IT’S ALMOST TIME FOR DURHAM FRINGE 2026

OUR SIXTH FESTIVAL RETURNS 29 JULY – 2 AUGUST WITH 140+ SHOWS ACROSS 11 VENUES

VOLUNTEER IN 2026

THE ACADEMY

TICKET INFO

Harriet Kemsley: Work In Progress

Presented as part of Durham Fringe Festival, in collaboration with Gala Durham 

Following her eye-opening appearance on the first series of Last One Laughing UK, multi-award winning stand-up comedian Harriet Kemsley tries out new material in this work in progress show. As seen and heard on Live at the Apollo, Would I Lie to You?, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and co-host of the wildly successful Single Ladies In Your Area podcast, Harriet has been described by Time Out as ‘a very funny rising star’ and as one of Rhod Gilbert’s ‘Ten Comics to See’ in the Mail on Sunday.

Age restriction: 14+

Tickets: £15* (Available via Gala Durham website)

*Tickets to Harriet Kemsley’s show are not part of our Discover Durham Fringe ticket bundle deal

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Durham Fringe has been proud partners of @durhamuniversity since our first festival in 2021. Just a week away from our sixth festival, we're taking a moment to celebrate this partnership. "From selling 2,250 tickets in 21 to a projected 10,000 in 2026, the Durham Fringe has grown with Durham University's support. " We've been able to access historic, iconic spaces, such as Palace Green, the Department of Music Concert Hall, and the Fellows' Garden as a new venue this year. We have also had opportunities to better connect with students. The partnership showcase some incredible venues to the wider community and enables growth and diversity for us as a not-for-profit volunteer-led organisation." - Dr Stephen Cronin, Festival Director 📷 Photo by @expectmiracles.photography
Folk, Jazz, Rock & Roll. Choirs, A Capella, Community Groups. Yet with those descriptions, we haven't even scratched the surface! We have the most diverse range of live music at this year's Durham Fringe. Whatever your tastes, there is something on the lineup to enjoy. Get your tickets booked! Head to the link in our bio to secure yours now.
Find classic plays, original stories, and surprising retellings of familiar stories. We would say this, but the range of theatre at this year's festival is absolutely amazing! And for the lovers of high-energy drama, there's nothing that matches cabaret. The three shows we have you are guaranteed to dazzle. Explore the full lineup through our website & book in advance to avoid disappointment. Find the links to explore each genre in our bio. Photo by @johnlyons99 of Sherlock Holmes, returning for another year!
In just over two weeks, you can catch some incredible dance, circus and theatre on Durham Fringe's stages! Whether you're looking for a 👯👯👯👯 Large cast performances, 💫 An intimate and thought-provoking piece 🪩 A high-energy spectacle One of our shows is sure to deliver. Your choices at Durham Fringe 2026 are: Acroflex Acrobatic Academy (6+) Blind Dating (18+) Dance City Presents (6+) Sea Shanties (0+) The Space Between Your Ears (0+) Explore the full line up on our website & book tickets! Find the link in our bio.
A very special week here at Durham Fringe HQ, illustrated in 7 photos. 1️⃣ The Academy has officially opened its doors. This very special place will be a new venue at our 2026 festival, but it will also be our new home, and a space for the performing arts community, for as long as they'll let us stay! 2️⃣ Our first audience at The Academy 😍 Our launch event showcased performance by @ncd_performances @donaldsoncomedy @stevepledgermusic @james_piatt_magician & @alex.redman_ 3️⃣ Special moment for the New College students. They're not able to bring us a show this year but have always been a huge part of Durham Fringe and we look forward to working with them through The Academy 4️⃣ @donaldsoncomedy hosted our launch event and was top tier 🤌 5️⃣ Our mega poster window. We love watching people looking at it 🤩 6️⃣ Freya has been volunteering as a Technician with us for years. She has ambitions of becoming a Stage Designer, so we thought she'd be an excellent person to design The Academy's new windows. They're incredible! 7️⃣ Our first 2026 volunteer induction 🎉 So many happy faces. We are so ready to welcome you to our 6th Fringe. Thank you @pheatre_lover for your photo contributions 😁
Quite the backdrop for a festival. Have you picked up a Durham Fringe programme yet? If you're still deciding on what to see at this year's Fringe, and fancy flicking through the programme to choose, you can pick one up from our venue, The Academy. Our outside rack is available 24/7. We're located at Prince Bishops, between The People's Bookshop and Costa. Just a few weeks left to go!
Magic shows are a real favourite with audiences at Durham Fringe, and we totally get it! Drama, laughs, and unmatched escapism! Choose a show that the whole family will enjoy, or something just for the grown ups. Explore this year's magic shows on our website and book tickets today. Find the link in our bio. 📸 Photo by @johnlyons99
IT'S TIME FOR THE ACADEMY TO LAUNCH 🚀 📅 Thursday 9 July 2026 7pm 🫶 Everyone welcome, whether you're a fringe-fanatic, curious about what we're up to, or you just fancy a fun night out with your friends! Behind the scenes, we've been converting a retail space at @princebishops into a 70-capacity theatre space, cafe-bar and rehearsal space. It's finally time to swing open our doors! The Academy is one of the venues participating in Durham Fringe 2026 (29 July - 2 August), however the venue will remain our home over the next year! We will be bringing more Durham Fringe Presents events and working with various partners to deliver even more performing arts to Durham. What's more, The Academy is not just a venue. It's a space we want to share with anyone who's interesting in learning, making, and thriving in our industry. JOIN US AT OUR LAUNCH 🙌 Book FREE tickets to our official launch party where you'll get to see a lineup of incredible live performances -- music, magic, comedy and more! Find the link in our bio and grab your tickets before they go! The Durham Fringe Academy project is supported using public funding by Arts Council England.
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