ANNUAL REPORT 25_26

295K 487K $48.3M

ARTRAGE acknowledges the Whadjuk people of the Nyoongar Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and live.

Report from the Chair

The 2025/26 year has been a period of transition, consolidation and future-shaping for ARTRAGE. Under the leadership of the Board and our CEO and Creative Director, Jo Thomas, the organisation has continued to deliver strong outcomes while positioning itself for longterm sustainability and growth.

The Board’s role is to provide clear oversight, strategic direction and stewardship of the organisation’s future. Throughout the year, we have remained focused on ensuring ARTRAGE operates in a way that is mission-aligned, focused on artists and audiences and financially responsible. This includes maintaining a careful balance between creative ambition and the realities of a changing economic environment.

A key priority for the Board has been advocating for organisational stability and sustainable funding. We are pleased to see this work come to fruition with the recent announcement of new multi-year State Government investment in FRINGE WORLD Festival at $4.3 million per annum. This outcome provides critical certainty and enables forward planning, ensuring the Festival can continue to deliver significant cultural, social and economic value for Western Australia.

We extend our sincere thanks to our major government partners — Lotterywest, the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport, and Tourism WA — for their ongoing support. We also acknowledge the City of Perth, with whom ARTRAGE has commenced a new three-year partnership, reinforcing the Festival’s central role in activating and energising the city.

The 2025/26 seasons of FRINGE WORLD Festival and Rooftop Movies once again demonstrated the strength and loyalty of local audiences, alongside growing visitation to Perth. FRINGE WORLD achieved its strongest box office result since 2020, reflecting both strong demand and effective delivery.

Importantly, the Festival continues to play a significant role in driving activity within the city. Additionality — the proportion of attendees who would not have visited the area without the event — increased from 72% in 2025 to 74% in 2026, highlighting its impact on visitation. Audience sentiment remains exceptionally strong, with 97% of respondents agreeing that the Festival contributes to the vibrancy of the city, 96% recognising it as an important part of Perth’s cultural life, and 93% reporting that it creates a safe and welcoming environment.

These outcomes reinforce ARTRAGE’s role not only as a presenter of cultural experiences, but as a key contributor to WA’s social, cultural and economic landscape.

On behalf of the Board, I thank Jo Thomas and the entire ARTRAGE team for their leadership, resilience and commitment over the past year. Their work continues to ensure that ARTRAGE remains a vital force in shaping Western Australia’s cultural future.

CEO/Creative Director Message

Strengthening the Foundations. Expanding the Possibility.

ARTRAGE was born in 1983. We have a simple but powerful belief: art brings people together. More than four decades later, that belief remains unchanged — but the environment in which we operate continues to evolve.

The 2025/26 year has required clarity, discipline and courage.

Across Western Australia and nationally, arts organisations are navigating rising delivery costs, shifting funding landscapes and increasing expectations around accessibility, sustainability and social impact. At the same time, audiences are returning with renewed appetite for connection, and artists are seeking platforms that are both brave and sustainable.

In response, ARTRAGE has focused not only on what we present, but on what we are building.

Our 2025–2028 Strategic Plan articulates five Building Blocks that will strengthen the organisation from the inside out. This Impact Report reflects how those foundations are taking shape.

Build the Art

We begin where we must: with the art.

This year, we sharpened our programming priorities across FRINGE WORLD, Rooftop Movies and our emerging initiatives to ensure that artistic diversity, accessibility and authenticity remain central. We expanded pathways for WA artists, strengthened our focus on creating and presenting new Australian work, and continued to balance open access opportunity with curated excellence.

The art remains the heart — but it is now supported by clearer programming intent and stronger structural alignment.

Build Our Home

ARTRAGE is embedded in Perth and Western Australia. Our “home” is not just a venue; it is the cultural ecosystem we activate.

We deepened relationships with venue partners, presenters and institutions, recognising that collaboration strengthens the whole sector. We advanced conversations around permanent and public space infrastructure to meet the needs of the next generation of artists and audiences. We renewed our focus on building audiences, including interstate and international audiences; and we also progressed our Climate Culture initiatives, ensuring that growth does not come at the expense of responsibility.

In a rapidly changing city, ARTRAGE continues to play a role in shaping Perth as a vibrant, creative and welcoming place.

Build Our Team

Extraordinary public experiences are built by dedicated people behind the scenes.

This year, we strengthened recruitment processes, invested in skills development and embedded a more structured approach to organisational culture and wellbeing.

Our aim is not simply to retain staff, but to create an environment where creativity and operational excellence can coexist, where knowledge is preserved, new leaders are nurtured and culture is intentional.

Build Our Business

Sustainability requires discipline.

We maintained strong fiscal oversight while seeking to diversify income streams through philanthropy, partnerships and commercial growth. We strengthened systems and processes, and progressed technology improvements and cost efficiencies.

In an uncertain financial environment, resilience is not accidental - it is designed.

Build Our Board

Strong governance underpins bold creativity.

Our Board continues to evolve through skills-based recruitment, succession planning and policy review, ensuring ARTRAGE is supported by contemporary governance practice. The refreshed Board and Committee structure provide both oversight and strategic guidance as we look toward 2027 and beyond.

ARTRAGE

ARTRAGE is one of Western Australia’s oldest and most prominent arts organisations. ARTRAGE has developed and presented numerous key cultural events and festivals that enrich and evolve the culture of Western Australia. ARTRAGE produces FRINGE WORLD Festival and Rooftop Movies, as well as other initiatives and projects annually.

FRINGE WORLD Festival 2026

FRINGE WORLD Festival is the largest activity operated by ARTRAGE. The festival is Perth’s massively popular open-access multi-arts festival that is enjoyed annually by hundreds of thousands of people and is one of the largest avenues through which Western Australians actively participate in the cultural life of the State.

FRINGE WORLD Festival 2026 was held from 21 January to 15 February and attracted an outstanding 487,416 attendees across free and ticketed events.

Rooftop Movies 2025-2026

On a rooftop oasis in the heart of Northbridge, ARTRAGE presents Rooftop Movies. With a program that includes cult classics and new releases, audiences can kick back and enjoy a film against the backdrop of the Perth city skyline.

The Rooftop Movies season ran from 29 October 2025 to 22 March 2026.

487.4k Total Attendance at ARTRAGE Events 192.1k Free Attendances at ARTRAGE Events 68

Net Promoter Score

97% Agree that they enjoyed the vibrancy and activity of FRINGE WORLD Festival 295.2k

Ticketed Attendances at ARTRAGE Events $152.9 Million Multiplied Economic Impact

96% Positive Overall Experience

96% Agree

FRINGE WORLD Festival provides an important addition to the cultural life of the area

Year at a Glance

Summary from the Executive Leadership Team

Head of Corporate Services, Elliott Brannen

The Corporate Services portfolio this year focused on strengthening ARTRAGE’s organisational foundations through improved governance, financial resilience, operational systems and long-term capability building. Across finance, IT, compliance and organisational policy, the priority has been ensuring ARTRAGE is equipped not only to support current operations, but to sustain future growth and increasing operational complexity.

ARTRAGE remains in a strong financial position, underpinned by a deliberate strategy to diversify revenue and strengthen earned income streams. Ticketing, food and beverage sales and other earned income activities now represent more than 70% of total organisational revenue, reinforcing the organisation’s ability to generate significant self-sustaining income while continuing to deliver substantial public cultural outcomes.

Significant investment was made in improving internal systems and customer experience throughout the year. The implementation of a new payment gateway, Stripe, introduced Apple and Google Wallet functionality, improved transaction processing speeds and enhanced customer conversion rates. ARTRAGE also transitioned to new accounting and payroll systems, establishing a contemporary financial administration framework designed to support greater efficiency, scalability and organisational transparency.

Governance and compliance remained key organisational priorities. During the year, ARTRAGE undertook a comprehensive review and update of organisational policies across privacy, human resources and general terms and conditions, while also developing a formal review schedule to ensure governance frameworks remain current and responsive over time. The organisation also participated in the Culture for Climate Research project in partnership with Griffith University’s Performance + Ecology Research Lab (P+ERL), helping build internal capability and awareness around sustainability practices and environmental responsibility within the arts sector.

Across IT and digital systems, the focus remained on maintaining fit-for-purpose infrastructure while effectively managing organisational and cybersecurity risk. A major achievement this year was the development of a new software platform to manage payments to FRINGE WORLD artists and venues, significantly improving processing workflows and enabling funds to be distributed faster than in previous years. ARTRAGE also successfully maintained PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) compliance through the annual certification process, ensuring continued adherence to industry best practice in payment security and data protection.

Together, these outcomes reflect an organisation continuing to mature operationally and financially, while investing in the systems, governance and infrastructure required to support long-term cultural impact and sustainable growth.

Head of Development, Georgia Clark

ARTRAGE’s Development portfolio continued to strengthen the organisation’s long-term sustainability and strategic reach through strong partner retention, diversified revenue growth, and deeper engagement across government, corporate and philanthropic sectors. Amid a challenging economic environment, ARTRAGE maintained a 100% sponsorship retention rate, reflecting enduring confidence in the organisation and its impacts.

We also secured a number of significant new partnerships that expand both audience reach and sector collaboration. Western Australian technology company Pentanet joined as a new sponsor, supporting the Pentanet Fast Lane activation across FRINGE WORLD hubs and strengthening the festival’s connection with WA-based innovation and enterprise. A new partnership with the Arts and Culture Trust, further diversified ARTRAGE’s support base with new accommodation partner Oaks Perth Hotel, providing direct support to artists through discounted accommodation opportunities.

Government investment remained a critical foundation of ARTRAGE’s impact and future growth. Tourism WA supported marketing initiatives designed to drive visitation to Western Australia through FRINGE WORLD, reinforcing the festival’s growing role as a major cultural tourism asset for the State. Multi-year funding support from the City of Perth for 2026–2028 and ongoing investment from the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport further affirmed ARTRAGE’s strategic importance within Perth’s cultural and economic landscape. Continued support from Lotterywest as Principal Partner also remained instrumental in ensuring accessible cultural experiences for broad and diverse audiences.

Alongside funding and partnerships, ARTRAGE continued to deepen audience and stakeholder engagement. The 2026 Opening Party welcomed more than 1,000 FRINGE WORLD supporters, including strong representation from government, corporate, philanthropic and cultural sectors, reinforcing the festival’s role as a key civic and business gathering point for Western Australia’s creative industries. Increased engagement across LinkedIn also strengthened stakeholder communication and visibility, supporting more consistent connection with industry, government and business audiences.

Philanthropic engagement continued to grow throughout the year, including new Foundation support from the Ungar Family Foundation aligned with WA Stars, helping strengthen pathways for emerging Western Australian artists. This work was further supported through the development of the The Next Act Fund offering support to artists creating and presenting new Australian work.

ARTRAGE also formalised a new Corporate Engagement Strategy and Event Plan to strengthen partner relationships and create meaningful opportunities for stakeholder connection throughout the year. Key events including the Rooftop Movies Opening Night, FRINGE WORLD Program Launch, Opening Party, Partner Sundowner, Member Mixer, and Awards Ceremony created valuable touchpoints for engagement across government, business, philanthropy and the broader creative sector.

Together, these outcomes reflect a Development portfolio focused not only on revenue growth, but on building enduring relationships, expanding cultural participation, and strengthening the long-term sustainability and impact of ARTRAGE and FRINGE WORLD.

Head of Production and Operations, Katie Dixon

Throughout 2025–2026, the Production and Operations teams played a critical role in delivering the complex infrastructure, logistics and operational systems underpinning ARTRAGE’s major programs, including FRINGE WORLD and Rooftop Movies. Working across multiple venues, sites and publicfacing environments, the teams ensured the safe, efficient and high-quality delivery of experiences for artists, audiences, partners and stakeholders across Perth.

The scale and complexity of operations continued to grow, with activity delivered across major sites — The Pleasure Garden, State Theatre Centre, Liberty Theatre and Rooftop Movies — encompassing nine performance venues, seven food vendors and eight bars. To support this extensive footprint, the team coordinated significant temporary infrastructure including 15 forty-foot storage containers, 20 twenty-foot storage containers, 19 artist dressing rooms and six operational site offices, ensuring venues remained functional, compliant and responsive throughout the season.

Operational delivery extended well beyond infrastructure installation, encompassing production planning, contractor coordination, venue operations, safety management, workforce supervision and continuous refinement of systems and workflows. The team also supported the ongoing evolution of FRINGE WORLD hubs and activations across both traditional and non-traditional performance spaces, enabling artists and audiences to engage with the festival in dynamic and accessible ways throughout the city.

A strong focus on safety, wellbeing and risk management remained central to operations across all ARTRAGE activities. Across FRINGE WORLD, Rooftop Movies and office operations, 150 incident reports were managed and resolved through established operational and safety frameworks.

The successful delivery of these large-scale operations was supported by a substantial seasonal workforce and contractor network, including 62 Front of House staff, 71 volunteers, 33 build and site crew personnel, and 37 hire and contractor companies. Continued investment in training, coordination and operational systems ensured teams were equipped to manage high-volume public environments while maintaining positive audience and artist experiences.

Sustainability and operational efficiency also remained key priorities throughout the year. ARTRAGE continued to embed practical environmental initiatives across festival operations, including the use of LED lighting across venues and event sites, synchronised generators to reduce fuel consumption, and an ongoing partnership with Bettercup to minimise waste associated with beverage service. Operational teams also focused on reducing onsite consumables and fuel usage while prioritising the reuse, refurbishment and refinement of existing infrastructure assets wherever possible. This included significant maintenance and improvement works such as repainting the façade of the Lotterywest Spiegeltent to extend the lifespan and presentation of key festival infrastructure.

Looking ahead, ARTRAGE will continue to refine operational models to support financial sustainability, audience experience and long-term organisational resilience. Key priorities include exploring opportunities to decrease food and beverage pricing to maintain accessibility for audiences, expanding free onsite programming, and introducing a dedicated groundskeeper role to support the management of increasingly complex green sites. The organisation also remains committed to strengthening workforce capability through expanded staff training and development initiatives.

Head of Artist & Audience Services, Tiffany Creasey

In 2026, FRINGE WORLD reaffirmed its position as the third largest Fringe festival in the world and a cornerstone of Western Australia’s cultural and tourism landscape.

This year also marked an important strategic evolution for the Festival, with ARTRAGE transitioning from a five-weekend to a four-weekend model. This change reflected a deliberate focus on longterm sustainability and improved outcomes for artists, audiences and staff. By shifting further away from the Christmas period, the revised timing better supported workforce availability while reducing pressure associated with peak-season travel and accommodation costs for artists and visitors.

The Festival’s diverse and accessible program continued to attract broad and engaged audiences, with theatre, circus, comedy, music, cabaret, dance, children’s programming, visual arts, walking tours and immersive experiences activating venues and public spaces across Perth. Audience engagement across digital platforms remained exceptionally strong, generating more than 10 million views across the FRINGE WORLD website and app.

Children’s programming remained a key strategic priority, with 40 events presented for young audiences and families. Alongside the continued popularity of The Pleasure Garden, families were drawn into the city through programming at venues including the State Theatre Centre, Planet Royale and Perth Town Hall. It was particularly encouraging to see Western Australian artists developing work specifically for babies and toddlers, recognising that engagement with arts and culture begins from the earliest stages of life.

Partnerships continued to play a central role in expanding the Festival’s reach and impact. A new partnership with the Arts and Culture Trust supported the delivery of FRINGE WORLD programming within the State Theatre Centre, while The Blue Room Theatre’s Summer Nights program continued to champion bold and contemporary independent practice. Human Entertainment by local artist Noah Skape received the Festival’s highest honour, the Martin Sims Award, highlighting the strength and originality of Western Australian creative talent.

ARTRAGE also continued to work closely with an extensive network of independent venues and local cultural partners across Perth and beyond with the Festival’s reach extending well beyond traditional performance venues, activating spaces including Cockburn Youth Centre, Kalamunda Hotel and even the Decoy Paddle Steamer. The expansion of suburban Fringe hubs also continued, with FringeConnect Stirling launching at Scarborough Sports & Community Club in partnership with the City of Stirling.

Supporting artists and strengthening creative career pathways remained central to ARTRAGE’s purpose. In 2026, 48% of all works presented at FRINGE WORLD were created in Western Australia, demonstrating the Festival’s critical role in supporting local creative practice. Touring Awards continued to prioritise new Western Australian work, helping local artists access national and international touring opportunities.

The Festival also welcomed delegates from major festivals and organisations including Adelaide Fringe, Melbourne Fringe, Sydney Fringe, San Diego Fringe, QTOPIA Sydney and Baltic Nordic Fringe. Their presence created meaningful opportunities for artists — particularly those based in Western Australia — to build industry relationships, develop touring pathways and connect with broader national and international creative networks.

Rooftop Movies once again returned to Northbridge as one of Perth’s most loved summer cultural experiences. Running from October through to March, the season combined blockbuster films, cult favourites and independent cinema against the backdrop of the Perth skyline, now framed by the city’s evolving cultural precinct including the new ECU development. Beyond film screenings, Rooftop Movies continued to expand its role as a social and community gathering space through partnerships and activations including yoga events, themed screenings and community-led experiences that encouraged audiences to engage with the city in new ways.

We are incredibly proud of ARTRAGE’s ongoing contribution to Perth’s cultural identity, creative economy and community life — supporting artists, attracting audiences, activating venues and public spaces, and reinforcing Western Australia’s reputation as a vibrant and globally connected cultural destination.

Awards & Recognition Impact stories

ARTRAGE has been recognised at the 2025 Perth Airport WA Tourism Awards, with FRINGE WORLD and Rooftop Movies taking home awards in their respective categories.

FRINGE WORLD Festival received the big GOLD in the Major Festivals & Events Category.

Rooftop Movies received Silver in the Festivals & Events Category, and went on to represent the State at the Australian Tourism Awards.

ARTRAGE exists to create moments of connection, belonging, and possibility. We bring people together to share stories, celebrate creativity, and experience the transformative power of the arts. Every ticket purchased, artist supported, and audience member welcomed helps build a more vibrant and inclusive community. We create pathways for artists to be seen and heard, helping them turn ambitious ideas into reality.

“Because of this funding, I wasn’t just able to put on a show, I was able to build a future for it. I now have the foundation I need to take my story on tour and keep it growing.”

— Kelly Lim Harris, Yellow Fever: An Original Musical Cabaret

“Funding is not just about the money for us artists. It enables us to create work that reflects our society and have conversations with people who have never felt seen or heard before… Funding is critical to the success of works, and most times is the reason a production that challenges our perceptions can or can’t occur.”

— Lea Šimić, The Šimić Theatre Co.

“FRINGE WORLD has become a cornerstone of Western Australia’s arts scene and part of the fabric of Perth’s summer - helping to support local businesses and generate millions for the local economy.

“The diverse program gives Western Australians the opportunity to experience a wide array of performances, as well as providing a fantastic platform for artists to showcase their talents and connect with a broad audience.

Audience Reach

94.18% of ticketed attendees were from Western Australia.

93% of ticketed attendees were from Western Australia.

WA customers purchased 272,602 tickets, contributing more than $9.9 million in ticket sales.

WA audiences purchased 257,252 tickets.

Customer Breakdown Report: WA, Interstate and International Audiences (2024–2026)

The data highlights FRINGE WORLD’s continued success in expanding audience reach beyond Western Australia, with particularly strong acceleration in interstate and international customer growth in 2026. While WA customer growth remained steady, interstate customers increased by 31.1% and international customers rebounded significantly with 38.0% growth, reflecting growing national and global engagement with the festival.

Customer Breakdown by Year

Key Insights

WA Customers continue to represent the majority of FRINGE WORLD attendees, increasing steadily from 61,499 in 2024 to 66,233 in 2026. This represents an increase of 7.7% growth over the three-year period.

Interstate Customers showed the strongest proportional growth, rising from 817 customers in 2024 to 1,113 customers in 2026. This reflects a significant 31.1% increase, demonstrating growing national engagement with the festival.

International Customers increased from 419 in 2024 to 527 in 2026, representing 38% growth overall. While there was a slight decline in 2025, international attendance rebounded strongly in 2026.

Year-on-Year

Growth

- 2026.

FW aims to engage with the widest diversity of population possible and is growing a loyal return audience alongside a new audience.

Highest Performing Postcodes in 2026

The breadth of postcode engagement reinforces FRINGE WORLD’s role as a statewide cultural event with significant community reach.

1

8,551 tickets

6018 – Doubleview, Innaloo, Karrinyup, Woodlands

2

8,424 tickets

6163 – Coolbellup, Hamilton Hill, Spearwood, Hilton

3

7,307 tickets 6000 – Perth

4

6,895 tickets

6164 – Atwell, Cockburn Central, Hammond Park

5

6,145 tickets 6019 – Scarborough, Wembley Downs

Financial Overview

In 2025–26, ARTRAGE continued to prioritise investment in artistic outcomes, with Artist Fees representing 43.7% of total expenditure - the highest proportion across the past four years. This reflects the organisation’s ongoing commitment to supporting artists and delivering high-quality programming during FRINGE WORLD.

People Expenditure remained steady at 25.6%, while Venue Expenditure decreased to 16.8%, demonstrating improved operational efficiencies and effective resource management.

Marketing investment remained strong at 6.4%, supporting audience development and engagement activities across the organisation’s programs.

Administration costs reduced to 4.9%, highlighting ARTRAGE’s focus on maintaining lean and sustainable operations.

The unaudited 2026 revenue outcome of $10.91 million confirms the festival’s ongoing economic contribution and financial sustainability, with the 2025–26 expenditure profile reflecting a strategic balance between artistic investment, audience growth, and long-term financial stability.

Ticketed Artist Fees Venue Expenditure Administration Expenditure

$152.9 million

$8,340,880 Monies paid to artists and venues

298,288 192,128

million

337 full time employees 253 contractors 86 volunteers

to financial reports and annual reports.

OUR TEAM

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM

Jo Thomas CEO & Creative Director

Elliott Brannen Head of Corporate Services

Georgia Clark Head of Development

Katie Anne Dixon Head of Production & Operations

Tiffany Creasey Head of Artist & Audience Services

DEVELOPMENT

Judita Csirkova Partnerships Manager

Lauren Brunswick Business Development Manager

Amilia Bakhtiar Development Coordinator

MARKETING

Anjali Bhogal Brand & Marketing Manager Ava Doherty Digital & Communications Lead

Sophie Oates Designer (Brand & Campaign)

PROGRAMMING

Jasmin Walker Artist & Audience Services Manager

Courtney Meagher Managing Producer (Parental Leave)

Luke Cowling Managing Producer

Ariana Katscherian Producer

Isabelle Stonehouse Program Coordinator

TICKETING & AUDIENCE SUPPORT

Jaz Thomas Box Office & Audience Support Manager

Jessica Grant Senior Ticketing Coordinator

OPERATIONS

Chloe Connolly Operations Manager

Maddi Asquith Operations Coordinator

Tim Slack Food & Beverage Coordinator

Liz Markham Front of House Coordinator

EVENTS

Matt Schild Events Manager

Maisie Cottingham Senior Designer & Signage Lead

Kate Brennan Senior Logistics Coordinator

Tess Sandford Facilities Coordinator

TECHNICAL

Oscar Van Gass Technical Manager

Jesse Smith Senior Technical Coordinator

IT & SYSTEMS

Amir Barber-Skwarko IT & Systems Manager

Alyssia Salmon Systems Analyst

Adam Dance Senior IT Coordinator

Matthew Taggart Web Developer

Matthew Henderson-Kelly IT Support

Jake Turner Polt IT Support

Ben Baronowitz IT Support

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT/HUMAN RESOURCES

Alexis Sideris HR Manager

Verity Bennett Business & Office Manager

Gigi Solomon Administrative Support Officer

FINANCE

Katherine O’Neill Senior Accountant

Veera Njo Assistant Accountant

LOOKING FORWARD

The work of this year has not been about expansion for its own sake. It has been about alignment. Alignment between art and audience; and ambition and sustainability.

We remain committed to creating spaces where artists and audiences share extraordinary experiences. But we are equally committed to ensuring the structures that support those experiences are robust, adaptable and futurefocused.

The next chapter for ARTRAGE will be defined not only by what we present, but by what we continue to build.

All for art. Art for all.

THANK YOU!