A poster for the 2021 Beijing Fringe Festival Photo: Courtesy of Qing Yang

The Beijing Fringe Festival is set to return in September, bringing young directors and experts together to discuss the future innovation of the Chinese theater industry in the post-epidemic era.

Organized by the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, the National Theater of China and other organizations, the festival is set to begin on September 12 and run for around two months. 

This is the 14th festival since its debut in 2008. Similar to the 2020 edition, the 2021 festival will adopt a mixed format of online and offline events due to COVID-19.

A total of 22 young directors have been invited to showcase their works at the 2021 festival. 

Meanwhile, the festival will also debut innovative creations that are different from traditional theater works collected from among the public, such as an 8-minute short video performance.

The festival will also be a platform for experts, directors and writers to discuss the future of the theater industry in China, which has been heavily impacted by the epidemic.

"As the epidemic is still underway, people's lifestyles have changed greatly. Virtualization [of many industries] is undergoing and the trend toward online interaction is becoming more apparent and casting an influence over theaters as well," noted the festival.

"Traditional theater models are experiencing new challenges. These enthusiastic, brave and creative young directors need to embrace the changes of the moment."