The Asheville Fringe Arts festival is the annual multi-day and multiple-venue performing extravaganza that asks artists of all types of genres and media to push their own boundaries and presents original and innovative performance art to a culturally adventurous audience. The festival, celebrating its tenth anniversary, takes place January 19-22 at three feature venues.

Catch the action at BeBe Theatre on Commerce Street, The Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center on Broadway, and on the purple LaZoom Comedy Tour Bus. Artists featured in the BeBe shows will be the ritual theatre collective, Wicked Geisha, and the local favorite puppet group, Red Herring Puppets, among many others. At the BMCM+AC shows, some of the featured artists will be tap dance artist Joe Mohar, the local Eternity Elite Dance Crew, and Whimzik, a unique puppet experience. The LaZoom Bus will make stops at the Flood Gallery Fine Art Center and the Lift Gallery in the River Arts District. Performances will include a circuit-bending toy orchestra, aerialists, butoh movement, experimental and quirky music, and many other art forms.

Started by Asheville Contemporary Dance Theatre’s directors, Susan and Giles Collard, their ambition was to create a festival that would allow all kinds of artists to collaborate and discover new work and to present that work in a setting as interesting as the performances. Many established Asheville performers got their start with the Fringe.

The Asheville Fringe Arts Festival has featured artists from all across the country but the festival’s main goal is to develop and showcase emerging and experienced local artists who are exploring new medias and forms of expressions that are often overlooked in the mainstream of performance in Asheville.

The festival will also feature a closing party at Bobo Gallery for the participating artists, Fringe Freak pass holders, volunteers, staff and festival sponsors. Note that the festival is recommended for mature audiences only.

Tickets for the individual shows at Fringe venues are $12, $10 for students/seniors. An all-access Fringe Freak Pass is available for $25. Individual show tickets and Fringe Freak Passes are available at the BeBe Theatre, 20 Commerce Street in Asheville. Call 828.254.2621 for tickets or visit ashevillefringe.org for more information.