About the fringe
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About HBG Fringe
Harrisburg Fringe Festival is inclusive, unjuried, and uncensored, with 100% of ticket sales given back to the artists. Working with local businesses, the Harrisburg Fringe Festival not only enriches the cultural tapestry of the region but also stimulates economic vibrancy, contributing to the overall prosperity of the community.
So, what can you expect from the fringe?
It’s Inclusive. The nature of a festival is to be welcoming and inviting to all. All art and artists are welcome to submit their work: dance, spoken word, theatre, comedy, drag, music, painting, and more – if an artist considers it art, so do we. Anyone can Fringe.
It’s Unjuried. Participants in this festival are selected through a lottery, not by committee. This means a veteran artist has as much of a chance of having their show picked to perform as someone who has never performed in their life!
It’s Uncensored. We at HBG Fringe have no control over the artistic content of any of the performances at our festival. Artistic freedom is unrestrained, allowing artists to be true to their craft and uphold their artistic integrity. It is not for the HFF to say what might or might not be suitable for audiences. We will have designated categories for kids and families, as well as content warnings, but the participants’ art will only be “assessed” by the audiences they attract.
100% of ticket sales are given back to the artists. The Harrisburg Fringe Festival gives all the money earned from ticket sales directly back to the artists. We are providing artists with financial vitality. Because when artists make money, they can keep creating art.
What's in it for you?
Experience new art and artists – Harrisburg is full of dance, comedy, theatre, music, graphic arts, drag, spoken word, and more. The HFF will give you an opportunity to see it all – or as much as you can schedule!
Support underserved artists – While there are many artists in the midstate, not all of them have a chance to reach audiences and show their work. Coming to the HFF will provide critical financial and artistic support for those artists, many of whom are from Harrisburg’s traditionally underserved communities.
Support local businesses – You can be confident that the money you spend at the HFF will stay local: local restaurant and food trucks, local breweries and distilleries, local businesses – as well as the local artists – will all benefit from your involvement.
It’ll be fun – Who doesn’t like a party? More than anything, the HFF will be a festival that celebrates Harrisburg and its surrounding communities as well as its artists. Come enjoy food, beverages, music, and a variety of entertainment – both on the street and in the venues.
Amplifying Voices
At Harrisburg Fringe Festival and 717 Arts Inc., we believe in Amplifying Voices.
Our goal is to ensure that we are creating and fostering an inclusive, equitable, and collaborative environment, one that promotes participation and openly recruits diverse stories and performances, providing opportunities for underrepresented artists and communities by not only offering a platform for inclusive shows, art, and experiences, but by facilitating and creating opportunities for coaching, mentorship, and by offering any guidance that might help on their artistic journey.
Ultimately, our greatest ambition is for artists and patrons of any background to see themselves represented in the work showcased at the Harrisburg Fringe Festival.
To better amplify the voices of marginalized communities, we offer artists an opportunity to enter our Amplified Voices Lottery. This lottery occurs before the general lottery and guarantees 30% of spots to producing artists that qualify.
To qualify, the project must be PRODUCED and/or CREATED by individuals who are members of a marginalized community*.
Please note: solely having cast members of diverse backgrounds does not qualify you to enter the Amplified Voices Lottery.
If you are entered into the Amplified Voices Lottery and not selected, you will still be entered in the general lottery for your desired Tier.
*Marginalized communities are groups of persons at risk of being subjected to discrimination due to personal characteristics such as race, ethnicity, age, health status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
Kids Fringe!
Kids Fringe is a family-friendly portion of the Fringe Festival, happening from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the Saturday of our festival (July 20, 2024). Performances, workshops, meet and greets, and interactive art experiences are offered by touring and local artists and arts organizations.
Artists and Vendors interested in participating in Kids Fringe should email producer@hbgfringe.com.
Visual Fringe
A space for visual artists during the festival with gallery displays and tabling opportunities, Visual Fringe is the visual art portion of the Harrisburg Fringe Festival that features drawing, painting, sculpture, design, jewelry making, and much more.
Like the theater portion of the festival, Visual Fringe is uncensored and unjuried, and 100% of the money made in art sales is given back to the artists. The main focus of Visual Fringe is to allow an outlet for artists to push beyond their usual medium, subject matter, and comfort zone to bring true uniqueness to this exhibition and foster the celebration of creativity.
Visual artists with questions should email producer@hbgfringe.com