Melbourne Fringe Festival is set to enjoy a bit of a shake-up before it returns for its 37th edition this September, with a new home and a few surprises up its sleeve. The city's long-running multi-arts festival will unveil a new central hub for its broad-ranging program of events, settling into Carlton's soon-to-be renovated Trades Hall building. And, in an effort to extend those Fringe vibes well outside its typical two-and-a-half weeks in spring, the festival's also launching a year-round bar and gig venue, taking over the Trades Hall space once home to Bella Union. Called the Festival Hub and Club, it'll be a place where you can catch a gig, enjoy a drink and soak up some of the best of Melbourne's arts scene. Ultimately, it'll get a workout up to six or seven nights a week, playing host to a diverse lineup of comedy, cabaret, dance parties, spoken word and live, independent music — programming Melbourne Fringe Creative Director and CEO Simon Abrahams says will reflect the spirit of Fringe, year round. We'll get a sneak peek of this new venue during Fringe's 2019 run, before it launches properly in November, with a little help from Andrew McClelland's beloved fortnightly dance party, Finishing School. [caption id="attachment_636849" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Melbourne Fringe by Theresa Harrison.[/caption] The move to Trades Hall is key to Fringe's continued focus on access, diversity and inclusion. It's giving the building a makeover and installing internal lifts to create a dynamic and accessible space, which will show off its new look when it plays host to a good chunk of the festival's 450-plus events this September. Previous North Melbourne hub sites including the Town Hall and Lithuanian Club will still get a look-in, hosting an abbreviated program of Fringe events. Melbourne Fringe Festival returns from September 12–29, 2019. The Festival Hub and Club will launch in November.