BorderLight Theatre +
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Festival Overview
Type of FestivalBorderLight launched in 2019 as an international theatre and fringe festival to take place in downtown Cleveland's historic Playhouse Square theatre district. The fringe festival presents roughly 30 productions selected through an application-based, adjudicated process facilitated by a panel of 6-7 Cleveland-area arts and culture leaders and practitioners from diverse theatrical and demographic backgrounds. The selection process was designed to present the widest range of styles, topics, and genres possible to fill the available slots, as well as ensure robust diversity and representation among the artistic creators. Fringe performances take place in indoor and outdoor venues in downtown Cleveland. In 2024, 155 BorderLight performances took place across 10 venues and 20 stages, including outdoors at Playhouse Square Plaza, with indoor spaces ranging from two configurable black boxes (seating between 70-199), a conventional proscenium stage (capacity 99-165), an intimate circus tent (capacity 59), and several non-traditional venues, such as a lounge, a raw classroom space, a private club, a micro-venue in the rear of an Irish pub, and more. All venues are within walking distance. In addition to the fringe, in alternating years a small number of international touring productions are curated by the festival producers, alongside special world premiere collaborative performances between Cleveland theatres or nonprofits and visiting international artists.
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About our AudienceCleveland is a diverse, vibrant city with a reputation for above-market participation in arts and culture. The festival's diverse programming draws visitors from across Cleveland and regionally.
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Festival StatsIn its five festivals to date, BorderLight has served over 25,000 patrons and presented the work of over 1,200 artists. The 2024 BorderLight Theatre Festival featured the work of 340 artists, the majority of whom were fringe artists, and welcomed 6,175 attendees. In 2024, 95% of artists rated their experience as 'Excellent' or 'Good.' Tickets to fringe shows were $12 (concession price available to all), $15 (standard), or $20 (pay-it-forward) for a single purchase, with ticket packages available in multiple sizes. From 2019-2024 the festival offered a 70/30 box office split, with 70% of ticket revenue going to artists. In order to help maintain operations, in 2025 the box office split will change to 50/50. This step became necessary as an offset to the increasing costs of producing the festival, along with a more challenging fundraising environment. BorderLight will seek to increase per-show attendance, and therefore artist revenue, by reducing the number of shows accepted into the festival and by scheduling shows to reduce direct competition for audiences.
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Artist Information
How Artists are AcceptedThe BorderLight Fringe welcomes artist applicants for a wide variety of theatrical genres, including physical theatre, musicals, solo performance, comedy, circus, new plays, adaptations, political theatre, docu-drama, performance art, dance theatre, immersive experiences, and genre-defying performance. Applications are typically open in October and close in late January. All applications and supplemental materials are reviewed by a panel of 7 artistic leaders from Northeast Ohio, including artistic directors, producers, artist practitioners, and educators who represent diverse artistic, pedagogical and cultural perspectives.
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Benefits of ApplyingBorderLight Festival provides free housing for out-of-area Fringe Festival artists through a partnership with Cleveland State University and we will aim to do so again in 2025. All BorderLight Festival artists receive an Artist Pass, which entitles them to complimentary access (on a standby, as-available basis) to other Fringe Festival shows, discounts to international productions, a private Artist Welcome party, as well as the Closing party and other special events. In 2024, BorderLight offered 5 awards with cash prizes: Audience Choice, Spirit of the Fringe, Rainbow Award, Humanity Award, and the Vivid Visual Theatre Award.
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Costs and DealsThe application fee in 2024 was $25, with fee waivers available for artists with financial need. 2024 production fees ranged from $0 - $300.
Average payout for 2024 was $986.00, which includes payouts for one-off workshops as well as for runs of 3-4 shows. For artists unable to participate without financial support, BorderLight has a limited capacity to waive production fees and/or provide a travel stipend for non-local artists. Support can be requested in the application. |
Tech InformationAll venues are set up with basic stage lighting and sound amplification. Local productions provide their own board operator, while non-local artists can request that the festival provide a board operator. Artists are also provided a list of local stage managers, photographers, videographers, etc. to assist in meeting their needs.
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Performance ScheduleThe BorderLight Fringe presents work ranging from 15-90 minutes, with most shows lasting an hour. Artists are typically offered a minimum of 3 shows.
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OtherBorderLight provides marketing guidance to fringe artists, including local best practices for posters and postcards, and a media kit to facilitate outreach. BorderLight hires professional photographers to photograph the festival and most Fringe shows are documented. When a show has been photographed, the festival will provide a digital folder of photos to the lead Fringe artist after the festival.
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City and State of FringePublic Square District
Downtown Cleveland, Ohio 44113 Cleveland is recognized as a cultural center on the rise, featured regularly on national “Best of” lists, including being named by Travel and Tourism Magazine one of the Top 50 cities to visit in 2024. Home to the newly renovated Playhouse Square (the largest performing arts center outside of NYC), the celebrated Gordon Square Arts District, historic Karamu House (the nation's oldest African American theatre), Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland Museum of Art (free and open year-round for all), and adventurous, outside-the box programming by Cleveland Public Theatre, Ingenuity Festival and others, Cleveland's per capita arts attendance is among the highest in the nation. In fact, in a recent report by the Cultural Data Project (SMU/Arts), Cleveland ranked 5th among the nation’s leading cities for arts and culture. Downtown Cleveland is friendly, bikeable, and affordable, with a celebrated local food culture and a superb theatrical infrastructure, ideal for supporting an ambitious theatre festival. BORDERLIGHTCLE.ORG |
Important Dates for this Fringe
2025 - Current Year
Festival DatesJuly 16-19, 2025
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Application DatesNovember 18 - January 31, 2025
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Other Important DatesTBD
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2024 - Past Year for Perspective
Festival DatesJuly 24-27, 2024
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Application DatesOctober 31, 2024-February 4, 2024
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Other Important DatesTBD
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2026 - Future Year
Festival DatesTBD
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Application DatesTBD
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Other Important DatesTBD
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Past Festivals
https://www.borderlightcle.org/past-festivals/
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