2026 ESL Rochester Fringe Festival Opens Show Submissions

The 2026 ESL Rochester Fringe Festival will open show submissions on February 17, 2026, at 9 a.m. (ET). Applications will be accepted through March 31, 2026, at noon (ET). There is no cost to apply.

Local, national and international artists interested in performing will go to rochesterfringe.com to enter their show details into one online application and submit to the venues of their choosing.

The Rochester Fringe run dates are September 15 - 26. Performances will take place in a variety of neighborhoods surrounding the heart of Rochester. All shows are booked by the venues themselves. Bookings occur on a rolling basis throughout the submission period, so early applications are encouraged.

"Opening the application process to artists officially kicks off the 15th season of Rochester Fringe," said Erica Fee, CEO and Festival Producer. "It's important to us that we provide a platform for artists to share their most creative and bravest ideas. Fringe provides unparalleled public access to the arts and with our venue partners curating the majority of Fringe shows, there is so much variety to enjoy!"

During last year's Fringe, more than 1,600 artists performed from over a dozen countries, including Italy, France, Taiwan, the UK and Canada.

The entire festival lineup will be announced in July when all tickets will be placed on sale.

APPLY NOW TO ROCHESTER FRINGE

There are currently 250 Fringe Festivals in the world and 50 in the U.S. The Rochester Fringe was the first in Upstate New York and has firmly established itself on the Fringe Festival map thanks to its strong reputation and consistently high‑quality programming.

Since its launch in 2012, the Fringe has become New York State's largest multidisciplinary performing arts festival, with 1.1 million attendants and nearly 6,500 performances. It is lauded by the New York Times as "one of the country's more prominent multidisciplinary performing arts festivals."

Artists can use their appearance at the Rochester Fringe as a springboard to other international festivals, including the coveted Edinburgh Fringe. It's also respected enough to attract top-tier talent from around the world to perform here.

The Rochester Fringe will once again be supported this year by title sponsor ESL Federal Credit Union, which has served as a full-service financial institution for more than 100 years to more than 445,000 members and 17,700 businesses.

This event is also supported through a Market New York grant awarded by Empire State Development and I LOVE NY, New York State's Division of Tourism.

ARTISTS MATCH WITH LOCAL VENUES

Fringe performances will take place in nearly 40 Rochester venues. The venue-curated shows are complemented by select shows curated separately by festival organizers to complete the Rochester Fringe experience. Venues include traditional theaters to other non-traditional spaces, and each venue has a unique approach to programming its Fringe lineup.

"JCC CenterStage has loved being part of Fringe! It allows us to bring some exciting and unique programming to the JCC," said Ralph Meranto, Chief Creative Officer, Louis S. Wolk Jewish Community Center. "Because of a renovation to our theatre, this year we are opening additional spaces in our building. We will be able to accommodate both traditional and non-traditional shows in five different spaces!"

"We're excited to jump back in and be a part of this important Rochester tradition by providing an intimate space for artists and patrons of the arts," said Brynn Tyszka, Artistic Director, Blackfriars Theatre. "We love featuring local talent and providing entertainment that both enriches and inspires the community. We're also not afraid to push boundaries, think outside the box and make space for underserved voices, whenever possible."

A list of 2026 Fringe Venues accepting applications are listed below:

Aerial Arts of Rochester

Biltmore Bar and Lounge

Blackfriars Theatre

Bop Shop Records

Central Library of Rochester

Century Club of Rochester

Downtown United Presbyterian Church

The Focus Theater

The Harley School

The Hochstein School

The Inn on Broadway

Louis S. Wolk JCC of Greater Rochester

Joseph Avenue Arts and Culture Alliance

Memorial Art Gallery

MuCCC

Photo City Music Hall

Roc Cinema

The Rose Room

Salena's Mexican Restaurant

School of the Arts

St. Paul's Episcopal Church

PREPARING FRINGE SUBMISSIONS

The Fringe serves as a platform for artists to present their fully realized productions during the festival, whether new works or previously produced shows. Artists are encouraged to propose their production plans to as many local Fringe venues as desired during this one application process.

Important reminders:

• Fringe venues showcase a myriad of art forms from the theatre to comedy, dance to children's entertainment, music to magic and everything in between.
• Each Rochester Fringe venue selects and books their own shows directly with artists.
• Bookings occur on a rolling admission basis throughout the submission period, so early application is strongly encouraged.
• Unlike most Fringe Festivals in the United States, there is no cost to apply.
• People will apply directly to specific Rochester venue(s) using one easy application.
• The ESL Rochester Fringe Festival itself does not book shows during this venue-show submissions process.
• Shows requiring non-traditional, unique spaces are encouraged to complete the application form on the website and submit to request a "site-specific" setting.

To help artists best complete their submissions, festival organizers are offering an upcoming informational session:

Meet the Venues
Saturday, February 28 | 3 p.m. | School of the Arts | 45 Prince Street, Rochester
Learn more about Rochester Fringe venues and get the opportunity to meet one-on-one with managers of some of the festival's largest venues. It's a great time for artists to pitch their show, share an idea, or get advice direct from the venue managers. Advance registration is appreciated but not required. The event is free. Register here.