HOW TO PARTICIPATE in the 2021 Calgary Fringe Festival – Digital Theatre Playhouse’s THEATRE ON DEMAND

WHAT IS IT?

The Calgary Fringe Digital Theatre Playhouse’s THEATRE ON DEMAND is our new digital presentation venue offered to all performing artists wishing to submit digital works as part of the 2021 Calgary Fringe Festival.

Each company will have an exclusive digital presentation page to host a digital theatrical work of their choosing: pre-recorded video, audio, or static file (PDF document).  The total cumulative duration of recorded content cannot exceed 60 minutes.  Example:  if you intend to present your piece using three different video files, they can each be 20 minutes  (20+20+20 = 60 min), or different lengths that add up to 60 minutes in total (a 10 min video + a 50 min audio piece = 60 min). Static files do not count towards this duration maximum. 

To meet accessibility standards, we are requesting that video files be accompanied by closed captions (.SRT), and audio files be accompanied by a text-based transcript (PDF). Static digital files must be compatible with screen reader technology, including image alt text descriptions.   

(For more details on technical requirements for digital presentations, see our THEATRE ON DEMAND TECH SPECS sheet).

Audiences will access the Digital Theatre Playhouse’s THEATRE ON DEMAND from our website with the purchase of:

  • Full price tickets at $15 for non-members / $12 for FRINGER+ members, of which 100% goes directly to the artist.

  • PWYC/PWYW tickets (aka Pay What You Can / Pay What You Want) tiered at $2, $5, $10 (PWYC for those that can’t afford a full price ticket), $25, $50 (PWYW for those that may want to pay extra), of which 100% goes directly to the artist.

  • THEATRE ON DEMAND/FRINGE HINDSIGHT 2020 All Access Passes priced at $180 for non-members / $140 for FRINGER+ members, the accumulated revenue of which will be divided equally among all participating digital artists.

*Ticketing surcharges added on separately.  Any ticketing surcharges applied will be retained by the Calgary Fringe).

THEATRE ON DEMAND will be accessible by audiences commencing Mon July 26 leading into the Fringe Festival, during the run of the Festival itself (Fri July 30 to Sat Aug 7), and one week after the Festival has ended, going offline Sat Aug 14.

HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE?

THEATRE ON DEMAND slots will be filled by companies selected from a Digital Lottery Draw. Artists can apply  to one of either two lottery categories: 

  • General Artist Category

  • IBPOC (Indigenous, Black, or Persons of Colour) / Equity-seeking Artist Category. 

There will be ten (10) artists / artist companies selected from each lottery category for a total of twenty (20) slots participating in our THEATRE ON DEMAND digital presentation venue at this year’s Calgary Fringe Festival.  Participation fee per artist / artist company is $100.  THEATRE ON DEMAND artists will be required to upload their digital work(s) ideally by June 15 but by no later than June 30, 2021.

The Calgary Fringe Festival is a non-juried festival and holds a lottery to program the festival by selecting   shows at random in a draw. Once the applications close, a lottery number will be assigned to every single applicant. In line with all other Fringe Festivals in Canada, the Calgary Fringe Festival   does not evaluate the artistic merit of applicants or the viability of the work.

Applications to the Digital Lottery are now open. Applications will close on FRIDAY, MAY 28 at 11:59pm, MST with the lottery draw taking place via Zoom on Monday, May 31 at 7pm, MST. 

 

HOW DO I APPLY TO THE DIGITAL LOTTERY?

TO APPLY:  click here to access the simple online application via Google Docs.

COST TO APPLY:  Pay What You Can.  This year, we are waiving the usual application fee of $30 CAD and instead, applicants will have the option to add a donation at the time of application should they wish to.

If your company requires any accessibility accommodations in order to submit your application, please contact Michele Gallant at michele@calgaryfringe.ca or 403.451.9726 and she will do her best to assist you.

 

HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?

Contact Michele Gallant, Executive Director and Producer, at michele@calgaryfringe.ca.