VENUE GUIDE 2024 If you show doesn’t suit any of our Ventnor Fringe venues please get in touch and we may be able to help find you a suitable space please email artists@vfringe.co.uk Alternatively, if you have already identified another venue in Ventnor that is not part of this guide and you would like to organise independently please tell us in your registration form. Please check our venue Accessibility Info on our website
The Magpie (Part of The Fringe Village) Ventnor Park, Park Avenue - Tented Venue Capacity: 200 The Magpie is a striking black and white tent with a uniquely theatrical atmosphere. It has a raised stage and seating in a thrust layout giving an intimate feel well suited to stand up, improv and other comedy shows as well as cabaret and burlesque. Although there is no copula, a truss frame provides rigging options for aerial acts and there is enough height for small scale circus acts/acrobatics. This venue has a basic lighting rig, but does not offer a full blackout. There is an in-house PA and radio mics available.
The Magpie Plan
The Nest (Part of The Fringe Village) Ventnor Park, Park Avenue - Tented Venue Capacity: 100 The Nest is a charming and festive marquee located in the middle of Ventnor Park, where there is street food, bars and buskers. This year The Nest will be used as a venue specifically for workshops which could include yoga, arts/crafts, drama etc. During all other times it will be open with walls removed, providing additional shade or wet weather cover. There is a small raised stage and acts busking on The Bandstand will relocate here in bad weather.
Flowersbrook Inn (Part of The Fringe Village) Flowersbrook, Steephill Road - Tented Venue Capacity: 100 Seated / 150 Standing A new venue for 2024, located in the Flowersbrook area of the Fringe Village, which this year will host The Big Top, Flowersbrook Inn and a separate bar. There will be a raised stage, full PA and backline, making the venue suitable for both seated and standing concerts, gigs and DJs, as well as stand up comedy.
Ingrams Yard Dudley Road Capacity: 60-80 A new venue for 2024, Ingrams Yard is centred around a courtyard, providing a new social space in the centre of Ventnor where there will be a bar, food and buskers. The building itself is set to be converted over the coming years into a new arts centre, but for the time being will open as a ‘pop up’ venue during the Fringe with a 60-80 seat studio theatre (depending on the stage size required) located on the first floor. The space will offer a full blackout, with raked seating.
St. Catherine’s Church Church Street Capacity: 150 Traditional church with modern features and facilities opposite the festival Box Office Ventnor Exchange. St. Catherine’s is commonly used throughout the Fringe for music performances, but is also suitable for some theatre, talks or workshops. There is a raised stage and PA but no blackout for this venue. There is a grand piano available to hire. The Makers Market also takes place here on Friday & Saturday daytimes.
Ventnor Arts Club Ventnor High Street Capacity: 45 (less for film) Ventnor Arts Club is a unique, intimate performance space, taking the form of a converted 1920’s bank. It runs day to day as a private members club but opens up to the public during the festival. Ventnor Arts Club has played host to musicians, talks and film screenings as well as stand up comedy and solo acts. There is a basic PA and audio playback plus a HD projector and surround sound for film screenings. This venue also has a blackout and is well located in the middle of the High Street.
Pier Street Playhouse Ventnor Baptist Church, Pier Street Capacity: 60 The Pier Street Playhouse is an intimate performance space located on the ground floor of Ventnor Baptist Church. There is a raised stage area and this year there will be a full blackout. In the past this space has been particularly popular for daytime children’s shows, new writing and small scale theatre. The venue is in a great location with good footfall, approx 3 mins walk from Ventnor Exchange, Ventnor Arts Club, St Catherine’s Church and Ingrams Yard which are all located in the town centre.
The Big Top (Part of The Fringe Village) Flowersbrook, Steephill Road - Tented venue Capacity: 330 in Thrust / 550 In The Round The Big Top is situated at Flowersbrook field near Ventnor Park. This venue is a circus tent that suits circus, larger comedy, theatre or music shows as well as cabaret. This venue has a full PA, lighting rig and radio mics available. There will be technical support for light and sound on hand for your ‘get in’ and show as part of the hire.
Big Top Plan
BUSKING VENUES Ventnor Park Bandstand The Park is the beating heart of Ventnor Fringe, recreated at the ‘Fringe Village’ during the festival it’s a perfect meeting point for festival goers. The park is also the street food hub with a bar - the perfect place to relax in between shows or to soak up the atmosphere. The Victorian style Bandstand in the centre of the park is equipped with PA, backline and a sound technician on duty - a great place to perform to a captive audience whether its music, spoken word, circus, theatre or dance. The hours for performance are normally 12pm - 6pm
Fringe Square The Fringe Square is a small public space located outside St. Catherine’s Church and opposite Ventnor Exchange. It’s the location of The Book Bus, a 1930’s Parisian bus which turns into a book shop! There is a small outdoor busking stage for music solo/duos, spoken work, or other readings and poetry. The area may suit some open air theatre but has a gravel surface which may not suit some physical performances. On Fridays and Saturdays the Church hosts a Makers Market, providing space for local craftspeople and artisans.
Ingrams Yard Ventnor Exchange's new premises on Dudley road houses artist studios and a weekly market. During Fringe the courtyard will become a new outdoor social space with a bar, traders and a small busking stage.
Photos Coming Soon