Totnes Fringe Festival 2025 smashes expectations with 85% seat occupancy, sell-out shows, national buzz, and community spirit

The first-ever Totnes Fringe Festival exceeded all expectations, marking a transformative moment for the arts in South Devon.

Organised in record time and powered entirely by donations from local residents and businesses, the festival drew audiences from across the UK and Europe to 67 performances across 11 venues, resulting in a remarkable 85% average seat occupancy, with 13 shows completely sold out.

The Green Knight one of the 67 shows at the Totnes Fringe Festival 

This is in stark contrast to the Arts Council’s typical average of 33% for small-scale fringe events. In an area that does not have a permanent theatre, and where access to performance has been drastically reduced following Dartington’s withdrawal from its arts and creative programmes, Totnes Fringe Festival proved not only that demand for live, experimental and diverse theatre is thriving, but that the town is ready to become a hub for new companies, bold work, and inclusive cultural access.

What began as a grassroots response has quickly become a catalyst for long-term creative regeneration.

Danielle McIlven, Director of Totnes Fringe Festival said: “We’re absolutely thrilled with the success of this year’s festival. In a time when the arts are facing devastating funding cuts, the resilience, passion, and sheer brilliance of our artists has been nothing short of inspiring. This year’s programme proved that independent theatre not only survives — it thrives. The response from audiences has been overwhelming, and it’s a powerful reminder of how vital grassroots creativity is to the cultural health of our communities.”

The Library Bar at the Barrel House is turned into a Box Office and hub for the Totnes Fringe Festival

Venues across the town, from pop-up performance spaces to heritage landmarks like Totnes Castle and the Totnes Museum (housed in a Grade I-listed building dating back to 1575), welcomed hundreds of curious, generous, and adventurous audience members, many of whom discovered venues and shows by chance and left as devoted fans.

Tracie Gillies, Events and Programming Director at The Barrel House Ballroom commented: “What an overwhelming success the inaugural Totnes Fringe Festival was! Such a pleasure for us to participate as a venue.  We were blown away by the performances that took to the stage of our ballroom and we loved transforming our downstairs Library Bar into the festival box office and hub. And, it was an absolute honour to work with such a dedicated festival team.

"I have no doubt the Totnes Fringe Festival is going to grow from strength to strength.“ 

Cat The Play one of 67 shows at the Totnes Fringe Festival

Totnes Fringe didn’t just host performance, it sparked it. Many artists premiered new work at the festival - “It was the premiere for our show, as well as my first theatre festival in the UK and it was the perfect start,” said a cast member of ‘Be Gay For God’s Sake’ and there were many new pieces created by local artists. International and local artists shared stages, exchanged ideas, and formed exciting new collaborations. Poets, puppeteers, dancers, comedians, musicians, storytellers and children shared their skills with open-minded audiences eager to try something different.

Audience members described the thrill of discovery, often attending shows on impulse and coming away moved, inspired, and entertained. “I loved the hidden gems of venues, like the herb garden in the Totnes Museum,” commented one audience member, “and the combination of culture, variety and affordability for people like me on minimum wage.”    

At the heart of the festival was a team of dedicated volunteers, many of whom described the experience as joyful, uplifting, and deeply meaningful. 

“Community-led projects like this have a real impact on wellbeing,” said Susie Hudson, Totnes Fringe Festival Producer. “Working towards a shared goal builds connection, reduces isolation, and boosts confidence. Creativity, purpose, and belonging — it all matters, and it makes a difference.”

Events like Totnes Fringe don’t just entertain — they create space for people to connect, contribute, and thrive. Tony Gee, artist and creator of the Respect Festival which ran for two days at Leechwell Gardens commented: “I have been a working artist in Totnes for 40 years and have created many big community events.

"I have also seen far fewer events get greater financial support. And none have the level of community participation and quality of performance that the Fringe attracted through their collective commitment and expertise. Three words to describe the festival in bringing diverse and excellent theatre to a wide range of venues in Totnes: community, community, community!” 

Plans for Totnes Fringe 2026 are already underway, and the dates booked: July 9 - 12th 2026. With this inaugural success, the Fringe is poised to become an annual celebration and a cornerstone of cultural life in South Devon, supporting the development of local theatre companies, commissioning bold new work, and bringing live performance to people who have been cut off from it for too long.

For more information visit: www.totnesfringe.uk