3 days ago
IndyFringe returns for year 20
The IndyFringe Festival returns this week to celebrate 20 years of daring to be different.
Why it matters: The homegrown theater fest that has helped bring niche art forms and marginalized creators to a wider audience since the mid-aughts is flipping the script in 2025 with fresh efforts focused on sustainability and equity.
This summer's festival is also the first since a fall rebrand to IF Theatre.
Driving the news: IndyFringe 2025 begins Thursday with 69 unique acts and 245 performances across six stages.
515 artists are contributing to the event, with 61% from Indiana, 36% national artists and 3% international acts.
The 10-day festival features performance genres like puppetry, ballet, immersive theatre, stand-up comedy, Bollywood dance, clowning, magic and more.
What they're saying:"As the state's largest performing arts event, the festival can feel daunting for new audience members, but the heart of the experience is all about shrugging off expectations and daring to try something new," IF Theatre executive director Paul Daily said.
"Our staff, volunteers, and artists are all dedicated to making sure that everyone who comes to the festival has an excellent time, no matter what shows they see."
Fun fact: Support from Everwise Credit Union allows IndyFringe to return 70% of all box office revenue to the creators.
Since the first festival in 2005, IndyFringe has brought more than 217,000 guests to the Mass Ave Cultural Arts Distrct and returned more than $2.5 million to over 7,200 participating artists.
By the numbers: Daily said presenting a festival that better represents the Indy community was a priority this year.
48% of the acts at IndyFringe 2025 are produced by women, compared to a local population that is 51% women.
18% are produced by artists 30 and younger. Indy's percentage of people aged 20-29 is 15%.
37% are produced by artists who are Black, Indigenous Americans or people of color. The latest census data puts the nonwhite population in Marion County at about 39%.
Between the lines: This is also the greenest festival in IndyFringe history. Working with the city's Office of Sustainability, organizers have made a number of changes to reduce waste and increase energy efficiency.
The festival will serve as a case study for ecologically responsible festival practices in Indy.
Upgrades include recycling bins at all venues, free coolers to refill water bottles and reusing programs or marketing materials to cut down on paper waste.
LED stage lighting donated from the Phoenix Cultural Center will also replace energy-hungry incandescent lighting fixtures.
If you go: IndyFringe 2025 runs through Aug. 24.
