THIS year’s Brighton Fringe was the biggest and most successful in the event’s history with ticket sales passing £1.4 million.

More than 400,000 people attended the events in May – a 25% increase on 2014.

The success is being put down to the quality of the acts on offer as well as the increased visibility of the Fringe with box offices in New Road and North Street.

Pop-up venues such as The Warren in the grounds of St Peter’s Church and the Brighton Spiegeltent, which returned to the Old Steine, also helped draw the crowds.

The Fringe, a registered charity, also ran its first ever Brighton Fringe Awards Ceremony, which saw 18 trophies handed out.

Julian Caddy, Fringe managing director, said: “Brighton Fringe is more than just a festival. It is an arts movement, tailor-made by the people who create and perform within it.

“As such it unquestionably reflects the cultural consciousness of the time.”

The event has seen a 90% increase in attendances since 2011 with the number of shows rising by 15% in the same time period.

This smaller rise in the number of performances, shows the increase in attendances is not just down to the number of shows.

This year’s event had 787 shows involving 57 acts from 22 countries. The event also provided a boost for performers from the city with 286 Brighton and Hove-based artists and groups on making up more than a third of the programme.

Mr Caddy added: “It is inspiring to witness not only the range of work on offer but also how many more people are now coming to see them. Uncensored and uncurated, it’s like the Wild West of the arts. I can’t wait to see how it develops next year.”

Brighton Fringe is a charity and receives just 3% percent of its funding from public sources. Most of the money needed comes through registration fees, advertising, sponsorship and Fringe membership.

It is estimated the event brings millions of pounds in to the city with punters packing out restaurants, hotels and pubs.

Work has already begun on next year’s Fringe which runs from May 6 to June 5.

Registration is from October 19 to January 29, though participants who sign up before December 15 will receive a discount on their registration fee. Visit brightonfringe.org.