OBSERVER: Fringe Festival Awards
Award winning producern Laura Milke Garner was announced as the 2026 Melbourne Fringe Festival Living Legend at a glittering closing night awards ceremony to end Melbourne’s largest celebration of independent arts.
Best In Category Awards
Best Cabaret: Dean, Don’t Dance! Created and performed by Dean Nash
Best Circus: The Resume Gap Performed by Elle Diablo
Best Comedy: Nosebleeds. Created by Holly Bohmer, Mario Hannah, Taylor Griffiths
Best Dance and Physical Theatre: We wanna have a lot of forks in a backpack. Created and performed by Lola Borroni and Hannah Vella
Best Experimental: The Enormous Radio. Created by Roslyn Oades and Bob Scott
Best Kids: Coach Mon’s Baby Wonderland. Created and performed by Monique Warren
Best Music: Nornir. Created by Freya Schack-Arnott
Best Theatre: Heir. Written by Candice D’Arcy
Best Visual Arts and Film: Post-Traumatic Whimsy. Artist Rick Harwood
Best Words and Ideas: Holding the VA. Written and directed by Fulisia Asalemo Tofete
Artist Development Awards
Artform Shaker Award Supported by Theatre Network Australia: Pigskin. Created and performed by Lana Rosalea
Change Maker Award Supported by Theatre Network Australia. Sahra Davoudi, Am I Who? x 2
Best Emerging Producer Award Supported by Milke. Flynn Smeaton, Dirt Church.
Best Emerging Indigenous Artist Award. Georgia Boseley, Weaving the Everywhen
Best Emerging LGBTIQA+ Artist Award. Supported by the Victorian Pride Centre. Sunny Youngsmith, Cabin Pressure
Monash Knowledge Exchange Award. Supported by Monash’s Faculty of Arts and School of Languages, Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics. The Loch of Love Starring Puffling
Comedy New Work Award Supported by Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Can I Be Honest? Created and performed by Fin McLachlan
Headroom Award Supported by Rising. We wanna have a lot of forks in a backpack. Created and performed by Lola Borroni and Hannah Vella
Showcase Ready Award Supported by The Victorian Association of Performing Arts Centres. The Portrait. Created and directed by Clare Bartholomew
Outstanding Newcomer. Supported by Auspicious Arts Projects.
Bodymind. Created by Max Bower
Outstanding Production Design Supported by Deakin University. Red. Created and performed by Rollercoaster Theatre
Geelong Creative Development Award Supported by Geelong Arts Centre. Holding the VA. Written and directed by Fulisia Asalemo Tofete
New Writing Award Supported by Melbourne Theatre Company. The Carrot Show. Created by Hayley Edwards
2026 Touring Awards
Adelaide Touring Award Supported by Adelaide Fringe. Mrs Lovett’s Famous Meat Pies Grand Reopening Extravaganza. Created and performed by Elliot Wood
Brisbane Touring Award Supported by Brisbane Comedy Festival. Mel McGlensey is Mucking Around. Created by Mel McGlensey
Perth Touring Award Supported by Fringe World Festival. The Portrait. Created and directed by Clare Bartholomew
Sydney Touring Award Supported by Sydney Fringe. Hannah Camilleri: Dinner Hannah Show Created and performed by Hannah Camilleri
NZ Touring Award Supported by New Zealand Fringe. The Carrot Show. Created by Hayley Edwards
NZ Indigenous Exchange Award Supported by New Zealand Fringe.
Estuary. Choreography by Ngioka Bunda-Heath
Hollywood Fringe Touring Award Supported by Hollywood Fringe. Freidah Will See You Now. Created and performed by Caitlin Duff
Special Awards
Crowd Pleaser Award (People’s Choice). Holding the VA. Written and directed by Fulisia Asalemo Tofete
Sound and Technical Excellence Award Supported by Front of House Productions. The Enormous Radio. Created by Roslyn Oades and Bob Scott
Venue of the Year Award. Bluestone Church Arts Space
Most Accessible Venue Award. The Motley Bauhaus
Access and Inclusion Award. Dean, Don’t Dance! Created and performed by Dean Nash
Best Work by an Emerging Artist. Shell Be Right. Created and performed by Madeleine Gosden
Spirit of the Fringe
SLUGS. Created by Creepy Boys (S.E. Grummett and Sam Kruger)
Director’s Choice
Break Down Concept by Gregory Lorenzutti
Cheryl Threadgold
Pictured: Laura Milke-Gardner