Dunedin Fringe Awards 2026

By Ōtepoti He Puna Auaha | Dunedin UNESCO City Of Literature | Posted: Tuesday Mar 31, 2026

Warmest congratulations to all 2026 Dunedin Fringe Festival winners and nominees from the Noisy Fringe Awards Night, especially Julian Noel (Ngāti Whātua, Ngāti Torehina) and Martine Baanvinger for BONES, winner of the City of Literature Beyond Words Award!

The Dunedin Fringe Festival 2026 wrapped up last Sunday with the Noisy Fringe Awards Night, honouring shows across the broad spectrum of the successful 10-day festival.

The award winners were:

The Visual Art Award (sponsored by AJ & Adrian Woodhouse):

WINNER: Into the AfterlandsNOMINEES:

City Planners
The Astral Project
Rite of Return

The Dance / Physical Theatre Award (sponsored by #getinōtepoti podcast):

WINNER: Temporal AriaNOMINEES:

And that What Makes it Hip Hop
Burlesque Beauties
Beat of the Pacific

The Comedy Award (sponsored by Inch Bar):

WINNER: House of IckNOMINEES:

Dear Stalker
Lady Luck
Pub Tales

The Music Award (sponsored by Southlaw):

WINNER: Ngahau TeneNOMINEES:

Motion Sickness
Beat of the Pacific
The Astral Project

The Theatre Award (sponsored by WOW! Productions):

WINNER: Motion SicknessNOMINEES:

Brown Sugar
Embarrassed Naked Female
The Night Ali Died
Bones

Outstanding Design Award (sponsored by Southern Lights & Services):

WINNER: Burlesque BeautiesNOMINEES:

Motion Sickness
The Astral Project
The Goon Show

Outstanding Technical Achievement Award (sponsored by Strawberry Sound):

WINNER: CasketcaseNOMINEES:

Motion Sickness
Temporal Aria
The Goon Show

Best Poster Award (sponsored by Better Creative):

WINNER: Lady LuckNOMINEES:

Coro
Date Night with R&C
Embarrassed Naked Female

Most Accessible Event (sponsored by That Blind Woman: Julie Woods):

WINNER: Lady LuckNOMINEES:

40 Ways of Seeing Wellbeing

NZ Fringe Touring Award (sponsored by Dunedin Fringe):

WINNER: Lady LuckNOMINEES:

The Great Big Make It Up Show!
BONES
Ngahau Tene

Outstanding Performance / Performer Award (sponsored by Penny Gwynne):

WINNER: Elsa Couvreur – The Sensemaker & Embarrassed Naked FemaleNOMINEES:

Kelly Hocking – Lady Luck
Warren Loulanting – We Remember Wrong)
Christopher Sainton-Clark – The Night Ali Died & Pub Tales
Julian Noel – BONES

Favourite Comedian Award (sponsored by Dunedin Comedy):

WINNER: The cast – CoroNOMINEES:

Harriet Moir – Dear Stalker
Alex Martyn – Ngahau Tene
Kelly Hocking – Lady Luck

Outstanding Emerging Talent Award (sponsored by Dr Jane Malthus):

WINNER: Penelope Hare – Pas de Trois & Entertaining Angels UnawareNOMINEES:

The cast – Beat of the Pacific
Alex Martyn – Ngahau Tene
Sandra Pace – You're Not Pretty... But I Love You
The cast – Brown Sugar

Most Promising Māori Artist Award (sponsored by InterACT):

WINNER: Julian Noel – BONESNOMINEES:

Alex Martyn – Ngahau Tene
Hoani Hotene – Funny, Funny
Jackson Rosie – We Remember Wrong

Most Promising Pacific Artist Award (sponsored by Creative NZ):

WINNER: Leah Faitonu – Brown SugarNOMINEES:

Telyna Pekepo – Beat of the Pacific
August Gaiger – Casketcase
Ravi Ratnam – Finding Love, After All.

UNESCO City of Literature ‘Beyond Words’ Award (sponsored by Dunedin UNESCO City of Literature Office):

WINNER: BONESNOMINEES:

Motion Sickness
Embarrassed Naked Female
Brown Sugar
Into the Afterlands

Phil Davison Special Contribution to Festival Life (sponsored by #getinōtepoti podcast):

WINNER: Sahara Pohatu-TrowNOMINEES:

The New Athenaeum Theatre Team
Julie Woods
Mikey Fay

Warwick Broadhead Memorial Award (sponsored by Woof! Bar):

WINNER: Austin PowerbottomNOMINEES:

Magic tricks for Dogs
City Planners
Languages of Wearing
That's What Makes it Hip Hop

Runner up Best in Fringe (sponsored by Outstanding Performance):

WINNER: Temporal Aria

Best in Fringe (sponsored by Deloitte):

WINNER: Motion SicknessNOMINEES Runner up & Best in Fringe:

BONES
Temporal Aria
Ngahau Tene
Embarrassed Naked Female
Motion Sickness
The Night Ali Died