My name is Brittany Gash and I am in love with words. (I am also the new Publicity Manager for Hollywood Fringe Festival, but I’ll get to that later.) I’m in love with how we use words to describe things and communicate our feelings. I’m also intrigued by the many ways in which we choose to ditch our words and use other methods to communicate. Some people dance, paint, act, or make music. My art is communication. I love the magic of composing a sentence or phrase that will inspire, inform, motivate, uplift or push someone to take an action.  

Here are some of the words the Hollywood Fringe has chosen to describe itself and the festival – Community. Open-Access. Freedom of Expression. Collaboration. Uncensored. Diverse. Cutting-Edge. Inspiring. Fun. (#Yaaaasss) Are those not some of the best words in the English Language? These are the things that make my heart beat fast. This is why I wanted to work with the Hollywood Fringe Festival team. Plus, the Festival is the largest celebration of the performing arts in L.A..

I have worked in the Arts and Marketing since 2006. My first grown-up job was a summer internship for the LA County Arts Commission/Ford Theatres. That summer I was given a baptism by fire in arts marketing. I experienced a multitude of performing arts genres – from live theatre, Japanese taiko drumming, chamber music and Argentine tango to Ballet Folklorico, hip hop dance and film. I was also immersed in the county’s visual arts scene. I had so much fun and learned so much about marketing, publicity, communications, and the arts during the internship that there was no turning back. 

Since then, I’ve worked with a variety of arts organizations and entertainers to tell their stories and share their creative and inspiring projects with the public. As the Publicity Manager of the Hollywood Fringe Festival, it is my job to tell our story and share our programs and events with the community, the media, and the world. I write the email newsletters and press releases that end up in your inboxes. I also reach out to the media, and develop partnerships with community organizations, to help spread the word about all the awesome stuff happening at Fringe. 

I am truly honored to work with not only the HFF staff (who are some of the hardest working people I’ve ever met) but the very talented and inspiring festival participants and the many organizations and businesses who partner with us to make it all happen. Plus, everyone is just so freaking cool.  

Join Hollywood Fringe staff and participants every Wednesday for the return of Office Hours! Office Hours are casual meet-ups at different bars around Hollywood that offer you a weekly chance to network and drink with other Fringers.

Use #drinkingaboutfringe on Twitter or Instagram (or check this blog post regularly) for updates on locations, specials, and more.

Office hours are always Wednesdays from 7pm-9pm beginning March 30th, at the following bars:

• March 30th: Three Clubs (1123 Vine St.) – $5 Happy Hour
• April 6th: Saint Felix (1602 N Cahuenga Blvd.) – $5 House Wines & Beer, $6 well drinks, $8 Signature cocktails
• April 13th: Dragonfly (6510 Santa Monica Blvd.)
• April 20th: Pig N’ Whistle (6714 Hollywood Blvd.)
• April 27th: Lost Property (1704 Vine St.) – $8 specialty cocktails
• May 4th: The Well (6255 Sunset Blvd.)
• May 11th: Black (6202 Santa Monica Blvd.)
• May 18th: Bar10 (8933 Santa Monica Blvd.) – Happy Hour ($4 drink specials and discounted food dishes) until 8 pm
• May 25th: Piano Bar (6429 Selma Ave.) – Happy Hour until 8 pm
• June 1st: Three Clubs (1123 Vine St.) – well drinks $7, beer/shot combo $8

Networking is an essential ingredient to your success at Fringe and we’re giving you a ton of opportunities to mix and mingle! Hope to see you #drinkingaboutfringe soon.

The Hollywood Fringe is growing, so we recently hired some new people to join our staff! First, we’d like to introduce our new colleague Ellen Den Herder.

Hello Hollywood Fringe!

I am so, so grateful to join the Hollywood Fringe Festival staff as Outreach Coordinator. I am new to the Los Angeles theater scene, but am ready to take the full plunge! Here’s a little bit about myself and my involvement this year…

Q: What’s “outreach” and why do you sound so excited?

Outreach is essentially getting to know you all! I get to help coordinate special events with our Outreach Director, get involved in the newest Fringe education programs, and basically meet every single one of you. I’m so excited because I love talking to new people, making friends and seeing fantastic art. 

Q: …You’re new to the theater scene, eh?

Yes! I am, but that does not mean I’m new to the performing arts. As a musician, I have worked on countless operas, musicals and classical performances all around LA as both a performer and administrator. I’ve also been to the Fringe as a patron and seen fantastic work. I have always had a passion for all art forms, but theater (and specifically, theater education) has always been a passion for me. 

Q: So, when can I meet you, you sound (insert emoji of choice here)?

You can meet me at any of our #drinkingaboutfringe “Office Hours” every Wednesday starting at March 30 at bar TBD. Come grab a drink, hang out and grow along in our Hollywood Fringe family with me!

For more information on Office Hours & all things outreach, subscribe to the Fringe newsletter or keep your eye on the Fringe blog. 

We are extremely pleased to announce that this year’s Fringe Central social space will be hosted at The Dragonfly located on Theatre Row at 6510 Santa Monica Blvd, for the second consecutive year. We all owe a huge “thank you” to our partner at this legendary nightclub, owner Anthony Belanger.
 
Fringe Central is the community center of the festival, featuring free programming, a bar, food trucks, Fringe merchandise, major Fringe events and Concierge staff. The space serves not only as a place for Fringe-goers to unwind, but also as a gathering place for those wishing to network, distribute flyers or hold meetings.
 
Fringe Central is also home to the Fringe Concierge service. Staffed with friendly faces deeply familiar with the operations of the festival, Concierge assists Fringe-goers with tickets, times, information and merchandise.

This is also the location of Bryan’s Bar, the infamous Fringe watering hole, designed as a place for artists, audiences, producers and local community members to mix and mingle. Anyone with a Fringe Button will receive discounts on Fringe bar items as well as deals at local Hot Spots.
 
Fringe Central will officially open to the public on June 8th. There will also be a Fringe Runway event, a Fringe Prom, a Rock n’ Roll themed karaoke party and regular installments of Fringe Cabaret (the sampler platter of the Hollywood Fringe buffet). 
 
Fringe Central Hours of Operation: 
Mondays-Thursdays: 5:00pm – 12:00am
Fridays: 5:00pm – 2:00am
Saturdays: 2:00pm – 2:00am
Sundays: 2:00pm – 12:00am 
 
The venue is 18+ only.

You (or one of your friends) can be the head graphic designer for the 2016 Hollywood Fringe Festival! All you have to do is enter our design contest.

Click here to navigate directly to the contest page.

Dates of the Contest

You can start submitting your designs for the qualifying round starting Thursday, March 3rd. To ensure your design is eligible for the final round, make sure we receive your concept by Noon on Monday, March 7th. 

What We Want You to Design

Every year, we produce a printed guide of all the shows produced at our festival. This contest is centered around the GUIDE COVER IMAGE; the seminal representation of the 2016 festival.

Here are the guides from our first six years:

2015 Guide
2014 Guide
2013 Guide
2012 Guide
2011 Guide
2010 Guide

Generally, the cover image includes our mascots – “the freaks”. The “look” of these freaks should be adapted to fit the your unique aesthetic so feel free to play into your comfort zone (see the links above for examples of previous adaptations).

The winner of this contest is immediately eligible for additional work finishing off the rest of the guide design. See below for more info.

The Big Prize

The winner of the contest will receive $799 (minus the commission taken by 99Designs) and be eligible for more money to finish off the guide, produce the button and complete other branding needs. Anyone can participate, they just need to create a (free) account on 99Designs.com.

We’d also adapt the images above to be used as print and online ads.

Other Info

Our team has lots of experience working with designers and we have in-house adobe suite experts, so we won’t be constantly going to you for minor updates.

We are ready to answer your questions, so feel free to communicate at will. Just email us at [email protected].

Thanks for your interest and we look forward to your submissions!