The official supporter’s group of the PortFringe Festival

What would happen if we treated artists the way we treat athletes?

What would happen if we celebrated all art-makers with the same enthusiasm we reserve for sports teams?

More specifically, What if instead of focusing on the artist, the designer, the technician, the board, the audience member…we simply look at those of us who love PortFringe—and performing arts in general—as fans?

This lowers the bar for people who are just looking to step into (or return to) community and evens the playing field, so to say. What if we had watch parties and signature drinks and original chants and merch that let everyone on the sidewalk know what you’re a supporter of? What if a sticker, a scarf, a jersey, struck up a conversation at happy hour about what shows you were going to see and which theaters you love as easily as people bring up the score of last night’s game and which team they’re cheering for? Who are we beyond the role listed next to our names in a show program, the title above our headshots on a website, or the seat number listed on our tickets?

We want more third spaces and experiences where the only prerequisite for attendance is being a fan of the fringe—however imperfect, through the ups and the downs—and a believer of what fringe stands for at-large. No admission fee. No auditions. No rehearsals. No agenda. No spotlight. Just showing up and letting the human experience take it from there.

At PortFringe FC, we believe supporting artists is an investment in the kind of community we want to live in together. So let’s show up and create something for each other.