Reykjavík Fringe Festival returns this summer from Monday, June 2 to Sunday, June 8, bringing with it an explosion of queer creativity, radical kindness, and fearless performance. Led by Scottish-born director Andrew Sim, the festival has evolved into one of Iceland’s most inclusive and exciting cultural events—where drag artists, trans performers, and queer storytellers aren’t the fringe, but the very heart of the program.
Since its founding in 2018, the Reykjavík Fringe Festival has become one of Iceland’s most vibrant cultural events- a bold and experimental platform for independent artists from across the globe. Showcasing everything from theater, dance, and music to comedy, cabaret, performance art, and visual exhibitions, the festival thrives on diversity and creative freedom. But what truly sets the RVK Fringe apart is its strong queer identity.
Fringe festivals worldwide are known for breaking boundaries, and Reykjavík is no exception. With a consistently inclusive program and collaborations with local queer spaces like Kiki Queer Bar, the festival offers a safe, expressive space for LGBTQIA+ performers and audiences.
What we have is a collective of queer shows across the board. They aren’t the minority, but instead the main section of the festival brings together drag artists, trans performers, queer storytellers, and experimental creators who challenge norms, provoke thought, and celebrate identity. Many works explore personal narratives around gender, sexuality, migration, body image, and survival- often with humor, raw honesty, and fearless artistry.
At the heart of the festival is Andrew Sim, a Scottish-born performer, director, and champion of fringe culture. As Festival Director, Andrew has played a central role in shaping RVK Fringe into an internationally recognized event grounded in community, equity, and radical openness. With a background in theater and performance and a deep personal commitment to queer visibility, Sim fosters an environment where artists of all identities can take risks, share stories, and find chosen family through art. GayIceland’s Magdalena Lukasiak sat down with Andrew and asked about this year’s vision and the evolving identity of the festival.
GayIceland: So Andrew, what drew you to Reykjavík Fringe Festival, and how did you become its director?
“I lived in Edinburgh for ten years and that’s the stage for the largest arts festival in the world; Edinburgh Fringe Festival. A month-long festival with over 3,000 shows in hundreds of venues. So I’ve experienced every aspect of what Fringe is, whether it’s as a performer, tech, flyerer or producer.
I started visiting Iceland in 2018 for the Scotch on Ice Comedy Festival, and continued to return on a regular basis to perform and building lasting relationships.
Eventually I intended to move over and start a life here. During that time I was offered the position of Festival Director and the last three years I’ve been working hard to make it the international arts festival it deserves to be!”
We will always be proponents of positive change, queer freedom and a radical kindness.
GayIceland: How does the festival specifically support queer artists and audiences?
“We try to create an open and welcoming atmosphere for not only queer artists, but also volunteers, audience and venue staff. This is top down management, respecting one another and having a Radical Kindness policy. People not following these rules will be ejected from events or have their shows cancelled.
A Fringe needs to be a community which gives a platform to all those who feel like they are voiceless. The ‘weirdos’, the ‘outcasts’ and the ‘freaks’ of the world need love and support. We provide that to all who have a good heart, playfulness to experiment and genuinely want the world to improve.”
GayIceland: Can you tell us about some standout queer shows or performers in this year’s lineup?
“Gl0ry by Paula Lovely, The Mask: Grindr Poetry, Family Portrait: Photography Exhibition Putting the Joy in Joystick, Almost Nordic, Girls Girls Girls, The Gender Benders, Ballroom & Vogue Workshops, ART SCHOOL, Midnight Sun Kiki Ball.”
GayIceland: What are the biggest challenges in organizing an inclusive and international festival?
“The biggest challenge is trying to organise artists and encourage professionalism, while also creating an approachable community-led atmosphere for them to join.
We try to tow the line between making them more ambitious, but still enjoy the experience. We want everyone to gain something from the festival which allows them to grow.”
Artistically we want to keep encouraging forward thinking, ambitious, and entertaining Fringe performance both locally and internationally.
GayIceland: How do you see RVK Fringe evolving over the next five years—artistically and politically?
Artistically we want to keep encouraging forward thinking, ambitious, and entertaining Fringe performance both locally and internationally.
We could become a ‘destination’ Fringe where the best performers, producers and audiences from around the world join together in an explosion of creativity.
We will always be proponents of positive change, queer freedom and a radical kindness.”
Full festival program HERE.