MAINE’S FRINGE FESTIVAL

JUNE 17 – 24

This isn’t theater. This is fringe.

We are a by-lottery, non-juried fringe festival.
We support new, edgy, and experimental performance in our city of Portland.
We celebrate the imaginative and the weird.
We are inclusive, intersectional, and unafraid.
We seek to eliminate financial and logistical barriers so that artists can focus on their work (and even make money doing so).
We celebrate and contribute to Maine’s vibrant performance art community.
We do this out of love and passion – for theater, for creativity, for cardboard props, and packed houses.
Plus, it’s super fun.

WHAT IS FRINGE?          

MISSION: The mission of PortFringe is to support performance artists, to encourage experimentation and innovation, and to provide an accessible, affordable outlet for exciting work that enriches our creative community.

HISTORY: PortFringe launched in 2012 as a five-day, cutting-edge fringe festival with 40 acts ranging from serious to silly and everything in between. With generous support from our community, an army of volunteers, and a pool of talented actors, directors, designers, and producers, PortFringe showcases an impressive depth and breadth of local and national talent. In our second year, PortFringe grew to over 60 acts – all in Portland’s walkable downtown Arts District. As we enter our sixth year, PortFringe looks to keeps things fringey, expand our artist and audience base, and be a force to reckon with.

COMMUNITY: Perhaps best of all, PortFringe generates thousands of dollars of ticket sales ALL OF WHICH is funneled directly back to the artists. PortFringe demonstrates that there is a hunger in Portland, Maine for eclectic, homegrown, and fun arts programming — and that such creative pursuits can also be economically viable.

PORTFRINGE CREW

Corey Anderson – technical operations
Mariah Bergeron – community outreach and website
Catherine Buxton – volunteer management
Jake Cote – social media
Lisa Boucher Hartman – venues and events
Stacey Koloski – artist relations
Deirdre Fulton McDonough – marketing and press relations
James Patefield – sponsorship and box office