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So you want to do a Fringe show...
Yay! We're here to help make that happen -- whether this is your first time producing or if you've been doing it for years. We believe Fringe is for everyone, which is why we continue to take steps to remove barriers to participation. Get in touch if you need special accommodations, disability services, language interpreters or anything else. We’re here to make Fringe work for you. Please take a moment to read through ALL the instructions before you apply, including more detailed description of the tiers and lottery options found in our Festival Lottery FAQ's.
Please contact Artist Liaison, Amber Bjork, if you have questions about the application process, provisions, and tier structures. Our 2026 Producer Handbook will be published by December 15 if you are looking for more details.
Touring Lottery Applications
Open November 1, 2025 - January 15, 2026
Artists who would like to take their show on the road have opportunities to create a 2- or 3-city Midwestern Tour. Applicants not selected from the touring lotteries are NOT included in the general lotteries of the festivals listed. If you have a strong desire to perform in one of the Midwestern partner festivals, we suggest you also apply directly to their general lottery in case you are not selected for the tour. Applications are $35 for each tour and will close January 15, 2026.
| BorderLight, KC Fringe, Minnesota Fringe, and IndyFringe Festivals have partnered to create a touring opportunity for experienced Fringe producers to take their show on the road. Open to any artist with a desire to tour the Midwest, regardless of home state or country. | In cooperation Green Bay Fringe, the Midwest's newest Fringe Festival, we created an exchange lottery for artists to share their talents across the border. Artist must reside in either Minnesota or Wisconsin to apply. |
When you apply to a touring lottery, you are applying to a perform in multiple Midwest Fringe Festivals with one application. Out of respect to the festival directors holding a spot for your show and other applicants, artists / companies are expected to complete performances at all festivals, if selected. While we understand that emergencies can arise, failure to perform in the selected festivals may result in an artist / company being disqualified from applying to the Touring Lotteries in the future.
Specialty and General Lottery Applications
Open December 1, 2025 - February 15, 2026
Please apply to any of the specialty or general lotteries that best suit you. There are multiple venue tiers—based on venue capacity—to which artists can apply. You may apply more than once, but you may only apply once per tier (bronze, silver, gold), unless you also applied to one of the Touring Lotteries. Duplicate applications for the same producer/company within the same tier will be rejected without refund.
| BIPOC
Lottery Opens December 1 |
Touring Artist
Initiative Opens December 1 |
Never
Have I Ever Lottery Opens December 1 |
Platinum Lottery Opens December 1 |
General
Lottery Opens December 1 |
A fee for each application is due at submission. If your show is randomly selected in multiple tiers during the lottery, you will be asked to choose ONE tier. If you have no preference on venue size and you just want to make sure you are in the festival, you can apply to all three tiers at a discounted price. Application fees are graduated based on application date (see below). All applications close February 15, 2026.
December 1 - 31 |
January 1 - 31 |
February 1 - 15 |
|---|---|---|
$35 per tier application / $90 to apply to all tiers
|
$40 per tier application / $105 to apply to all tiers |
$45 per tier application / $115 to apply to all tiers |
Producer Funding & Accommodations!
Festival Artist Grants: As our way of championing risk and lowering barriers for more producers, Minnesota Fringe offers producer funding opportunities to either defer or waive fees for selected producers! This initiative is stewarded by the Minnesota Fringe Artist Committee. More information on this initiative can be found on our Producer Funding Opportunities. Applications for all funding opportunities open in December and close February 15.
NEW: Ed Tyler Touring Fund administered by Capital Fringe. The Tyler supports artists touring their productions to open-access Fringe Festivals across the United States and Canada. Two awards of $10,000 each will be distributed annually to individual artists or companies planning multi-city Fringe Festival tours. The fund uplifts original, live performance rooted in experimentation, accessibility, and community, values central to the Fringe movement. We encourage you to consider this tremendous opportunity if you are touring in 2026. Applications close on November 30.
Special Considerations: Do your show include rigging or fire? Is it longer than 60 minutes? Do you need a permanent set? Or want to customize the audience space? While we can't provide these requests in Fringe-Managed venues, you may be a great candidate for an Independent Production (aka B.Y.O.V. or Bring Your Own Venue or Site Specific Shows) to guarantee your place in the festival. Registration for IP shows opens in March.
If you've got general questions, contact us at info@fringefestival.org.