Our Story
About us and what we do
Vancouver Fringe Theatre Society (VFTS)
The Vancouver Fringe Theatre Society was formed in 1983 with a mission to produce ‘theatre for everyone’ in Vancouver and beyond. The society initiated its first Fringe Festival in 1985, which over 35 years later, has gone on to become the largest theatre festival in BC. Since then, Vancouver Fringe is proud to have established itself as a leading force in the BC arts community, and a permanent fixture in Vancouver’s annual events calendar.
The Fringe employs an ‘everyone is welcome’ selection technique. Each year, applicants are thrown into a lottery draw geared at providing all artists, from novice to veteran, equal chance to participate. The Fringe strives to break down traditional boundaries and encourages open dialogue between audiences and artists by presenting live un-juried, uncurated theatre in an accessible and informal environment. All artists receive 100% of regular box office revenues generated during the Festival.
The Fringe revels in its identity as half theatre/half party, with artists, audiences, and volunteers alike invited to take part in an array of live music and performances. The Fringe also features some of Vancouver’s best theatre venues, including the Revue Stage, Performance Works, and Waterfront Theatre – all situated on and around the city’s cultural and creative hub, Granville Island. The ‘Bring Your Own Venue’ (BYOV) category uniquely allows artists to stage original work in unconventional places, including site-specific locations both indoors and out.
Regardless of location, the Fringe has always embodied a passion for entertainment without boundaries, and today sees visitor numbers in excess of 40,000, facilitated by over 500 volunteers that graciously support the Society in making its mission a reality.
Vancouver Fringe Theatre Society is a registered not-for-profit charitable society (Charitable Tax No. #11891 9547 RR0001).
Help shape our future
Vancouver Fringe Annual General Meeting (AGM)
A requirement of its status as a Society, Vancouver Fringe hosts an Annual General Meeting each year, bringing together the full Board of Directors, operational staff, and members of the public to recap the previous year’s key areas of activity, its latest financial statements, and discuss new approaches for the organization in the year ahead.
All interested parties are welcome to attend this event, with those holding a Festival Pass from the year’s most recent Festival eligible to vote on proposed changes.
This year’s AGM will take place in July 2023 (location & time TBC). Further details will be released and emailed to Festival Pass holders in advance of the event.
AGM Reference Documents 2023 (Coming Soon)
AGM Agenda
2022 AGM Minutes
Proposed By-Law Changes