Who We Are
The Yukon Fringe Festival is produced by chiMOchiMO experiences society, a registered Yukon not-for-profit organization.
Purposes:
To produce and present the annual Yukon Fringe Festival in Whitehorse, providing opportunities for emerging artists, established artists developing new work, and individuals interested in creating original performance art. The festival follows traditional Fringe principles, including unjuried and uncensored programming, artist selection by lottery, and returning 100% of ticket sales to participating artists.
To support the growth of independent performing arts by producing and presenting related events, including but not limited to showcases, fundraisers, workshops, or community engagement activities that promote the society’s artistic mission.
To provide a platform for diverse artistic expressions through performances, festivals, or cultural programming as determined by the Executive Artistic Director and Board of Directors, in alignment with the society’s vision and values.
Mission statement:
chiMOchiMO experiences society supports and showcases independent performing arts in the Yukon by producing accessible, artist-driven events -— such as the annual Yukon Fringe Festival — that champion creative risk-taking, emerging voices, and diverse expression.
Vision statement:
We imagine a Yukon where anyone with a story to tell can take the stage — where performance is fearless, community-rooted, and constantly evolving. Our goal is to foster meaningful connections with audiences through innovative, inclusive, and grassroots performance experiences.
We are committed to accessibility both for artists and audiences. Our open-access lottery artist selection means anyone with an idea and the will to perform can participate, removing traditional barriers to entry. On the audience side, affordable ticket pricing ensures that events and the festival remains open to everyone, supporting inclusivity and broad community engagement.
Founder and Executive Artistic Director: Cherie Ratté (she/her)
Cherie’s passion for playing is what motivated her to pursue a Fringe Festival in the north, believing that playfulness and performance should be accessible to everyone, with or without experience or credentials. She has an extensive background in adult education (Master of Adult Education, Community Development, St.FX), community theatre, arts administration, and festival production, and brings a comprehensive and hands-on understanding of what it takes to lead a successful large-scale performing arts event. She has held key roles in both for-profit and non-profit settings, in office & operations management and program delivery with a focus on community engagement and performance excellence. Her arts production experience spans major festivals in both Whitehorse (Adäka Cultural Festival, Awaken Festival (Gwaandak Theatre), Available Light Film Festival, Kluane Mountain Bluegrass Festival) and in Calgary (High Performance Rodeo (One Yellow Rabbit), International Festival of Animated Objects (CAOS)). She first fell in love with the Fringe at the Calgary Fringe Festival as a volunteer, then a lead, then as a producing artist who toured across the prairies.
Fun facts: part-time firefighter; archer, biathlete, & tenacious hockey player
True loves: Soogaii & Bashy, Yukon specials of the large variety; and her life partner (probably in that order)
Board members for the 2026-27 fiscal year:
Janice Caron (President), Kent Pigott, Lana Patterson