Garden Place.

Meet Macaila: The Face behind the Fringe

‘So who the heck is running the show?’ I hear you plead. The director and lead co-ordinator of the Fringe Festival 2019 is a hard-working local wahine toa, Macaila Eve.

‘Born and bred’ in Hamilton, Macaila has spent most of her life pursuing the creative outlets locally available. Apart from spending a year in Melbourne and travelling around Australia, she has resided in Hamilton for all of her 27 years.

Macaila enjoying a cup of tea during the busy fortnight of festivities.

In her second year of involvement with the Fringe, Macaila took up the director’s chair after the torch needed to be passed on.

Her newfound role has instigated a fresh generation of Fringe enthusiasts and her movement is gaining momentum with the execution of one of the festival’s biggest years yet.

“Beginning of last year [2018] I came on board. They were looking to hand it on to a new team, because the previous crew were a bit burnt out, and I was like, ‘I’ll do it! Pick me!’” she laughs.

Musician and director of the Hamilton Fringe, Macaila Eve, is very passionate about nurturing Hamilton’s arts community.

“Usually when I meet someone and they don’t know what the Fringe is I give them a quick rundown. I’ll say, ‘Well the Fringe started in Scotland, it was a festival run by artists on the fringe of a giant arts festival, which was too hard for emerging artists to get into and also the price of the tickets were really high,” Macaila explains.

Eve has a character with such a bright spark. She is a calm and contagious leader and event manager, as I’ve seen from shadowing her during the festivities. Despite the challenges that the festival faces on an annual basis, her enthusiasm and determination are her strongest secrets.

Macaila helping an interested punter with finding upcoming events in the Fringe programme.

Challenges

“There’s issues with funding. Waikato is vastly underfunded [for the creative arts] which makes it hard to get enough funding to make a project work. The sort of festival that Fringe Festival is, it needs a lot of hours to go into it and we don’t get enough funding to support those hours.

So there’s a large number of volunteer input – and people burn out because it’s unsustainable. Especially if you want to have enough money to live. So, you want to have your part-time job. I mean, you can’t do a full-time job alongside the Fringe – that’s too much.”

Hamiltonians flocking to the goings-on in Garden Place.

“And having enough time for yourself as well to not burn out. That’s probably been the hardest part for me I think, and that ties into the funding aspect – that we are underfunded.

So this year I’ve been looking a lot into sponsorship, and I’ve been trying to learn about sponsorship because I think that’s the only way we can make it a sustainable venture – unless Waikato suddenly gets more funding.”

Macaila, brushing up on her face painting services at the Arts Bazaar and Craft Fair in Garden Place.

“Hamilton City Council is really interesting. We did get some additional funding from them that we hadn’t had in the past, which has been really good. The process of getting funding from them is a lot harder than getting funding from other organisations,” explains Eve.

Those are areas that we really want to activate and bring people to, to make our city feel alive… Feel spontaneous, and thriving and that locals know that there’s art happening. That people want to go into town and be like, ‘What’s on today?’ you know?”

Kids craft station outside Hamilton Central Library during the Arts Bazaar and Craft Fair in Garden Place.

Triumphs

“I didn’t know anything when I started doing this. I’d done a little bit of organising and coordinating, so I had some experience and I’m a natural leader, but I didn’t know how to do anything,” Macaila says.

“I learnt how to do funding applications, I’ve been learning about sponsorship. So I think triumphs for me have been doing a funding application and getting funded. For me that’s a real personal triumph, and it means our festival can keep going – which is really cool.”

La Catrina Son System ‘Day of the Dead’ performers, asked the audience for a photo before they return home to Mexico.

“Having community support – having people tell you that they’re really excited about the festival. Knowing that it has value for our community and supports our artists. I think those are probably the biggest triumphs in my books.”

“We have had a large amount of positive feedback from audiences. Last year a passing CitySafe officer said, ‘this is exactly what Hamilton needs’, and this year (after the dance inside the public bathrooms of Centre Place), someone said…”

Mother and son enjoying the activities on offer in a sunny Garden Place.

Plans for the future

“We’ve got someone who was on the committee last year who’s taken the year off because she had a baby, and she’s pretty keen to be the coordinator next year.

I think she’ll do a fabulous job, so the plan at the moment is to hand it over to her to be the director while I help out from the sidelines… and hopefully she can figure out a way to get paid for it!” laughs Macaila.

Fringe committee member Chris Batterton, enjoying the atmosphere at the Art Bazaar and Craft Fair in Garden Place.

“At the moment I’d just really like to have enough time to focus on my own projects as well, which I can’t do alongside the Fringe – it’s too much work alongside a job as well.

So next year, focus back on my music, get an album out there. I want to publish a children’s story. Those are my plans.” she says with a smile.

“It’s been really interesting! I’ve met a lot of really great people. I’ve met a lot of important and interesting people in our art community and I really value that.”

Aerial performer Sugarman wows a sold-out audience at The Meteor Theatre.

So, why is the Fringe Festival important?

“Putting on an arts event can be very daunting and anxiety-provoking, especially for someone who has not done it before. Doing it as part of our festival gives a framework of emotional, technical, and marketing support, as well as additional gear sometimes,” Eve explains.

Musician XXSSY performing at the Femininera event at De Stylez Cafe & Recording Studio.

“A few of the artists mentioned how the wider marketing of the festival has helped their niche arts events to gain larger audiences. And many mentioned the brand of Fringe, the freedom of their art (or event) being accepted as ‘good enough’ or ‘art enough’.

Others mentioned how the Fringe brand encouraged them to think outside of the box, coming up with a concept a bit more weird, zany and unique than they otherwise might have done.”

Want to jump on board?

The Fringe Trust is looking for new trustees, committee members and crew for 2020, Macaila explains.

“We really need some people keen to take on the Trust. The roles within do not have to be large time takers, but it needs people committed to Hamilton – and Hamilton’s art scene and the ethos of Fringe…

If we do not find people willing to commit, the Hamilton Fringe will be deleted.”

Good George was one of many sponsors of the Hamilton Fringe Festival this year.

The Fringe’s success this year proves to the prudes that our quirky arts folk are valued, and more people are wanting to engage with Hamilton’s creative scene – but perhaps more visibility is to be desired.

This can be achieved with more funding. More enthusiastic team members. More support from Council. More awareness of what is happening in our city.

The creative scene is out there and it’s thriving. But it needs to be nurtured, appreciated and supported – otherwise it will choose to flourish elsewhere.

Please email the Fringe team for more info here info@hamiltonfringe.co.nz

A gorgeous November day for a craft fair in Garden Place.

Please email the Fringe team for more info here: info@hamiltonfringe.co.nz