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2025 Fringe Festival Lottery Application Information
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 the description of the tiers and lottery options.
There are a few new policies and opportunities in 2025. Please keep reading for more info about the application process, provisions, and tier structures. Check out our 2025 Producer Handbook for the nitty gritty details.
The Basics: Time and Money
All producers must be available for:
- A scheduled, mandatory producer meeting between May 27-30, 2025 (virtual, online)
- A scheduled, mandatory technical rehearsal between July 27 - 30, 2025 (in-person)
- At least 8 FULL days of the Minnesota Fringe Festival, July 31-August 10, 2025 (in-person)
Producer fees to participate in the festival range from $450-$850. Tiers are designated based on venue capacity. Producer fees for artists selected in the lottery are due March 14, 2025.
Is the Fringe Festival right for your production?
Please remember the Fringe Festival is a different producing environment than "normal" production. The Festival pace is faster, the timeline more compressed, and there is less control over venue choice, tech, ticketing and schedule. Requests that might be reasonable in a single-show venue can prove much more challenging. Guidelines and rules are in place to keep the big picture running smoothly - which is also what makes it fun. We believe there's a place for everyone in the Fringe Festival and welcome participation from anyone along the entire artistic spectrum. But the Festival may not be right place for every kind of production. Dream big, but know there are limitations to consider:
- Keep it short: All shows must be no longer than 60 minutes long including curtain call and/or audience discussions.
- Keep it simple: You must be able to load in and set up your show in 10 minutes. Likewise, you get ten minutes to load out once your show is finished. Storage is never guaranteed, so you may need to transport your set and costumes in and out for every performance. Venues are shared by up to 11 companies, so lighting configurations will be general to serve many different shows. Projection equipment (video or still) is available in some venues, but is not a guarantee.
- Keep it inside: Merchandise sales are permitted inside the theater space -- not the lobby -- during your allotted show time.
What you get at Minnesota Fringe
- Five scheduled performances (no longer than 60 minutes each).
- Guaranteed 70% of your box office receipts. Receipts include sales to your show of single-tickets at full price ($17), discounted tickets ($16 or $14), or VIP ($11). Your box office total does not include the service fee, which Fringe uses to cover ticket processing charges, or festival entry.
- A professional-grade, well-equipped accessible venue (with additional wheelchair access or other accommodations for artists, available by request).
- Professional technicians to run the board for your show, including one lighting designer to set cues.
- Ticket sales (advanced and in-person), box office staff and front-of-house services.
- Fringe Producers' Handbook—your comprehensive guide to our festival.
- Access to workshops and one-on-one help sessions.
- Drawings and photos of your Fringe managed venue.
- Customizable page for your show on our website.
- Publicity distribution to major press outlets and regional producers/presenters.
- Artist passes for you and your cast to see festival shows for free.
What you're responsible for
- Finding or creating a script; acquiring any necessary rights or permissions for existing scripts/music.
- Arranging/contracting actors and director.
- Costumes, props, sound cues and set pieces.
- Providing marketing language (including photos or graphics, appropriate age and genre specifics, and accurate descriptions of your show) to help promote your show on the Fringe website.
- Actively marketing your show.
- Arranging necessary visas and work permits if coming from outside the United States.
- Abiding by the Fringe rules and deadlines.
- Attendance at all mandatory meetings, technical rehearsal, and shows.
APPLICATIONS OPEN DECEMBER 1, 2024 through FEBRUARY 15, 2025
- The deadline to apply is February 15, 2025.
- The lottery will be held publicly on the evening of February 24, 2025.
- There are SEVEN lotteries (see below for detail).
- Multi-tier applications are possible (see below for more detail). One application is accepted per company/producer per tier regardless of lottery type with the exception of the Midwest Touring Trifecta and Border Buddies Lotteries.
- All participants are also eligible to OPT IN for a chance at participating in the Fringe Encore at the Phipps August 20-24, 2025.
A fee for each application is due at submission. 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. Fees are graduated based on application date (see below).
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December 1 - 31
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January 1 - 31 | February 1 - 15 |
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$30 per tier application / $75 to apply to all tiers
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$35 per tier application / $90 to apply to all tiers
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$40 per tier application / $105 to apply to all tiers
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Please apply to any of the lotteries that best suit you. You may apply more than once, but you may only apply once per tier (bronze, silver, gold), unless you are also applying for the Midwest Touring Trifecta and Border Buddies. Duplicate applications for the same producer/company within the same tier will be rejected without refund.
| Lottery Name | What It Is | Available Spots | Who Can Apply | Additional Info | Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NEW: Border Buddies Lottery | In cooperation with our neighboring state, and to welcome one of the Midwest's newest Fringe Festivals to the fold, we have created an exchange lottery to for Wisconsin and Minnesota artists to share their talents across the border. | One artist from each state will be selected and each will be guaranteed a slot in the Green Bay Fringe and Minnesota Fringe festivals during 2025. | Minnesota or Wisconsin resident artists wishing to produce in both festivals. | All Border Buddy Lottery winners will perform in the Bronze Tier. An application fee of $35 is due at submission. | Apply to Border Buddies Lottery |
| Midwest Touring Trifecta Lottery | As a means to support artists who may already tour or those who have yet to take the risk, we've partnered with our closest Midwestern Fringe friends to create a new touring opportunity for experienced Fringe producers to take their show on the road. | Three artists wishing to create a 3 city Midwestern Tour during 2025. Artists can select from: BorderLight (Cleveland, OH), KC Fringe (Kansas City, MO), Minnesota Fringe (Minneapolis, MN), IndyFringe, or STLFringe festivals. | NEW: Any artist with a desire to tour the Midwest, regardless of home state or country. | Artists must select their 3 preferred festivals at time of application. All Midwest Touring Trifecta Lottery winners will perform in the Silver Tier. An application fee of $35 is due at submission. | Apply to Midwest Touring Trifecta Lottery |
| BIPOC Lottery | In our efforts expand our reach, fight against injustices, and become a more welcoming and equitable place for everyone to enjoy the performing arts, Minnesota Fringe introduced the BIPOC Lottery in 2022. | 10% of Minnesota Fringe Festival producers. | BIPOC producers, writers, directors, and choreographers are encouraged to apply in this category. | Artists not selected from this lottery will have a second chance to be selected in the General Lottery. Applications in this lottery are pay-what-you-will. | Apply to BIPOC Lottery |
| Touring Artist Initiative | Minnesota Fringe loves connecting with minds on a global scale. We're throwing down the welcome mat for those who bring fresh perspectives and talent into our vibrant metro home. | 5% of Minnesota Fringe Festival producers. |
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Artists not selected from this lottery will have a second chance to be selected in the General Lottery. An application fee is due at submission. | Apply to Touring Artist Initiative |
| Never Have I Ever Lottery | New artists are essential to our Fringe communities and that is why we created this new lottery in 2024. | 5% of Minnesota Fringe Festival producers. | Artists who have never previously produced in the Minnesota Fringe Festival. | Artists not selected from this lottery will have a second chance to be selected in the General Lottery. An application fee is due at submission. | Apply to Never Have I Ever Lottery |
| NEW: Platinum Lottery | Special lottery for artists wishing to perform in our largest house, the Rarig Thrust, with 460 available seats. | Up to 11 artists. | Artists who are confident their shows will draw audiences to fill a large venue are encouraged to apply. | Artists not selected from this lottery will have a second chance to be selected in the General Lottery Gold Tier. An application fee of $35 is due at submission. | Apply to Platinum Lottery |
| General Lottery | The traditional Minnesota Fringe Festival lottery. | All remaining Minnesota Fringe Festival producers after the Midwest Touring Trifecta, BIPOC, Touring Artist, and Never Have I Ever Lotteries are complete. | Anyone can apply to participate in the Minnesota Fringe Festival. | Artists not selected in the BIPOC, Touring Artist, Never Have I Ever, and Platinum lotteries will be automatically included in the General Lottery. An application fee is due at submission. | Apply to General Lottery |
Multi-tier Applications
There are three venue tiers—based on venue capacity—to which artists can apply. One application is accepted per company/producer per tier. A company/producer may apply to multiple tiers, but can only produce one show in the festival. If your show is randomly selected in multiple tiers during the lottery, you will be asked to choose ONE tier.
How to choose your tier
Ultimately, we suggest two factors in making your decision:
- Budget: How much of an initial financial investment do you want to make? How many patrons do you think you might attract? The average box office payout runs around $1,300-$1,500, but since that's an average, there's tremendous variation. No one gets rich doing the Festival, but more seats in your house increase the odds that a good show and strong marketing will pay off in ticket sales. Shows in the Gold or Platinum Tiers historically have an average payout 50% higher than those in the Bronze Tier. To help with this decision, we have created a quick analysis using historical Fringe audience data* to help you determine how many seats need to be sold across 5 performances to break even on the producer fee in each tier.
| Tier Level | Platinum (venue has 260 seats on the main floor and 200 seats in the balcony) | Gold (venues have ~170-235 seats) | Silver (venues have ~100-125 seats) | Bronze (venues have ~70-85 seats) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of seats needed to sell in order to break even |
105 total seats
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~80 total seats | ~65 total seats | ~80 total seats |
| Percentage of seats needed to sell to break even |
5% of total seats available
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~6% of total seats available | ~10% of total seats available | ~15% of total seats |
*Data indicates an average house size of ~35%, comprised of 50% full price seats, 25% discounted (pass-holder) seats, and 25% free (artists, staff, volunteers, sponsors) seats.
- Show: Think about the scope of your show and consider what size would suit it best. Keep in mind that a small house size does not always equal a small stage. There are venues of all shapes and sizes in each tier, but you’re most likely to find a larger stage with a higher tier. Please note: if you have a cast size of 20+ people, you should apply in the Platinum or Gold Tiers in order to accommodate fire code capacity for both the audience and your cast.
IMPORTANT: Since we won't know how many applicants each tier will have until all the applications are in, we won't know what the odds are in each tier. Please don't spend time worrying about probability. Just pick the category that feels right for you.
| Tier | Capacity | Fee | Production Slots | Venues | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | ~70-85 seats | $450 | 22 | Open Eye Theatre and Rarig Nolte Xperimental Theatre | Best for smaller casts and intimate shows; Accessibility between audience and stage is limited; Dance is not encouraged in this tier; Due to limited seating, big payouts are unlikely. |
| Silver | ~100-125 seats | $550 | 22 | Rarig Kilburn Theatre (arena) and Barbara Barker Center for Dance | Stage configurations are in-the-round and proscenium, no thrust, at least one theater can accommodate dance. |
| Gold | ~170-235 seats | $650 | 33 | Mixed Blood, The Southern Theatre, and Theatre in the Round | This tier includes proscenium and in-the-round stages; Includes a venue suitable for dance; Cast size of 20+ should consider in this tier. |
| Platinum | 460 seats | $850 | 11 | Rarig Stoll Thrust Theatre | Best for companies who require a large-size stage area, have a large cast, and/or confident in your abilities to draw a large audience. Cast size of 20+ should consider this tier. |
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How the lottery works
Minnesota Fringe Festival shows are chosen by random lottery. Each application is assigned a number, we put the numbers on ping-pong balls, then draw the balls out of a bingo cage as a public event.Our first drawing of the evening will be for the two artists selected to participate in Border Buddies, and exchange program between Green Bay Fringe (July 17-20) and Minnesota Fringe (July 31-August 10) Festivals. (Check out Green Bay Fringe to learn more about their new festival, deadlines, and requirements.)
The second drawing will be for the three artists participating in the Midwest Touring Trifecta. Applicants will choose their desired tour from four potential stops: BorderLight Theatre Festival (July 16-19), KC Fringe (July 13-27, performances July 17-27), Minnesota Fringe (July 31-August 10), and IndyFringe (August 14-24) Festivals. (Check out BorderLight, KC Fringe and IndyFringe to learn more about their festivals, deadlines, and requirements).
The following drawings will determine slots for the BIPOC Lottery winners (10% of festival participants); the Touring Artist Initiative (5% of festival participants); the Never Have I Ever Lottery (5% of festival participants) and the Platinum Lottery (11 artists). Once those slots are full, the remainder of the BIPOC, Touring Artist, Never Have I Ever and Platinum Lottery ping-pong balls will be separated out into their respective tiers and mixed in with the general applicants to be selected by tier.
There are three separate tiers based on venue seating capacity (see above). Once productions are chosen and a tier is full, the remaining ping pong balls in that tier will be drawn for slots on a wait list. This will be repeated for all three tiers.
If you apply for multiple tiers and your show is randomly chosen in more than one, you will be contacted after the lottery and be asked to select ONE tier. (Once you make your choice, your remaining applications -- whether chosen in a separate tier or on a wait list -- will then be discarded.) All empty slots are then filled by the remaining respective wait list on a rolling basis.
Producer Funding Opportunities! As our way of championing risk and lowering barriers for more producers, we offer 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 page. Applications for all funding opportunities open in December and close February 15.
Independent Production (IP)! Check into registering as an Independent Production (IP) (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 March 1.
Applications are open December 1, 2024 - February 15, 2025. If you've got questions, contact us at info@fringefestival.org.