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The Melbourne Fringe Festival Awards celebrate and acknowledge the diversity, professionalism and exceptional quality of work in this year's festival.

Creative Producer Emily Sexton said "Melbourne Fringe represents the diversity, ambition and bravery of our wonderful independent arts scene, and our 2009 Festival has showcased the fantastic state of affairs in our sector."

"Taken as a whole, our award winners capture current trends of contemporary practice, push these concepts further, and shine a light on where we are headed as a culture. They're as much a statement of future Fringe Festivals as they are a celebration of the current year."


FULL LIST OF WINNERS - 2009 MELBOURNE FRINGE FESTIVAL AWARDS

:: CATEGORY AWARDS ::
Presented by Emily Sexton, Creative Producer and Beau McCafferty, Independent Program Producer

Best Cabaret
WINNER: When the Sex is Gone, by Tommy Bradson and Jacqueline Morton

Best Circus
WINNER: Operation, by Trick Circus

Best Comedy
WINNER: Monster of the Deep 3D, by Claudia O'Doherty

Best Dance
WINNER: Six Women Standing in Front of a White Wall, by Little Dove Theatre Art

Best Live Art
WINNER: En Route, by the Betty Booke

Best Music
WINNER: Aurland, by Michelle Whelan

Best Performance
WINNER: Candy Bowers in Who's That Chik?

Best School Holiday Program
WINNER: Bubblewrap and Boxes by Asking For Trouble

Best Special Event
WINNER: Roarhouse - Inside Out

Best Visual Arts
WINNER: 'The Lure of Echo', by Sarah Duyshart

Best Venue
WINNER: Dancing Dog Theatre, Footscray

Fringe Dwellers People's Choice Award
WINNER: Copernicus, by Transit Theatre
WINNER: A Tiny Chorus, by Elbow Room and Denim Jean


:: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARDS ::

ACAPTA Award - presented by Sue Broadway and last years‚ winner Farhad Ahadi
WINNER: Mitchell Jones
AWARD: Membership to ACAPTA for a year and participation in the 10 day La Fura workshop valued at $750.

Adelaide Fringe Awards: the Freshest of the Fresh! presented by Melanie Burge
WINNER: Yuri Wells, with Benedict Hardie, Stuart Bowden, Anne-Louise Sarks
WINNER: En Route, by the Betty Booke
AWARD: Both winners receive FREE registration for the 2010 Adelaide Fringe: Friday 19 February - Sunday 14 March and presentation assistance to the value of $2,000.

Auspicious Arts Award for Best Emerging Producer - presented by John Paul Fischbach
WINNER: Stephanie Brotchie (Vigilantelope: Tale of the Golden Lease)
AWARD: One term in the Auspicious Arts Incubator, worth $1200.

Brisbane Comedy Festival Award - presented by Sarah Neal
WINNER: Monster of the Deep 3D, by Claudia O'Doherty
AWARD: Entry into the Brisbane Comedy Festival 2010 and presentation support including $2000 to go toward flights, accommodation and remounting costs.

Circus Oz Award - presented by Mike Finch
WINNER: Jess Love
AWARD: Two weeks training with Artistic Director Mike Finch

Falls Festival Award - presented by Ian Pidd
WINNER: Letters to Isaac, by Small Chance Theatre
AWARD: The recipient receives $1000 cash prize and the ppportunity to remount and present their work as a paid artist at the Falls Festival and access for artist/organisation to the 2009 event in Lorne.

Gasworks Award - presented by Crusader Hillis
WINNER: Six Women Standing in Front of a White Wall, by Little Dove Theatre Art
AWARD: Use of Gasworks; either one week in the theatre or three weeks in the studio for development or presentation (in-kind value of $3,000).

Kultour Tour Development Award - presented by Jeremy Gaden
WINNER: Attract/Repel, by the Melbourne Town Players
AWARD: 5 hours of mentoring meetings with Kultour staff to assist in the development of a Kultour application for the touring of a body of work and $500 cash prize as encouragement donated by Kultour.

Melbourne Airport Award for Best Newcomer - presented by Claire Fitzgerald
WINNER: Tommy Bradson for When the Sex is Gone
AWARD: $5000 towards flights and accommodation to an international arts festival or professional development opportunity.

Melbourne Cabaret Festival Award - presented by David Read
WINNER: In Search of Atlantis
AWARD: Double gold pass to all shows in the Melbourne Cabaret Festival, 22-25 July 2010, www.melbournecabaret.com, participation in a professional development cabaret workshop to be held as part of the Melbourne Cabaret Festival, and twenty hours use of The Butterfly Club showroom for development.

Melbourne Dramatists‚ New Writing Award, supported by the Melbourne Theatre Company - presented by Amelia Roper, Bryan Davidson Blue, Alison Mann, Carly Nugent and David Mence
WINNER: Tom Holloway for his script And No More Shall We Part
AWARD: $250 Cash, mentorship with Melbourne Dramatists, tickets to Opening Night performances at the MTC for 2010.

The Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts and Cultural Development (Faculty of VCA and Music, University of Melbourne) Award for Indigenous Fringe Artist of the Year - presented by Michelle Evans and Sam Cook
WINNER: Naretha Williams, for Earth, Fire, Rain, Wind.
AWARD: Faculty of the VCA and Music Short Course of the winner's choice, tickets to chosen art form performance/exhibition/screening at the 2010 Faculty of the VCA and Music season of work.