Call for 2026 ESL ROCHESTER FRINGE FESTIVAL submissions

Closes in one week

Who: The 2026 ESL Rochester Fringe Festival show submissions will be closing on March 31, 2026, at 5 p.m. (ET). Artists have one week left to submit their show ideas for this season!

“Since debuting in 2012, the Fringe has drawn 1.1 million visitors from all over the world to more than 6,500 diverse performances and events. In fact, Rochester’s not-for-profit Fringe has become one of the largest and most successful fringe festivals in the nation, the largest multidisciplinary performing arts festival in New York State, and one of the region’s most anticipated festivals each year.”

What: Artists interested in putting on a show at New York State’s largest multidisciplinary performing arts festival will go to rochesterfringe.com to enter their show details into one online application and submit to the venues of their choosing.

The multi-genre arts festival includes: Theater, Comedy, Dance, Music, Multidisciplinary, Children’s Entertainment, Spoken Word, and Visual Arts & Film. Each Rochester Fringe venue selects and books their own shows directly with artists and there is no cost to apply.

Where: Fringe will occur at approximately 40 venues in and around downtown Rochester this year and more than two dozen of them are accepting show submissions now. Artists can apply to all of the venues listed below at rochesterfringe.com:

Aerial Arts of RochesterBiltmore Bar and LoungeBlackfriars TheatreBop Shop RecordsCenterStage Theatre at the JCCCentral Library of RochesterCentury Club at the StrathallanDowntown United Presbyterian ChurchEastman School of MusicThe Focus TheaterThe Harley SchoolThe Hochstein SchoolThe Inn on Broadway (Vanni’s)Java’sThe LittleJoseph Avenue Arts and Culture AllianceMemorial Art GalleryMuCCCPhoto City Music HallRIT City Art SpaceRMSC Strasenburgh Planetarium ROC CinemaThe Rose RoomSalena'sSchool of the Arts (SOTA)St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

When: The 2026 Fringe run dates are September 15 – 26. The entire festival lineup will be announced on July 14, when all tickets will be placed on sale.