Melbourne Fringe board rejects artists' request for 'fair cut'

This year's festival is due to run from September 29 to October 18. (Supplied: Nick Robertson)

Requests outlined by Melbourne Fringe artists in an open letter signed by almost 600 people have been rejected by the festival board.

The call for a "fair cut" for artists included a request to reduce the cut for venues taking part in the festival from 35 per cent back to 30 per cent.

The board said in its reply to artists that the festival was operating in an environment of rising costs and reduced opportunities, and CEO Danny Delahunty defended the organisation's existing fee set-up.

The Melbourne Fringe Festival board has rejected a call to reduce fees charged to artists, who argue the cost of putting on a show is becoming too great.

An open letter to Melbourne Fringe, which has now amassed 580 signatures from artists, producers, techs and others, asked festival organisers to "give artists a fair cut".

"Your mission is to 'democratise the arts' and uphold 'a vision of cultural democracy, empowering anyone to realise their right to creative expression.' We believe in that mission. It is why we keep showing up. But the current terms for Festival Managed Venues are pulling in the opposite direction."

The letter asked for two main changes, the first being to revert the venue cut at festival-managed venues back to 30 per cent of each ticket sale, after it was raised to 35 per cent.

The other demand is to "stop charging fees on fees", requesting that the 35 per cent cut should be taken from net sales after ticketing fees are applied, rather than before.

Writer, producer and clown Lukas Meintjes is behind the campaign, and has decided not to participate in Fringe this year due to the costs involved.

Lukas Meintjes has opted out of participating in this year's Melbourne Fringe Festival. (Supplied)

"That's just wanting more, a bigger cut, from the artist and that's just unacceptable," he said of the increased fees.

"It's very sad that only the people that have money can keep making shows and that's one of the things I don't like.

Writing back to signatories, chair of the Melbourne Fringe board of directors Michael Kantor said he wanted to acknowledge the concerns raised as "reasonable", but said the board was not able to adopt the requests for the 2026 festival.

"Artists are operating in an environment of rising costs, reduced opportunities and growing pressure across the sector. Melbourne Fringe shares those concerns deeply," the reply read.

The festival also put an information pack out for artists, with more in-depth responses to their demands.

"The