ORLANDO | Orlando Fringe announced Nov. 13 that it will be closing its Fringe ArtSpace theatre in downtown Orlando by the end of February 2025.
The nonprofit arts organization made the announcement with a press release on its social media platforms.
“Despite targeted financial support from the city’s Downtown Development Board earmarked for artists, Orlando Fringe continues to face overwhelming challenges beyond the scope that these funds allow us to address,” they wrote in the release. “The ongoing costs associated with the service and maintenance of an aging facility at that location – including utilities, HVAC replacement, flooding, safety concerns, and limited parking options – have made continued operations untenable. These costs are even harder to shoulder while we continue to struggle with low box office revenue.”
The flood mentioned in the release occurred earlier in the summer which led Orlando Fringe to postpone many of its shows, including the inaugural Orlando Out Fest, an LGBTQ+-focused festival.
Orlando Fringe stated that while this decision, after much difficult discussion, left them deeply saddened, the organization is looking forward to being better positioned to focus its energy and resources on the annual Orlando Fringe Festival.
Orlando Fringe will still hold its scheduled programming through February, including FestN4 and the William Daniel Mills apprenticeship showcase. Future mini festivals such as FestN4 and Orlando Out Fest will continue after Fringe ArtSpace has closed; however details, dates and locations for them will be addressed at a later time.
Orlando Fringe opened the Fringe ArtSpace in January 2023. During its time, the downtown theatre hosted dozens of local shows and events as well as served as home to Fringe’s mini fests and as venues for its annual Fringe Festival.
You can read the full statement below and for more information of Orlando Fringe and future projects, visit OrlandoFringe.org.
