Sydney Fringe Is Launching a Massive New Warehouse Festival Hub

Sydney Fringe doesn't start until September, but it's never too early to start building the hype. Turns out the folks behind New South Wales' largest independent arts festival have big plans for 2017, starting with a massive new festival hub in a warehouse opposite Sydney Park in Alexandria.

The 7000 square metre hub will be made possible thanks to a major new corporate partnership with local property developer HPG. The project is still pending final approvals, but will hopefully be up and running by later this month. Once completed, the hub will feature multiple performance and exhibition spaces, installations, and immersive art experiences. It will also play host to monthly events in the lead up to the festival.

The programmers have also teased a number of events in this year's lineup. The Kensington Street Festival Village will be bustling all September long, and will be home to a pair of pop-up performance venues specialising in theatre and comedy. Cirque Africa, featuring 38 performers from six African countries backed by a live African band, will make its Sydney premier following a blockbuster run at Adelaide Fringe. Meanwhile, Digital Dinner will serve up an "immersive digital dining experience" incorporating food, art, music, installations and digital media.

As in previous years, emerging artists will be featured heavily in the 2017 Fringe program, with more than 60 percent of the works on offer created by artists under the age of 30.

The full Sydney Fringe program will be revealed in August. The festival will run from September 1-30. For more information visit www.sydneyfringe.com.