FRINGE PERFORMING ARTISTS

Elgin Fringe Festival is best known for its performance art. Dance, theater, comedy, music, and undefined art forms delight audiences in intimate settings across downtown Elgin. Fringe celebrates bold artistic experimentation, showcasing artists' work across a spectrum of forms and genres. The festival is uncurated, with artists selected via lottery.

Elgin Fringe Festival 2026

Sep. 4 • Visual Arts Opening

Sep. 5–22 • Special Pop-up Events

Sep. 23–27 • Performance Weekend (70+ shows!)

APPLICATION & SHOW INFO

Applications are open February 1 - March 1.

Should I Apply for Elgin Fringe?

Do you have something to share? Is your work adaptable? Do you like supporting other artists? Are you good at self-promotion? Or do you want to learn about any of the above? If YES–You should apply to fringe! If NO–Fringe might not be your cup of tea.

How Do I Apply for Elgin Fringe?

Our applications for this year's festival are accepted from February 1st to March 1st. No late submissions will be accepted. There is no application fee. Selected and wait-listed artists will be announced within 90 days of the close of the application. Artists are selected via lotteries based on the artist's location and representation. All artists not selected via lottery are automatically placed on a waitlist.

You will provide on the application your contact info, a short description of the work (can be a working description), the estimated length of the show, and the number of performances requested (1-3). All communications will be sent to one representative from each group. That person’s name must be listed as the Primary Contact in your application. If you have trouble submitting your application, please contact EFF Artistic Director Nick Mataragas.

How are Artists Selected?

Artists will be chosen via a lottery system at a special event in April. Notifications of acceptance and waitlist status will be sent within a few weeks after the lottery event. The lottery categories are as follows:

Equity Seeking Artists: Performances with artists who self-identify as Underrepresented. This can include but is not limited to those that are BIPOC and members of the LGBTQ community. The festival is always open to questions and concerns on who qualifies as underrepresented. Equity-seeking artists not drawn via lottery in this category are automatically placed in the Local or Touring lottery pools, giving them two chances to be selected.

First Time Fringers: Shows being produced by someone who has never produced at a Fringe Festival before. First Time Fringe artists not drawn via lottery in this category are automatically placed in the Local or Touring lottery pools, giving them two chances to be selected.

Spanish Language Shows: Shows that will be presented predominantly in Spanish. Spanish Language artists not drawn via lottery in this category are automatically placed in the Local or Touring lottery pools, giving them two chances to be selected.

Local Artists: Artists residing within 50 miles of Side Street Studio Arts (15 Ziegler Ct., Elgin, IL 60120).

Touring Artists/Out of Area: Artists residing outside the 50-mile radius.

What Happens if I am Not Selected?

Have no fear! All artists not selected by the lottery will automatically be put on the waitlist in their respective categories. Wait-listed artists will be contacted within 90 days of the close of the application.

What Costs are Involved?

Production fees are required upon acceptance to the festival. Artists will be invoiced for production fees. All production fees must be paid via Venmo, Zelle, check, or credit card (credit card includes fees). No in-person payments will be accepted. First-time fringe festival producers may apply for production fee support. Indicate this in your application, and the festival will contact you if selected.

2026 PRODUCTION FEES:

Full Length Show Production Fee: $80 per performance (up to 3 performances).
Short Show Production Fee: $125 for 3 performances.

Do I Get Paid to Perform?

100% of ticket sales for performances go to the artist (after an 8.5% Kane County Sales Tax and a 3.5% credit card fee, if applicable). A $4 Festival Entry Button (one-time purchase) is required for audience members to purchase tickets. Tickets are sold at Fringe Central/Side Street Studio Arts, not at individual venues. Please include this information in all promotional materials.

How Long are Performances?

Artists will select either a Full-Length Show or a Short Show. The length of the show does not affect lottery status.

FULL-LENGTH SHOWS
- Duration: 30–60 minutes
- Performance Options: 1, 2, or 3 performances.
- Production Fee: $80 per performance (up to 3 performances).
- Set-up & Strike Times: 10 minutes before and after the performance.
- Storage: NO STORAGE for sets or props is available onsite.
SHORT SHOWS
- Duration: 15–20 minutes
- Performances: 3 performances are required.
- Grouping: Short shows are grouped with 1–2 other performances in a 60-minute block (showcase). Groupings are determined by Elgin Fringe Festival.
- Production Fee: $125 for 3 performances.
- Set-up & Strike Time: 10 minutes before and after your group’s 60 minute block (not for each individual show). All groups in a block will load in and out together. Props and set-up must be minimal for short shows.
- Storage: NO STORAGE for sets or props is available onsite.

Who Schedules Performances?

All performance dates, times, and locations are scheduled and confirmed by the Elgin Fringe Staff about two months prior to the festival. Performing artists are able to select one, two, three, or four performances, but do not determine venue, or performance dates and times.

TECH & VENUES

How Does Load-In and Load-Out Work During the Festival?

You have 10 minutes to load in, following the performance before you. Your venue manager will tell you when you are able to start loading in. Do not begin your load-in before this time. Some spaces will be more congested than others. For example, the Theater and Backspace at SSSA have a narrow stairwell and only one entrance and exit. You will receive additional specifics from your Venue Manager during your tech rehearsal, but the tighter the plan, the better, and the more simple the better, when it comes to fringe.

You also have 10 minutes to load out at the end of your performance. You must stick to this tight schedule, as the group performing after you will be waiting to load in. This means props/set off stage, costumes out of the changing area, humans away, and whatever other wonderful craziness is involved in your show. Try to rehearse this stealth switchover during your tech. Is this all crazy? Yes, but that’s fringe!

Example Schedule:

10:40am-10:50am: Erin loads in
10:50am-11am: House Open
11am-Noon: The Amazing Erin Show
Noon-12:10pm: Erin load out
12:10-12:20pm: Tanner loads in
12:20-12:30pm: House Open
12:30-1:30pm: The Okay Tanner Show...

Helpful Hints:

Show up in make-up.
Show up in your costume base layer.
Big cast? Lucky you, assign everyone a load-in and strike job–or two or three.
Lots of props? Bring easily moveable storage bins or wheeled suitcases.
Our tech crew will be busy preparing for their next show. So, they will be unable to help you load in our strike. Plan accordingly.

Can I Store Anything at My Venue?

Venues do not have available storage space for props, costumes, etc. So, be sure to consider this when planning/practicing your load-in. Imagine if every artist/company performing needed to store props, sets, and costumes! Most of our venues just don't have enough room. That said, your Venue Manager is the boss of their space. If something makes sense for the ease of the festival, they will decide that at your tech rehearsal.

PERFORMANCE VENUES

PROMOTING YOUR SHOW

Elgin Fringe promotes the festival as a whole, and we promote every show through our website, festival program, social media, community outreach, and media efforts. We also encourage artists to actively promote their own shows before and during the festival. The more you share your show, connect with audiences, support other artists, and join in the festival energy, the stronger your Fringe experience will be!

How Does Elgin Fringe Promote My Show?

YOUR PROMO IMAGE & INFO
Each show submits a 50-word description and high-resolution image through our Marketing Materials Form. This is the key information we use to promote your show through all of our channels, so send us something that feels clear, exciting, and true to your show. Artists may only use one image for all of their performances.

SHOW DESCRIPTION TIP: Tell us what your show is, what it feels like, who might enjoy it, and what makes it worth seeing. You do not need to explain every detail. Leave a little room for curiosity!

Promo image requirements:

Image should be 1080px by 1080px, 300 dpi or larger.
We crop images to a square, so it's best to send a square image.
Images can be photographs, artwork, illustrations, or graphics. Logos or titles are optional.
Please DO NOT INCLUDE websites, show details, dates, times, venues, prices, or social handles on images.

SOCIAL MEDIA

In the weeks leading up to the festival, we will post twice about your show, featuring your promo image, show description, dates, times, venue, and ticket cost. We will also share our social media graphic with you so you can share it in your own promotion.

FESTIVAL PROGRAM
Each year, Elgin Fringe creates a full-color 16-page program on newsprint that includes a complete schedule, festival map, and detailed listing and promo image for each performance.

We use printed programs for promotion around Elgin in the weeks leading up to the festival, and participants receive one when picking up their tickets. A digital version is also available on our website.

FRINGE WEBSITE

Our website is the colorful hub for all things Elgin Fringe. The Tickets and Shows page includes a show description and ticket purchase option for every performance. The Schedule page also links audiences to details and tickets for each performance.

COMMUNITY & MEDIA

In the months leading up to Elgin Fringe, we get around town and the surrounding burbs to hang posters in local businesses and spread the word about this magical festival.

We also participate in local events and parades, contact local media for interviews and articles, and work to build community excitement. Each year, Elgin Fringe is featured in local newspapers, radio stations, and community outlets.

How Should I Promote My Show?

PREPARE YOUR PROMO INFO

Details to Include:

Show title and artist or company name
Date, time, and venue
Ticket cost, Festival Entry Button reminder (see below)
Web link to elginfringefestival.com or QR code available at elginfringefestival.com/graphics.
Share a good reason to see your show!
Add the Elgin Fringe logo: available at elginfringefestival.com/graphics.

Be Clear About Tickets & Buttons

ALL tickets must be picked up at Fringe Central, and all participants must purchase a Festival Entry Button to be admitted to a show. Please review ticket info HERE.

Here is a short blurb you can copy and paste into your own promotional materials:

Planning to see a show? Start at ElginFringeFestival.com or stop by Fringe Central at Side Street Studio Arts. Every audience member needs a Festival Entry Button, and show tickets are picked up at Fringe Central, not individual venues. 100% of your ticket purchases goes to the artists!

SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

FOLLOW AND TAG US:

INSTAGRAM: @elginfringe
FACEBOOK: @elginfringefestival
#EFFit
Make us a collaborator on your posts and we will share them!

SOCIAL MEDIA IDEAS FOR YOU:

Give people a reason to follow before, during, and after your show!

Share a rehearsal photo or a behind-the-scenes moment.
Introduce yourself, your group, or the people helping bring the show to life.
Tell people why you created the show.
Give audiences a feel for the show’s mood, style, or sense of humor.
Share a favorite line, image, prop, costume detail, or tiny glimpse of what is coming.
Create a Facebook Event Page, invite your friends, and tag @elginfringefestival.
Post your schedule and ticket link so people know exactly when and where to find you.
Share a review quote after your first performance.
Post a quick video after opening night and let people know how it went.
Offer a friendly reminder before your next show.
Invite audiences to leave a review and share the love.
Repost Elgin Fringe posts and use #EFFit so people can find your show more easily.
Share your Fringe experience in real time, including other shows you enjoy.

SHARE VIDEOS WITH US:
Send us a video between 15 and 60 seconds and we will share it on our socials! You can email the video to us HERE, or make us a collaborator on your post and will be share the love!

ELGIN FRINGE PREVIEW PARTY

The Wednesday evening before Elgin Fringe Performance Weekend, we kick things off with our Preview Party at the Martini Room. Artists are invited to share a short preview of their show in five minutes or less. Think of it as your chance to give audiences a taste of what you do, spark some curiosity, and lure a few new people into your show!

The Preview Party is always a lively night, with Fringetinis, food, games, plenty of silliness, and a room full of artists, audience members, and Fringe friends. Tickets for festival performances will also be on sale.

Come meet other artists, connect with Fringe audiences, share a little of what you do, and start your weekend with good Fringe energy!

POST FLYERS & POSTCARDS

Printed flyers and postcards still work, especially when they come with an actual human conversation. Fringe is a people-powered festival, so don’t be shy. Say hello, talk up your show, and help people find their next favorite thing.

Fringe Central

Start at Fringe Central. Post your flyers or postcards in approved areas, including the window and outdoor patio clothesline. Fringe Central is where artists, audiences, volunteers, and festival friends gather, so it is one of the best places to get your show in front of people who are already in the Fringe spirit.

Fringe Venues

Other Fringe venues are often a good place to post promo materials, but always check with the venue manager first. Let them know you are an Elgin Fringe performer, and they will tell you where materials can be displayed if they have space.

Downtown Elgin Businesses

Ask local businesses near Fringe venues if you can post a flyer. Many downtown businesses are happy to support Fringe, especially if they already have a Fringe poster in the window! Take an hour or two to walk around downtown and look for good spots. A friendly ask goes a long way.

Festival Events & Parties

Take advantage of festival events, parties, and community gatherings. These are great places to meet people, talk about your show, and connect with others before and during festival weekend. Special events and Fringe parties are listed in the online schedule and printed program.

Fringe Shows

Go to other shows and talk to people before and after performances. Ask if they would like a flyer or postcard, and keep it friendly. Be engaging, not pushy. A warm hello usually works better than a flyer suddenly appearing in someone’s hand. Artists who attend shows, support other performers, and join the festival energy have a better chance of bringing people to their own performances.

Fringe Artists & Attendees

Make friends with other Fringe artists, producers, and participants. Many artists give shout-outs and help promote other shows during their bows. In a festival atmosphere, supporting each other is part of what makes the whole thing work.

ELGIN FRINGE IS A COMMUNITY. Right in heart of the community of Elgin, this festival creates its own sense of a community each year. It is a relational experience, and the artist that invest themselves in relating to each other are the ones who benefit the most.

STUFF NOT TO DO

Post in Public Spaces Without Permission

Don’t leave flyers in public places, on sidewalks, benches, poles, cars, windows, or anywhere else without permission. This can be considered littering, and the city can issue a fine. Nobody wants their Fringe promo plan to become a municipal incident!

Move Other Artists’ Materials

Don’t move, cover, or remove another artist’s flyers or postcards to make room for your own. Fringe has room for everyone, and we want to keep it that way. If Fringe staff sees materials covering someone else’s promo, we may remove them.

Post at Venues Without Checking

Don’t post materials at a venue without asking the venue manager first. Each space has its own setup, and the venue manager can tell you where materials may be displayed.

Handout Materials Inside a Performance Space
Please do not promote your show inside a performance space, especially while audiences are waiting for a show to begin. Give people time to settle in and experience the art before approaching them. Be friendly, respectful, and patient.

REMEMBER: respect fellow artists and their performance spaces, be friendly, and don't litter!

TICKETS & REVIEWS

How Do Ticket Sales Work for Artists?

First, the big important thing: ticket sales support YOU. Elgin Fringe artists receive 100% of ticket sales for their performances, after applicable sales tax and credit card fees. The Festival Entry Button supports the festival. Both pieces matter, and both help keep Elgin Fringe affordable, artist-centered, and wonderfully weird. For more info about the tickets go to our Festival FAQs page.

Can My Audience Purchase Tickets at the Venue?

Sorry, NO! Tickets may be purchased online or at Fringe Central up to 15 minutes before a show. Please make sure your crowd plans accordingly for parking, stopping at Fringe Central, walking to the venue, and ENJOYING the adventure. All venues are walkable and located within a few blocks of Fringe Central.

ALL TICKETS are picked up at FRINGE CENTRAL, located at Side Street Studio Arts, 15 Ziegler Court, in downtown Elgin. Yes, even online purchases. We’re old school like that.

Why Can't My Audience Purchase Tickets at the Venue?

As dreamy as that would be, we are a low-budget, volunteer-run festival. We do not have the financial or personnel resources to staff box offices across multiple venues.

Keeping ticket sales centralized allows us to keep production fees low for artists while still running a successful festival. Sharing ticketing info with your audience early and often will help eliminate potential frustrations.

Fringe Central is located at Side Street Studio Arts, right in the middle of the Fringe fun and within walking distance of all venues. Each audience member is required to purchase a Festival Entry Button. For ticketed performances, audience members must also have a physical ticket in hand.

But My Audience Doesn't Want to Buy a Button! They're Only Coming to See My Performance.

We couldn't run Elgin Fringe without the buttons! The Festival Entry Button supports the festival. The tickets support you. The small cost of the button helps us market the festival, pay tech staff, keep artist production fees low, and keep this wonderfully weird thing going. It is also what gives audience members access to purchase individual show tickets and attend Fringe events.

When your audience buys a ticket to your show, they are directly supporting your work. When they buy a Festival Entry Button, they are helping support what makes the whole festival possible.

Do I Get to See Other Fringe Performances?

YES, and we hope you see as many as possible! Your Festival Entry Button and Artist Pass will be given to you at your tech time. Your pass allows you rush seating for all performances. This means that about 2 minutes before the show starts, you may be let into any unsold seats.

If a show sells out, YAY for them, but you are out of luck. If there is a show you really, really want to see, you are welcome to purchase a ticket at Fringe Central ahead of time.

We hope you will support the other artists involved in the festival, including free events, EFF parties, visual art, and all the other good Fringe weirdness happening around town.

Will My Show Be Reviewed?

We recently added an audience review page to our website that makes it friendly and easy for audience members to read and leave reviews. Audiences are encouraged to scan the QR code posted at each venue and share their thoughts after the show. Most shows receive multiple audience reviews shortly after each performance. We are also hoping to have a screen at Fringe Central that cycles through show reviews during the festival.

Typically, we receive good coverage from our local newspapers before and during the festival. We also work to bring in reviewers from the media. That said, we do not control which shows they choose to see. Fringe is magical. Reviewers are mysterious. We do our best!