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Thank you so much for your interest in the Tucson Fringe board and volunteer staff.  We are a 501(c)3 organization.  We provide artists from Tucson and all over the country a low-cost, low-risk way to produce original work by providing venues, marketing, front-of-house, and sometimes housing. Tucson Fringe artists receive 80% of their ticket revenue. Like most Fringe Festivals we are unjuried and uncensored, which means we don’t hand-pick who performs.  Artists apply to the festival and we choose by lottery. Audience members vote on their favorites during the festival weekend and we give awards at the end. 

The Fringe Festival is our main event each year. In the past, we also produced Beer with the Bard, an annual Shakespeare themed event in April to celebrate William Shakespeare’s birthday, and several one-night only events. Before the pandemic, plans were in the works for quarterly events, including a Family Fringe, geared towards entertaining youth ages 5-15 and their families. Our hope is to return to producing many events throughout the year.

As an organization, we believe diversity fuels the spirit, fosters meaningful connections, and cultivates a creative and conscientious community. We value everyone’s unique self and understand each person has different abilities and capacities. We are committed to inclusion across identity including but not limited to ethnicity, culture, gender, age, religion, orientation, and experience. 

Our organization offers many fun and exciting experiences. Want to get in on the fun? We are looking for new board members and we are always looking for volunteers.

FRINGE VOLUNTEER STAFF: 

We have multiple jobs to prepare for our big festival in January. As a volunteer staff member, you will be an essential part of preparing for the festival, depending on your level of commitment and particular strengths or areas of interest.  

Our busiest time of year is September to January preparing for the festival in early January. A volunteer staff member will probably only do about 2-5 hours of work per month. Volunteer staff may also choose to only work during the festival weekend. We will post a volunteer sign-up a few weeks before the festival for anyone who would like to sign up for a shift or two. All volunteers receive free passes to any show in the festival and a fringe t-shirt.

FRINGE FESTIVAL BOARD:

As a 501(c)3 non-profit, the board is the main decision making body of the organization. They meet once a month to implement the action plan of the Executive Director. Specific duties of board members will vary depending on their roll and if they choose to be an elected officer of the board. 

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WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SIT ON THE FRINGE FESTIVAL BOARD?

A board position is a two-year commitment. We encourage everyone who is interested in serving on the Board to volunteer for one festival weekend to gain a better understanding of what goes into producing the festival. You have a say in the image, message, and future of the Tucson Fringe Festival. In return…

YOU PITCH IN

Every member of the board will sit on one or more committees. Each committee has a calendar of tasks that need to be completed for the festival to run smoothly. Some tasks are one-person jobs, others are shared by two or more people.  The Executive Director is always available to clarify expectations and help you complete committee tasks.

FUNDRAISING

Most of our money comes from tickets sales and grants (ACA, Arts Foundation). Once or twice a year, in the summer and/or fall, we do an event to either increase Fringe awareness or raise money (or both). As a board member, you are expected to either contribute to this event with your time and effort, or financially. 

PROMOTE THE ORGANIZATION

Fringe is still building its brand, and its visibility.  There are many people, even in the arts community, who don’t know that Fringe exists, or what we do.  As a board member, it is expected that you’ll help spread the word.  We’re working on some video marketing / education materials to help you do that.

HIRE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The director sets the goals of the festival, and delegates responsibility to see that those goals are met. Think of them as the CEO of the business. If the board feels that the Executive Director is not acting in the best interests of the Festival, or that they are not fulfilling their duties, it is within their capacity to replace the Executive Director.

BOARD MEETINGS

The board has one annual meeting each year that is mandatory. The Executive Committee meets monthly while other committees may meet quarterly. Frequency of meetings may increase as we get closer to the festival as there will be more things to discuss. Meet our current Board & Staff Members.

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