Please know the Hollywood Fringe is dedicated to ensuring the health and safety of our patrons and artists, and that all our venues are complying with guidelines and regulations established by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, as well as the CDC, and the California Department of Public Health.

Audiences will be required to wear a mask indoors at all in-person performances, in compliance with the current LA County mandate. In addition to wearing a mask, they will need to present proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or a negative COVID-19 test (within 72 hours) along with a photo ID.  With the new development in cases and the unknowns surrounding the Delta-variant, we have chosen to proceed with care so that we can still proceed if restrictions tighten further in our region. 

Just like everything we encounter in the world since the pandemic, we need to work together to keep each other safe. Fringe has always been about community, and this year, more than ever, we will rely on that community support to present a safe, successful, and fun Fringe for all involved.

What this means for participants

We need your help getting the word out to your ticket buyers, fellow artists, and friends alike. We will have this information on all Fringe marketing and on our ticketing platform, but we know you may be selling tickets on other platforms. Here is language you can copy/paste into your own marketing, both promotional and on any third party ticketing sites you use: IMPORTANT – You will need to wear a mask and present proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or a negative COVID-19 test (within 72 hours) along with a photo ID to attend any in-person Hollywood Fringe event.

Actors are allowed to perform without a mask when they are on stage but must reapply a mask when in other places within the theatre/venue space.

We are strongly recommending that all of our participants get weekly COVID-19 tests during HFF21. In addition to the safety guidelines already established for this year’s festival season, we feel this added precaution will go a long way in keeping our community safe. Please know that HFF staff is already putting this into practice be scheduling free weekly tests during the festival run to be sure we are doing our part and leading by example. If you, or a member of your team, tests positive, we will work with you to make the best of the situation, including rescheduling show times, exchanging tickets, and supporting any changes that need to be made to keep the community safe.

It is the responsibility of the primary producer of the project to confirm vaccination or negative test results of cast members. Per LA County’s guidelines, you must test all performers and crew who are not fully vaccinated at least once before the production begins and then two times per week for the duration of the production. See screening testing guidance and LA County large event guidance for more details.

If you run your own box office at your venue, checking vaccination or test results will be your responsibility. As you check people into your show from the will-call list, you will ask the following of your patrons:

Do you have your vaccination card or negative test result? (A photo or screenshot of the result is totally fine)

If not, let them know to contact [email protected]ywoodFringe.org for a refund. Anyone without the above cannot attend any in-person programming

Even if your venue runs your box office, please check in with them. They do not have an abundance of staff and may need assistance in this matter.

Buddy up with your fellow Fringers and help each other. If you know you will need help with this process, please come to any “Office Hours’’ event and trade box office responsibilities with your fellow community members.

Volunteer for Fringe as an in-person box office assistant. If you are interested in helping support this effort, taking a shift or two as an in-person box office assistant would be an amazing move. These volunteers will get access to lower-priced tickets, free Fringe merch, and more! Let us know if you’re interested by signing up here.

Take a look at our full COVID-19 Audience Safety article and familiarize yourself with the protocols in place to keep your patrons safe.

Every participant must comply with all festival safety guidelines in order to continue their Hollywood Fringe journey.

As always, if you have any questions, email [email protected].

Fringers,

If we’ve learned anything this past year, it is that plans can change at a moment’s notice. We must meet these changes with grace, acceptance, and fierce planning.

Today, LA County announced a new mask mandate. To give space to plan and implement a new audience and participant safety plan for our Festival without further disruptions or changes, we will be postponing our ticket on-sale date until next Friday, July 23rd, 2021 at 11:00 am. We cannot in good conscience sell tickets to a Festival without detailed health and safety requirements in regards to masks and social distancing. 

Even though this does not affect any digital events, we are a Festival that thrives in community, and moving forward with the same on-sale date will celebrate that.

Because of these changes, we are also rescheduling the following events to new dates so we can all move forward with solid information:

Town Hall #2: Welcome to Fringe 
Saturday, July 24th, 2021 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm

#HFF21 Workshop: Consent & Conduct in the Fringe Community
Saturday, July 31st, 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm

We will update our health and safety plan as soon as we have complete information regarding the new health order. Know that we are actively working to get this information. Please look out for an email update no later than next Wednesday, July 21st.

Thank you for your patience, your empathy, and your drive to produce art in these extreme circumstances. We see you and are working to make sure your stories can take the stage.

This is a living document and will be updated as protocols evolve for live productions.

2021 Festival Policy Update

COVID-19 Vaccinations or Negative Test Results Required

Please know the Hollywood Fringe is dedicated to ensuring the health and safety of our patrons and artists, and that all our venues are complying with guidelines and regulations established by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, as well as the CDC, and the California Department of Public Health.

We know that participation this year is going to be a tough choice for some, and we encourage you to only participate in activities that feel comfortable and safe to you. If you are not comfortable with the below requirements, we encourage you to participate in the digital Fringe experience. This will allow you to view shows from the comfort of your own home. 

We also realize that some precautions that are not necessarily required by the government, but will ensure our community is safe, are necessary. 

In the spirit of community, we ask that our audience members think of those whom they need to protect from this rapidly spreading virus. Our children, immunocompromised folks, those who were unable to receive the vaccination for one reason or another, are still at risk. 

For their own sakes, and the sake of those that care for those humans, at all in-person performances, you will be required to wear a mask indoors in compliance with the current LA County mandate. In addition to wearing a mask, you will need to present proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or a negative COVID-19 test (within 72 hours) along with a photo ID. 

Please take a look at our full COVID-19 Audience Safety protocols here.

Hollywood Fringe Events Accessibility Checklist

Venue Accessibility:

• Does your venue provide elevator or ramp access? Are there stairs that a patron may have to climb?
• What do accessible transportation routes to and from your venue look like?
• Is there accessible parking available?
• Is there wheelchair accessible seating?
• Are you going to do priority seating for patrons living with disabilities?
• Some patrons may need to be seated first for many reasons (visibility, acoustics, mobility), if possible, allow these patrons to enter the venue first
• Are there accessible restrooms for patrons?
• Have you confirmed all the above with your venue?

Streaming Accessibility:

• Do you have clear instructions on how to participate in the event for those who may not be familiar with the digital technology you are using
• Do you have clear instructions for people to use accessibility features such as:
  
  
  
  • Closed Captioning
  • Video spotlighting

Hollywood Fringe Event Page Checklist

• List the accommodations available at the event on your event page
• Add an accessibility statement
• Consider adding contact information for a producer on the project that someone may contact with questions
• Check if there were any patrons that stated they need accommodations on the ticketing site
• Send an email to patrons 1 day before the event reminding them what accommodations are available and how they may confirm with you what they need when they arrive on site (at the box office? Somewhere different?)
• Disclose any specifics in your pre-event communications.
• Use of flash photography
• Any sort of strobe lights or flashing images (may cause seizures)
• Distinctly amplified sounds/music
• Whether or not interpreting services or closed captioning will be available at the event
• Whether or not you will be providing assistive listening devices
• All parts of your event, including off-site social activities, that may not be fully accessible
• Ensure that your actors/production crew know what accommodations they can expect, as well as the accommodations their audiences can! They should be wrapped into this plan as a central part of the team.
• Working with graphics? Think about universal design and how to incorporate those principals into your materials
• Consider offering your marketing materials and programs in alternative formats for those that may need it 

Have any additional steps you think should be included here? Email [email protected] and we’ll add to the list!

Seasonal 4-week temporary position at the Hollywood Fringe

Audience Services Coordinators (2 positions available)

The Audience Services Coordinators will assist audience members in all their varying needs and help guide and train other staff to do so as well. During the festival, the Audience Services Coordinators will run the Fringe Audience Help Desk, our (virtual & in person) info desk, ticket booth and shop all in one, with the assistance of other Audience Services staff and Fringe volunteers.

Qualifications

• High school graduate, some college preferred
• Customer service skills
• Knowledge of (or interest in learning about) ADA compliance and accessibility in the performing arts
• Passion for creating inclusive spaces and the performing arts
• Commitment to equity and diversity
• Desire to work with others, as this a team effort festival
• Cash-handling experience a plus
• Knowledge of Google Drive, Slack, Excel, Square, and/or ZenDesk a plus
• Strong consideration given to bilingual applicants. English/Spanish ideal, but not required
• Is a plus if you have a car that you’d be willing to drive (gas reimbursement available)

Responsibilities (on site & from home) during festival (June)

• Staff our Fringe Audience Services Help Desk (in-person in Hollywood) Friday – Sunday 5:30 pm – 10:30 pm August 6-29, 2021
• Process ticketing and merchandise sales at Fringe Audience Services Help Desk
• Maintain a clean and organized work space
• Manage merchandise inventory
• Assist with festival events like Awards (August 29, 2021)
• Coordinate implementation of customer service goals & initiatives

What to Expect

• $18/hour
• Paid training
• Approximately 15 hours/weekend on site, with the opportunity to add additional hours if asked (but not required)
• Collaborative work environment
• During the festival, there is a varying pace from slow afternoons to loud and busy nights

How to Apply

To apply, please upload your resume/CV to this google form and answer the three questions within the doc as accurately as you can. Applications are due on Monday, July 19, 2021 at 11:59pm

About the Fringe:

The Hollywood Fringe Festival is an annual, open-access, community-derived event celebrating freedom of expression and collaboration in the performing arts community. This year’s 11th annual festival offers livestream and in-person experiences. This hybrid approach is a pivot to embrace the new and continue to create an accessible and inclusive immersion into the performing arts for all.  

Participation in the Hollywood Fringe is completely open and uncensored. This free-for-all approach underlines the festival’s mission to be a platform for artists without the barrier of a curative body. By opening the gates to anyone with a vision, the festival is able to exhibit the most diverse and cutting-edge points of view the world has to offer. Additionally, by creating an environment where artists must self-produce their work, the Fringe motivates its participants to cultivate a spirit of entrepreneurialism in the arts.

The Hollywood Fringe Festival is a non-profit company. The festival gives 100% of box office revenue back to participating artists and venues—that’s over 3.4 million dollars since the inaugural festival in 2010. Donations are essential for both day-to-day festival costs as well as the growth of festival programs and resources. To learn more about the Fringe, read on here!