Meet Dublin Fringe Festival’s 2025 Resident Artists
We are buzzing to welcome three incredible artists onto our Resident Artist programme this year! Osaro Azams, John Spillane and Matha Knight will set up shop in Fringe HQ from January to December, working, creating, and inspiring in the heart of Dublin.
Our Resident Artists are given access to a free, full-time desk in our bustling Dublin Fringe HQ, a space where they can make their own work, seven days a week. This space is more than just an office—it’s a launchpad for inspiration, collaboration, and connection. They’ll also receive invaluable support, advice, and networking opportunities from the entire Dublin Fringe Festival team.
It’s going to be an exciting year ahead, and we can’t wait for you to get to know them!
Osaro Azams - Osaro is a multi-award-winning audiovisual artist whose work explores the intersections of West African mythos, cybernetic sleep paralysis, and the emotional depth of music. A noir femme in the summer and a dark masc in winter, she blends lonesome prayers, sensual poetry, and guttural vocal chorals into her live performances.
Founder of the Fried Plantains Collective, Osaro celebrates the voices of African+ and Irish artists through her award-winning event Black Jam, held at venues such as Abbey Theatre, The Complex, Bello Bar, and Centre Culturel Irlandais in France.
Her recent live art exhibition, Things Are Tough - Things Are Glorious, was showcased at The Complex Gallery & Studios (Nov-Dec 2024). With a unique seasonal practice, Osaro channels her creative energy into diverse multimedia expressions, pushing the boundaries of sound, performance, and storytelling across cultures.
John Spillane – John Spillane is an award-winning stand-up comedian and improviser known for his high-energy, high-concept brand of madness. With bizarre sketches and wild improvisation, he invites audiences into a chaotic world where anything can happen. A graduate of IO Chicago, the birthplace of improv comedy, John’s unique style blends the lessons he learned there with his own creative flair.
John has multiple TV credits, including Comedy Central, RTE, WWE, Virgin Media, and Now TV. He headlined the season 1 finale of Craic Den TV. Nominated for both Best Performer and Spirit of the Wit at the 2024 Dublin Fringe, John is also a filmmaker and a 2021 SXSW Film delegate.
Ranked among Ireland's must-see Fringe acts by RTE and hailed as "the maddest man on the Irish scene" by IrelandBeforeYouDie.com, John has received rave reviews for his performances, described as “exploding with imagination” (Irish News Review) and “undeniable star quality” (Laugh Factory, Chicago).
Martha Knight - Martha Knight is a theatre maker and sound designer from Tallaght, exploring the intersections of theatre, sound, technology, music, and audience participation. Her work delves into legacy, heritage, and human interactions with technology, often incorporating silliness, irreverence, and the unexpected.
Martha is a core artist with Tallaght-based collectives SoloSIRENs and Freshly Ground Theatre. She was named a 2024 Axis Assemble artist and received the 2024 Druid Theatre Marie Mullen bursary. She also participated in the 8th Pan Pan International mentorship.
Recent theatre projects include The King of All Birds (Dublin Fringe 2023, winner of the George Fitzmaurice Award), Sióg (Freshly Ground Theatre), The Big Blank (Dublin Youth Theatre), and Supermoon (Centre Culturel Irlandais). As a sound designer, her work includes Made From Paper (Foldable Theatre), 0800 CUPID (THISISPOPBABY), and Tempesta (Cork Midsummer Festival), among others.
The home to new and bold ideas, brave performing arts and adventurous audiences, Dublin Fringe Festival celebrates its 31st edition from 6 – 21 September 2025.