Fringe Festival fanatics have been in a tizz since ACT Multicultural Affairs Minister John Hargreaves announced festival funding cuts.

The Minister announced plans to cut the Multicultural Festival in 2010 to a three day event, while the Fringe would be handed to the National Folk Festival, due to a budget blow out at the event in February earlier this year.

The Fringe Festival’s Director Jorian Gardner founded the event, which has previously run annually in conjunction with the Multicultural Festival. Gardner has stood his ground in support of the wants and needs of the Canberra community, promising to go ahead with a scaled down program in Civic.

Gardner proved in touch, with Fringe loving Canberrans rallying against the funding cuts last Friday in Civic Square.

Both Hargreaves and Gardner will continue with their own plans, meaning double the Fringe in Canberra.

The ACT Government has proposed to spend $90,000 over the next three years to fund the Fringe through the National Folk Festival (NFF). Hargreaves believes that by making it a part of the NFF larger audiences are guaranteed.

“To enable the Fringe to grow, to guarantee it going forward, to actually attach it to a performing arts event – that would actually aid in the process,” he said. “If we want to guarantee it going forward and actually see it grow, we have to take it out of something like a multicultural festival and attach it to something that is national.”

Gardner on the other hand is planning an 11 day Fringe in Civic. His event will also run in conjunction with The Corinbank Music, Art and Immersion Festival.

“We’ve always been in Civic Square, and we’re going to continue with that, but we’re also going to open at venues all over town,” he said. “Gorman House, Courtyard Studio, some free events in Garema Place then out to Corinbank.”

“We’re seeking both private sponsorship and to look at our budget and who knows where it’s all going to come from in the end,” he said. “Performers will have to take a pay cut, shows won’t be as spectacular, the tent won’t be as big, and the stage won’t be as big.”

Gardner plans to resign after next year’s festival. The event will then be taken over by a community based organisation.