Awards For Hollywood Fringe Festival 2026
ADELAIDE FRINGE FESTIVAL EXCHANGE AWARD
We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the Adelaide Fringe Festival. Through this partnership, we can offer opportunities after HFF26 and continue celebrating the art that connects us globally.
Please fill out this form by June 10th to apply for consideration.
CLICK HERE TO APPLY
Judges will see as many shows as possible that apply, but will prioritize those that are the best fit for the festival.
Note: this award greatly reduces the cost of the touring opportunity, but some costs will need to be covered by the awarded artist. Please read the guidelines in full prior to submitting to ensure the opportunity is right for you.
DENVER FRINGE FESTIVAL EXCHANGE AWARD
We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the Denver Fringe Festival. Through this partnership, we can offer opportunities after HFF26 and continue celebrating the art that connects us globally.
Please fill out this form by June 10th to apply for consideration.
CLICK HERE TO APPLY
Judges will see as many shows as possible that apply, but will prioritize those that are the best fit for the festival.
Note: this award greatly reduces the cost of the touring opportunity, but some costs will need to be covered by the awarded artist. Please read the guidelines in full prior to submitting to ensure the opportunity is right for you.
ELLA TURENNE AWARD
This award is given in honor of our treasured Hollywood Fringe community member Ella Turenne and her commitment to change the festival into a more inclusive and diverse space. In 2020, Ella became a founding member of the Hollywood Fringe Access Advisory Board, and dedicated countless hours to working with Fringe and advocating on artists’ behalf. Ella’s impact on the Hollywood Fringe can be seen all around the festival and continues to impact our community through her legacy and those she inspired.
FIERCE ARTIST AWARD
The Fierce Artist Award honors women and nonbinary artists who identify with the female experience and create work that ignites the stage with their truth. Their artistry is thought provoking and they have a commanding stage presence. We are looking for a performance that disrupts the status quo, deepens vital dialogue, and sparks both personal and cultural transformation. The Fierce Artist Award celebrates fierceness in all its forms.
Zero to Fierce is an artists festival in Arcata CA created to celebrate the women and nonbinary individuals in our community. After 10 years of the festival we wanted to bring exemplary artists into our community to share and witness exciting new works from innovative performers. Our intention with the Fierce Artist Award is to create impactful cultural and creative exchange between our local artists and visitors from Hollywood Fringe Festival.
FRINGE ITALIA OFF EXCHANGE AWARD
We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Fringe Italia Off. Through this partnership, we can offer opportunities after HFF26 and continue celebrating the art that connects us globally.
Please fill out this form by June 10th to apply for consideration.
CLICK HERE TO APPLY
Judges will see as many shows as possible that apply, but will prioritize those that are the best fit for the festival.
Note: this award greatly reduces the cost of the touring opportunity, but some costs will need to be covered by the awarded artist. Please read the guidelines in full prior to submitting to ensure the opportunity is right for you.
INTERNATIONAL FRINGE ENCORE SERIES: HOLLYWOOD PRIZE
The winner will receive an exclusive invite to the 2027 International Fringe Encore Series at SoHo Playhouse in New York City.
NEW YORK CITY PIVOT AWARD
LAstageNY and Los Angeles Hidden Gems has always believed in bridging the expanse between Los Angeles and New York City. To this end, the New York City Pivot Award provides a professional pipeline from West Coast to East, offering an invitation to one standout solo, self-contained act or cabaret performer to tackle New York City in a residency at the world-famous Don’t Tell Mama Cabaret & Club in the heart of Times Square, under the supervision of Don’t Tell Mama booking agent Tanya Moberly. We are looking for a peer who understands the hustle and electricity of making a New York cabaret debut.
SACRED FOOLS' AWARD FOR UNIQUE THEATRICALITY
For almost thirty years, Sacred Fools Theater Company has been dedicated to creating and presenting eclectic, wide-ranging, and highly engaging theatrical work in Los Angeles. From the irreverent to the silly to the profound, Sacred Fools remains a staple of the LA theater and Fringe communities.
This year represents the 10th anniversary of Sacred Fools (manager of the Broadwater Theater Complex) being a venue host for the Hollywood Fringe Festival. We wanted to create an award that celebrates our aesthetic and mission of creating dynamic theatre.
SYDNEY FRINGE FESTIVAL EXCHANGE AWARD
We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the Sydney Fringe Festival. Through this partnership, we can offer opportunities after HFF26 and continue celebrating the art that connects us globally.
Please fill out this form by June 10th to apply for consideration.
CLICK HERE TO APPLY
Judges will see as many shows as possible that apply, but will prioritize those that are the best fit for the festival.
Note: this award greatly reduces the cost of the touring opportunity, but some costs will need to be covered by the awarded artist. Please read the guidelines in full prior to submitting to ensure the opportunity is right for you.
TAKE THE STAGE AWARD
The Take the Stage Award is presented by the Theatre 68 Arts Festival to one standout production at the Hollywood Fringe Festival that truly embodies the spirit of bold, multidisciplinary artistry.
Hosted by Theatre 68 Arts Complex, a multi-venue arts space dedicated to supporting independent artists across theatre, comedy, film, visual art, and more, the Theatre 68 Arts Festival was created to bring diverse forms of creative expression together under one roof in the heart of North Hollywood. This award was born out of that mission to identify and uplift artists who are pushing boundaries and redefining what live art can be.
We are looking for work that goes beyond traditional storytelling; productions that challenge form, blend disciplines, and offer a unique artistic perspective through movement, language, imagery, sound, or immersive experience. This is not just about a great show, it’s about a piece that represents the future of live art.
THE DSP MEDAL OF VALOR
DSP is a production company that strives to work with original talent with innovated ideas. We are constantly looking for unique ways to engage with an in-person and online audience. This award will go to someone changing the grain of how we think about live performance, who is willing to work with us to develop their idea into something further for a live and live-streamed audience!
THE HITMAKER COMEDY AWARD
H.I.T. Comedy Theater is a Black-owned comedy and performance space focused on creating inclusive, community-centered opportunities for artists and audiences alike. Through classes, live shows, workshops, and special events, H.I.T. works to make comedy and performance more accessible while supporting emerging voices and fostering creative collaboration.
This award was created to honor the people who help make that mission possible — artists, collaborators, and community members who lead with creativity, generosity, and a commitment to uplifting others. It exists to celebrate not just talent, but the spirit of community that continues to shape H.I.T.
Preference will be given to shows from diverse backgrounds, but not having this will not disqualify you.
THE LOUD KARMA EMERGING WOMEN AND GENDER-DIVERSE PLAYWRIGHTS AWARD
Loud Karma Productions was created because women and gender-diverse playwrights deserve to have their voices heard. We are dedicated to producing works of emerging and marginalized artists who find themselves overlooked for reasons that have nothing to do with their talent. Our mission is to support emerging women artists and artists of any gender who are marginalized because of age, disability, gender, or ethnicity. We support the LGBTQ+ community, POC, and are an ally business.
It is no secret that female and gender-diverse playwrights are underrepresented in theatres across the US and internationally. In a study released by the AAPAC, in a recent Broadway season, 86 percent of the produced playwrights were white males. Women and nonbinary voices are woefully underrepresented in spite of the amazing, groundbreaking, and vital work they are creating.
It is the goal of Loud Karma Productions to celebrate and recognize emerging female and nonbinary playwrights and provide opportunities for these deserving women and gender—diverse writers to have opportunities—both in experience and support—for their reach to continue to grow and their careers as playwrights expand—and take their work to the next level. This award is a natural extension of our company’s mission statement to support emerging diverse and marginalized writers.
THE PLANNER'S PICK
The Planners’ Pick is Theatre Planners Venues’ signature award, recognizing one standout production across all of our venues that demonstrates both exceptional artistic merit and strong commercial potential. We’re looking for work that not only resonates creatively, but also connects with audiences in a meaningful way, shows that people are talking about, recommending, and showing up for.
Theatre Planners Venues operates multiple performance spaces across Los Angeles, including Upstairs @ El Centro, Zephyr Theatre, Lounge on Melrose, and Theatre 68 Arts Complex. Our mission is to support artists by providing accessible, flexible spaces to create and present work, while also helping productions think like producers, balancing artistry with sustainability and audience growth.
THE SCREAMIEST
Midsummer Scream, the world’s largest Halloween and horror convention, presents the Screamiest to support and encouraged the the creation spooky live scripted entertainment.
THE SPLASH AWARD
Namba Performing Arts Space is a 501c3 black box performance space located in Ventura CA. NAMBA envisions a community where all people can experience and appreciate the value of the performing arts as a historic, educational and cultural art form. We seek shows that make a Splash, awaken our emotions and enlighten our minds. Ventura is a beach town so…Splash;)
THE STAGECRAFTS FREEWAY CIRCUIT
The StageCrafts was founded by Jenn and Greg Crafts, longtime producers who have been active in the Hollywood Fringe Festival community since its launch in 2010. Since 2017, The StageCrafts has provided venue management and production support for Los Angeles theater artists, creating accessible, artist-focused spaces for live performance. In 2025, Jenn and Greg expanded that mission by launching the Freeway Circuit initiatives designed to create year-round performance opportunities with no up front cost to the artists while giving shows the opportunity to tour to venues outside the Fringe zone throughout LA County.
THE STAGECRAFTS SEASONAL MINI-FEST AWARD
The StageCrafts was founded by Jenn and Greg Crafts, longtime producers who have been active in the Hollywood Fringe Festival community since its launch in 2010. Since 2017, The StageCrafts has provided venue management and production support for Los Angeles theater artists, creating accessible, artist-focused spaces for live performance. In 2025, Jenn and Greg expanded that mission by launching the StageCrafts Mini-Festivals. These genre-based mini-fests create year-round performance opportunities with a low financial barrier to entry for emerging and independent artists.
ZEPHYR'S ZEST AWARD
The Zephyr’s Zest Award honors the zestiest show at the Zephyr Theatre. The production that combines exceptional artistic quality with strong audience appeal. We’re looking for work that not only delivers creatively, but also fills seats and builds momentum. The Zephyr Theatre, operated by Theatre Planners Venues, is a 74-seat, 3/4 thrust space in West Hollywood dedicated to supporting artists in creating and sustaining successful runs.
This award was created to recognize the shows that truly pop, the ones audiences are excited about and that have the potential to extend beyond the festival.
