For six years, the Durham Fringe Festival has brought independent performance to the heart of Durham City — a celebration of creativity, risk-taking, and connection. The festival has grown rapidly, and we sold over 10,000 tickets in 2026. This was a huge milestone for our independent, volunteer-led event.

Our contribution to the local arts scene has led us to identify an urgent need for year-round support for performing arts professionals in Durham, the North East, and indeed further afield.

This summer, we have launched The Academy, a new performing arts venue in the heart of Durham City. Located on High Street at Prince Bishops Place, The Academy offers a ground-floor black-box theatre space with a seated capacity of 70. A large, flat stage is perfect for a huge range of performances including theatre, music, magic, comedy, and more. It's also the perfect space for small conference-style events. 

Upstairs, the venue has a very large, open plan space, perfectly suited for rehearsals. 

The venue is now available for hire, whether you need to use it as a performance space or for classes, rehearsals or meetings. Get in touch at [email protected] for availability and pricing information.

Many talented people want to bring live performance to the stage, but face barriers — from finding affordable rehearsal space and technical know-how, to understanding funding, marketing, and production. The Durham Fringe Academy (DFA) is our answer: a practical, inclusive and welcoming hub where artists, producers and technicians can learn, make, and thrive. Durham Fringe Academy is multifaceted, with an online provision that is complemented by in-person activities, based from our new venue.

We aim to support performing artists, producers and technicians at every stage — from their first creative spark to becoming established professionals — by offering space, skills, networks, and opportunities all year round.