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REGULAR INDOOR & KIDS VENUE PERFORMERS


Applications for the 2025 Winnipeg Fringe Festival are NOW OPEN! 
Please read ALL information below and find the link to the application at the bottom of this page.

The application deadline is December 9 at 9am CST

 

WHAT YOU DO

  • Put together your Fringe company and create your company name.

  • Select or create your material (theatre, improv, dance, musical, etc.).

  • Apply to the Winnipeg Fringe lottery.

  • Submit your Winnipeg Fringe application fee if you are drawn in the lottery.

  • Secure the rights for your production if the play is not an original piece.

  • Rehearse your production.

  • Send us your show’s technical information and program copy.

  • Prepare for your technical rehearsal where you will layout your set and run sound and lighting cues. If you have prepared sufficiently there should be enough time for a dress rehearsal.

  • Bring everything needed for your show (props, sets, costumes, stage manager, ideas on lighting and sound cues, etc.)

  • Promote your show with news releases, posters, handbills, on-site promotions and anything else that will help draw attention to your show. The Fringe Publicist will market the entire festival, and will help individual companies as much as possible.

  • Perform your show at your scheduled times (there are 45 minutes between shows and companies only have 15 minutes to set-up and strike for each performance).

  • Enjoy the rest of the indoor and outdoor productions and head down to the beer tent and mingle with the other performers, patrons, volunteers and staff.

 

WHAT WE DO FOR YOU

  • Provide a venue (from 90-300 seats) equipped with lighting, sound, stage, masking and seating. The festival can't guarantee any company a specific size or technically equipped venue.

  • Provide a technician. (Companies should provide a stage manager to call their show.)

  • Provide a 2 to 3 hour technical rehearsal in your venue so you can set up and run through your show.

  • Schedule your performances over the course of the festival and at varying times from 11am-11pm. (Companies will receive 7-8 performances depending on your application category, show length and conflicts.)

    • Indoor companies with shows that are 75 minutes in length or less, and with no scheduling conflicts will be scheduled a minimum of 7 performances.

    • The Fringe does not have a maximum running time but we recommend that shows not run longer than 90 minutes if possible. Shows that run longer than 75 minutes may receive fewer than 7 performances.

    • Kids Venue companies will be scheduled 8 performances if space permits.

  • Publicize the Fringe Festival.

  • Include your show in the Fringe Program and on the festival website with your show description, graphic and show times.

  • Manage all front of house duties for your performances.

  • Sell tickets to your show. Tickets are sold in advance (online and/or in-person) prior to the festival and at the door on the day of your performances.

  • Return 100% of ticket price revenue to you. 
    • Indoor Companies: ​In 2025 Regular Advance and At The Door tickets will be $12 to $14.
    • Kids Venue Companies: In 2025 Advance Tickets for Kids 12 and Under will be $6 and ALL At The Door tickets will be Pay What You Can.
    • Please see the Ticket Revenue section below for more information on all ticket and pass prices.

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2024 FESTIVAL STATS
  • 148                  Total Productions
  • 1236                Total Indoor Performances
  • 126                 Sold Out Shows
  • 81,224             Total Ticketed Attendance (paid and comps)
  • $811,206         Total Box Office Revenue returned to artists
 
IMPORTANT DATES
  • Application Available: October 22, 2024
  • Application Deadline: December 9, 2024 at 9am CST (including receipt of the $25 admin fee)
  • Indoor Performer Lottery: December 12, 2024
  • BYOV Applications Available: December 19, 2024
  • Full Application Fee Payment Deadline: January 3, 2025 at 5pm CST
 
 LOTTERY APPLICATION & DRAW
The Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival only accepts online applications. The online application link can be found at the bottom of this page.

Regular Indoor and Kids Venue Performing companies will be accepted into the Fringe via lottery. Those applicants who do not receive a slot in the Fringe through the lottery will be placed on a waitlist.

The Winnipeg Fringe lottery has two categories:
  1. Regular Indoor Venue Category (approx 100 spots available)
  2. Kids Venue Category (5 spots available)
  • Kids Venue productions must be targeted at children 12 & under
  • Kids Venue performances are scheduled to start between 10am-6pm

The Winnipeg Fringe Festival uses the following quota system when selecting performing companies in the lottery:
  • 50% Manitoban
  • 30% Canadian
  • 20% International

The festival receives many more applications than we can accommodate in the festival. In order to allow the largest number of companies to participate, only ONE application per company/artist will be accepted in each lottery category.  
 
If a company/artist is found to have submitted more than one application to a lottery category, ALL applications by that company will be placed at the bottom of the waiting list and the associated administration fees will not be refunded.
 
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FEES
Application Administration Fee
A $25 non-refundable administration fee will be charged to all applicants.  The administration fee for regular indoor and KidsVenue applicants must be received by the application deadline (9am CST, December 9, 2024) in order to be entered into the lottery.
 
2025 Application Fees
  • Regular Indoor Venue & BYOV application fee: $800.00 plus GST ($840)
  • Kids Venue application fee: $650.00 (including GST)

For those companies selected in the lottery draw the full $840 Application Fee (or $650 for Kids Venue companies) must be paid no later than January 3rd, 2025. Failure to submit the fee by this date will result in the forfeiture of your place in the festival and your spot will be awarded to the next performing company on the wait list. Wait List companies are not required to submit the full application fee unless they are moved into participant status.
 
NSF penalty fee
The Fringe will charge $25 for any returned cheques and we will not accept another cheque for payment of the administration or application fee.

Program copy, scheduling or technical info change penalty fee
The Fringe reserves the right to charge $50 for any changes made to program copy, graphics, technical or scheduling information after the posted deadlines.

Performance cancellation penalty fee
The Fringe will charge a $50 fee for any performance cancelled after the performance schedules have been submitted to the performing companies.
 
PAYMENT METHODS
VISA, MasterCard or American Express
Credit card payments can be made through secure online payment via the Winnipeg Fringe website. Credit card payments can be made by phone or fax upon request.  Once submitted, your payment will be processed immediately and will show up on your statement as a charge from the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre.

Cheque or Money Order
Application fees paid in the form of a cheque or money order should be made payable to Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre and mailed or delivered to:  Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival, 174 Market Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R3B 0P8
 
REFUNDS & CANCELLATIONS
  • All withdrawals from the festival must be made by the company's primary contact.
  • A company may withdraw from the waiting list at any time.
  • A company that has been accepted into the festival and withdraws on or before March 31, 2025 will be returned 50% of their application fee.
  • A company that has been accepted into the festival and withdraws after March 31, 2025 will forfeit their entire application fee.
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TICKET REVENUE
  • Performing companies retain 100% of the ticket price.
  • 100% of tickets are available for sale In Advance. There is a $2.50 surcharge on all Advance Tickets to cover the cost of this service.
  • Any tickets not sold In Advance up to 4 hours before showtime will be sold At The Door of the venues. The Fringe does not apply a surcharge on tickets sold At the Door.
  • For 2025, performing companies will be able to select their regular ticket price from $12 to $14 for Advance and At the Door ticket sales.
  • For 2025, all companies will once again have a $10 At The Door discount ticket price for young people 25 and under.  Performing companies can add additional discount categories for their production (ex. All patrons, seniors, matinees, weekday matinees, students, equity...).
  • The Fringe will again sell Frequent Fringer Passes, valid for either 8 or 14 tickets in 2025, and performing companies will receive $10/ticket when redeemed by a patron (only 1 or 2 tickets can be redeemed per performance by pass holder).
  • The Fringe will have one or two special discount ticket promotional opportunities that performing companies can take advantage of if they choose. In 2024, companies could choose one special "$10 Tix" dicount performance, where all tickets were $10 each.

Kids Venue Tickets
All of the above ticket options will be available to Kids Venue companies. Below are the unique ticket prices productions in this family-friendly venue.
  • Advance Tickets for children 12 & Under will be $6 (same as 2024)
  • For 2025, ALL At the Door tickets in the Kids Venue will be Pay What You Can. This unique ticket price option was implemented in 2023 to make these performances more accessible to everyone in our community as well as to fill more seats and generate more overall revenue for the artists. 
  • CLICK HERE to view the 2018-2023 attendance and box office summaries.

COMP TICKETS

  • Performing companies will be able to reserve in advance a limited number of tickets to each of their performances to be given out as comps to family, friends, performers...
  • The Fringe provides select groups (volunteers, media, artistic directors, sponsors, VIPs) with complimentary tickets/passes that can be redeemed at any performance.
  • The Fringe provides a limited number of complimentary tickets to media partners for use in promotional contests.
  • Fringe performers will receive a comp ticket card good for an unlimited number of single tickets that can only be redeemed via a standby line.
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TAXES

We know that nobody wants to think about them, but here is some basic information so that companies can prepare properly for the Fringe and avoid any last minute confusion or difficulties. We will do our best to answer any questions you may have. However, The Winnipeg Fringe Festival does not assume any responsibility for the payment of taxes or levies associated with revenues a company may generate while performing in the festival or for the application of any possible tax exemptions.

It is each company's responsibility to meet the requirements of the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency in regards to your production.

GST (Federal Goods and Services Tax)
  • The GST is a 5% tax on all goods and services in Canada. All companies must remit this tax where applicable.
  • The Winnipeg Fringe does not deduct and/or remit GST on behalf of any company.
  • Canadian companies/individuals earning less than $30,000 a year do not have to charge and remit this tax.
  • All international companies must charge and remit GST, but they can apply for a refund.
  • For information please call the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency.

Federal Non-Resident Withholding Tax (Regulation 105) for non-Canadian Performers

This is the Federal Government's form of income tax for non-residents.

Please CLICK HERE to read more info on the government's website.
  1. International groups can apply for a waiver which allows performers to earn a base amount that is non-taxable.
  2. The basic exemption is $15,000 for artists from the United States of America and $5,000 for other foreign artists.
  3. Registered non-profit groups from Britain may apply for a complete exemption.
  4. Companies may apply as a single entity claiming expenses against projected revenues, but this may not be as advantageous as claiming individually.
  5. Applicants should apply for this waiver at the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA) office in the city of their first stop on the Fringe circuit at least one month before they arrive.
  6. CCRA will forward the waiver instructions from Fringe to Fringe.
  7. We have had some difficulties with communications from CCRA offices in other cities and for this reason we strongly suggest that you forward us a copy of your waiver application and first waiver letter from CCRA in advance of your arrival in Winnipeg.
  8. If an international company does not apply for a REG 105 waiver, the Fringe is required to withhold 15% of your box office revenue and forward it to the CCRA. The performing company/individual will have to apply to the CCRA at the end of the year for a refund of any of the taxes withheld.
For a Regulation 105 Waiver Application Form in PDF format please CLICK HERE. 

For more information contact the International Tax Services Office:
Tel: 1-800-267-5177 (within Canada & the United States)
Tel: 1-613-952-3741 (outside Canada & the United States – collect calls accepted)
Fax: 1-613-941-2505
 

PERMITS & CUSTOMS FOR NON-CANADIAN PERFORMING COMPANIES

All international companies must acquire the necessary visas and permits required by the Canada Border Services Agency.

Work Permits & Visas
All international companies are responsible for acquiring their own work permits and visas. The Fringe will provide a letter of invitation to those companies accepted into the Festival, but this does not guarantee entry into Canada.

The Winnipeg Fringe Festival takes no responsibility for the actions taken by the Canada Border Services Agency in the event that the performing group has not acquired the necessary permits.

Please make sure that you and all your cast members are legally permitted to enter Canada. We cannot be responsible for legal issues that result in being turned away at the border.

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BILLET ACCOMMODATIONS

The Fringe Festival will try to provide a billet for those performers who require accommodations. A billeting form will be sent to all touring companies accepted into the Fringe. The Fringe does not guarantee a billet placement and encourages performers to arrange their own accommodations if possible.

Please note: The Fringe is unable to provide billeting for those travelling with children.

HARASSMENT & DISCRIMINATION, SAFER SPACES POLICY

The Winnipeg Fringe believes that all participants - performers, patrons, volunteers, and staff - deserve a respectful and inclusive environment in which to enjoy the festival, and reserves the right to ask any person who is creating an unsafe atmosphere to leave the festival.  If the Winnipeg Fringe receives any information regarding a performing company or artist that may impact the safety of the festival and its many participants these issues (including, but not limited to harassment, discrimination, bullying and violence) will be taken seriously and reviewed. The Winnipeg Fringe reserves the right to remove any performing company or artist from the festival at any time if it is believed that they may impact the safety of the festival and its participants.
 
To read the Harassment, Discrimination & Safer Spaces Policy, click here.

BY SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION, ALL PARTICIPANTS CONFIRM THEY HAVE READ AND AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING TERMS & CONDITIONS

  1. The regular adult ticket price will be $12 to $14 in 2025. Exception: Kids Venue Category - Advance tickets for Kids 12 and Under will be $6 and ALL At The Door tickets will be Pay What You Can.
  2. Performing companies will receive $10 per admission when a Frequent Fringer Pass is redeemed at their show.
  3. Performing companies with shows that are 75 min. in length or less and with no scheduling conflicts will be scheduled a minimum of 7 performance slots during the festival.
  4. Companies with shows that run longer than 75 min. or with scheduling conflicts may receive only 6 performance slots.
  5. The full application fee payment must be made by January 3, 2025 at 5pm CST.
  6. Only ONE application per company in each lottery category may be submitted into the lottery.  Companies that share the EXACT same cast/crew may not submit applications in one category under different companies names.
  7. Companies accepted into the festival cannot sell or transfer their right to perform to another party. If a company is found to have sold its space, both companies will be removed from the festival and the original application fee will be forfeited.
  8. The Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival reserves the right to cancel confirmed applications should circumstances arise which, in the opinion of festival staff, interfere with the mounting of a production or the festival as a whole or violate the terms and conditions outlined here.
  9. The festival will accept no liability for performance cancellations as a result of natural phenomena or the actions of third parties or as a performance venue’s limitations for any particular purpose. The festival makes no guarantee whatsoever regarding the suitability of any particular venue for performance presentation. In the event of a loss of a venue (or an unforeseen loss of festival revenue needed to operate a venue) the festival reserves the right to cancel the performances in that venue. In such circumstances, groups affected will have the option of submitting to the waiting list or withdrawing from the festival with a full refund of their application fee.
  10. All performing companies agree to adhere to the laws of Manitoba and Canada, and the policies, procedures and safety restrictions of the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival. All companies are obligated to act in the best interest of the festival as a whole at all times. The Winnipeg Fringe Festival reserves the right to cancel any or all performances of any performing company not adhering to these regulations.
  11. The Winnipeg Fringe believes that all participants - performers, patrons, volunteers, and staff - deserve a respectful and inclusive environment in which to enjoy the festival, and reserves the right to ask any person who is creating an unsafe atmosphere to leave the festival.  If the Winnipeg Fringe receives any information regarding a performing company or artist that may impact the safety of the festival and its many participants these issues (including, but not limited to harassment, discrimination, bullying and violence) will be taken seriously and reviewed. The Winnipeg Fringe reserves the right to remove any performing company or artist from the festival at any time if it is believed that they may impact the safety of the festival and its participants.
  12. If an Indoor or Kids Venue company shares the EXACT same cast/crew as a BYOV company, their acceptance through the lottery will be forfeited.  If a company is found to have submitted more than one application (excepting one in each of the Indoor and Kids Venue lotteries), ALL applications by that company will be placed at the bottom of the waiting list.
  13. No company can refuse admission to patrons based on sex, gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation.
  14. Submission of the application and subsequent payment of the administration fee shall indicate you have read all the above application information and your acceptance of the terms and conditions contained herein.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Please read the above information to ensure you understand all rules and conditions before submitting your application.
  2. To enter the 2025 Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival lottery, click on the link at the bottom of this page.
  3. You will need to create a Fringe account or log-in to update your existing account.
  4. You will need to select your lottery category (Local, National, International, Kids Venue).
  5. You will then need to complete your application by paying the $25 administration fee.
  6. All valid applications will be entered into the lottery.
  7. Companies do not need to be in attendance at the lottery to be drawn.
  8. Those companies that are drawn in the lottery will receive a slot in the festival.
  9. All companies drawn in the lottery will receive an email confirmation of their acceptance.
  10. Those companies not drawn in the lottery will receive an email confirmation of their place on the waiting list.
  11. Application fees for those companies accepted into the festival must be paid no later than January 3, 2025 at 5pm CST.
  12. IMPORTANT: Failure to pay the application fee by will result in the forfeiture of your place in the festival and your spot will be awarded to the next performing company on the wait list.
  13. Any company on the wait list can withdraw at any time.

Click here to apply to the 2025 Winnipeg Fringe Festival!


  Questions? Contact:

Tori Popp, Festival Manager
Phone: (204) 943-7464
Fax: (204) 947-3741
performers@winnipegfringe.com

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