What is the Fringe?

Now in its second year, the Fort McMurray Fringe Festival is growing—expanding to a two-day celebration of fearless theatre and artistic expression. Save the date for September 6 & 7, 2025 and stay tuned for exciting announcements about the Fort McMurray Fringe Festival!

Driven by creative empowerment, our mission is to create opportunities for artists to experiment, explore, and earn an income. This year, we’re proud to break down barriers for young artists by lowering application fees for youth-led projects, making it even more accessible to the next generation of performers.

As a recognized member of the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals, the Fort McMurray Fringe Festival is an un-juried and uncensored theatre and arts festival, where performance slots are available on a first-come, first-served basis—giving every artist a chance to take the stage on their own terms.

At its core, the festival is about nurturing local talent, bringing new works to eager audiences, and celebrating homegrown creativity. Fort McMurray Fringe Festival is where bold stories come to life—right here in our own backyard.

Applications Now Open!

Are you ready to take the stage and share your creativity with the community? Fort McMurray Fringe Festival 2025 is now accepting applications for performers, artists, and theatre companies looking to bring bold, innovative, and boundary-pushing work to our community.

Why Apply to Fort McMurray Fringe?

  • A platform for independent artists to showcase their work

  • 100% of ticket revenue goes directly to artists

  • A welcoming and supportive environment for experimental and original theatre

  • A chance to connect with a vibrant community of creatives and audiences

Who Can Apply? 

The Fort McMurray Fringe Festival welcomes artists of all backgrounds, genres, and experience levels. Whether you're a solo performer, part of an ensemble, or creating a brand-new piece, we encourage applications from:

  • Theatre companies

  • Solo performers

  • Musicians

  • Comedians

  • Spoken word artists

  • Performance artists

Application Streams

This year, we are thrilled to offer two different streams for applications:

  • General Submissions – Open to artists of all backgrounds and experience levels. A non-refundable $20 application fee is required, with an additional $80 fee due upon acceptance into the festival.

  • Youth-Led Submissions – Designed for artists aged 16-25 who want to take the lead in creating and producing theatre. To reduce barriers and empower young artists, there is no application fee for this stream, and only a $25 fee due upon acceptance.

How It Works

  • Applications open: May 4, 2025

  • Deadline to apply: July 31, 2025 (or until festival is filled)

  • Performances will take place September 6 & 7, 2025

Successful artists will be notified on an ongoing basis, as acceptance to the festival is first-come, first-served. 

How to Apply 

Complete our online application form today!

Get Involved 

Not a performer but still want to be part of the magic? We are also looking for volunteers, sponsors, and partners to help bring this incredible festival to life. 

Be a part of the magic at the Fringe Grounds on September 6 – stay tuned for applications for Buskers and Vendors! 

Interested in auditioning for a Fringe show? Keep your eye out for announcements from participating artists. 

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

We are a volunteer-run, not-for-profit theatre company dedicated to creating opportunities to develop artists locally. We couldn’t do the work we do without the generous support of our community. If you’re interested in being a part of bringing the Fort McMurray Fringe to life, we have sponsorship opportunities available for businesses of all sizes. We’d love to discuss showcasing your business as a champion of the arts. Email us at info@theatrejustbecause.com to get in touch.

Questions?

We’d love to hear from you. Email us at info@theatrejustbecause.com