The director of Dunedin's Fringe Festival says it gives many artists a way to reach southern audiences.
The annual festival runs for 10 days, involves more than 200 emerging artists, and is the only such festival in the South Island.
South Korean/Wellington artist Samin Son. Photo: RNZ / Ian Telfer
This year's festival includes a roaming caravan-cinema seating just eight people, an actor staging a solo play in her parents' house and a Korean artist painting with toothpaste on shop windows in his army uniform.
Director Paul Smith says other South Island cities have tried to run fringe festivals and they have not lasted.
Mr Smith says Dunedin has built enough experience and momentum so it can provide a place for artists to tour their shows there and the festival gives new artists an audience of 10,000 people willing to give them a go.