Fringe Festival announces return after three-year hiatus

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Often seen as a staple of eclectic artistic expression, the Minnesota Fringe festival will once again return to Minneapolis this summer.

The annual festival will host 595 live performances in 11 days in as many locations around the city from Aug. 4-14.

The "artistic disruptor for local and national artists" will host nearly 1,000 artists through 119 shows selected by random lottery in a public drawing after receiving submissions from local, national, and international applicants. 

"We’re elated to see our stages come to life again after a nearly three-year hiatus and witness artists,  audiences, staff and volunteers co-create our annual adventure," executive director Dawn Bentley said in the announcement. 

New this season was an Equity Lottery was introduced designating the first 10% of festival slots for BIPOC producers, writers, directors and choreographers. 

It will also be the third year of its Touring Artist Initiative, which reserves 10% of festival slots for artists from outside the 11-county metro area. 

Both programs were implemented in an effort to uplift underrepresented artists, according to festival organizers.

Shows will be held at the Theater in the Round Players, Mixed Blood Theatre, Rarig Stroll Thrust, Rarig Kilburn Arena, Rarig Nolte Xperimental, Augsburg Mainstage, and Augsburg Studio in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, and at the HUGE Improv Theater, Bryant Lake Bowl Theater, Center for the Performing Arts Black Box and Center for the Performing Arts Flex in Uptown.