GENERAL INFO:

• ALL Stockholm Fringe Festival acts are eligible for an award nomination, aside from the headline act and acts who are employed by the festival. This also applies to acts curated by the festival or part of a group presentation, such as the Fringe Academy showcase.

• Nominations can be based on many factors, such as the uniqueness, nerve and talent showcased in the project.

• Artistic courage, innovation, and boundary-breaking are as crucial as the work ethic of the acts involved.

• Being a star on stage is just as important as being an MVP off-stage. Acts that breach our code of conduct will be omitted from the nomination and award process. Please see our ethos tab to find out more about whats expected from festival participants.

REGISTER FOR 2025 JURY DUTY:

• Would you like to become part of our “mystery shopper jury”? You can now register to become part of the #STOFF2025 Fringe Awards jury via this FORM.

• Jury members can bring friends and see a bunch of shows. After each show, they share a few words via email about the experience.

• We prioritise industry peers and STOFF alumni for jury duty. However, registration is open to all.

THE #STOFF2025 FRINGE AWARD JURY PROCESS:

• Our award jury nominates three candidates for each category.

• The outcome of the awards is based on opinions gathered from the award jury, mystery shoppers (industry delegates), and reviewers.

• The festival core crew and volunteers also have a say. A great show performed by a rude cast will get minus points.

• Many award winners get offers to perform at other international festivals. Their STOFF FRINGE AWARD label often helps them apply for funding and gain the attention of new audiences and media!

• The most significant award is the one voted for by the audience!

THE REVAMPED 2025 FRINGE AWARDS CATEGORIES!

1. Rib-Tickler Award - For the show that had everyone laughing until their sides hurt! This award celebrates the sharpest wit, funniest moments, and all-around best belly laughs of the festival.

2. Rule Breaker Award - For the fearless artists who throw out the rulebook and reshape their genre through bold innovation, whether in visuals, method, concept, or execution. This award celebrates performances that smash conventions, push boundaries, and rewrite the rules in truly original ways.

3. Expect the Unexpected Award - The wild card of the festival, this award celebrates the performance that kept us on our toes. Whether through bold genre shifts, surprising storytelling, or daring execution, this piece delivered the unexpected in a most unforgettable way. Anything could happen… and it did.

4. Raw & Unfiltered Award - This award honours a performance that doesn’t just question the world, it grabs it by the collar and demands reflection. It challenges norms, breaks through comfort zones, and sparks the kind of thoughts that keep you up at night. Raw in emotion, unfiltered in message: this is artistic provocation at its finest.

5. Lone Wolf Award - This award celebrates the fearless solo artist who commands the stage all on their own. With raw talent, bold presence, and undeniable charisma, they captivate, challenge, and leave the audience mesmerised. This performance proves that sometimes one is all it takes to steal the show.

6. Out-Of-Body Experience Award - For those mind-blowing performances that make you forget where you end and where the show begins. This award honours immersive journeys that lift you out of everyday reality and plunge you deep into pure, total experience.

7. Virtuoso Award - For outstanding skill and mastery across all disciplines, whether technical, artistic, or a seamless blend of both. This award celebrates performances that shine through exceptional craftsmanship, creativity, and precision, raising the bar in every aspect of the show.

8. Rising Star Award - For fresh voices and new talents boldly stepping onto the Fringe stage, grabbing attention with their originality and potential. These performances may still be in development or rough around the edges, but they shine bright with clear artistic direction and impressive skill, promising great things to come. C

9. Ctrl Freak Award - This award celebrates the artist who takes full command of the digital stage, turning technology into a powerful tool of expression. They don’t just use glitches and code; they transform them into movement, emotion, and storytelling, and blur the boundaries between virtual and live performance to create unforgettable experiences.

10. Audience Choice Award - An award voted for by the AUDIENCE!

11. Festival Hero Award - For someone who has given that extra to the festival!