2023 ANNUAL

REPORT
Table of
Contents
Year in review 2

Ticket Sales Breakdown 4

Producer Stats Breakdown 5

Fringe Survey Results 7

Fringe Finances 9

Fringe Program Wrap Up 10

Readers appreciate
accurate information
 2023 FESTIVAL IN REVIEW

$492,663 49,409 $10

TOTAL TICKET SALES TOTAL TICKETS SOLD AVERAGE TICKET PRICE

“HFF23 has been such a

memorable, transformative, and
empowering experience”
hff23 survey answer

In 2023, Hollywood Fringe came back from a pandemic lull with a roar of full houses,
with the best ticket sales per performance the Festival has ever seen. The Fringe staff
is incredibly honored to have hosted such a transformative year for Angeleno artists
and those who came in from out of town, alike.

301 1357 1178 22

productions performances artists venues

2023 STAFF MEMBERS

Co-Executive Team: Ellen Boudreau Den Herder, Lois Neville
Senior Staff: Stina Pederson, Carly Regal
Festival Team: Chris Anatone (Anatone Creative), Brandon Baruch, David Haverty, Wiley Jones,
Bella Luna, Kevin Neighbors, Bradley Pierce, Trevor Reece, Zac Seaton-Lewis, Amayah Watson

2023 Board of Directors: Angela Babcock, Jenn Crafts (Venue Representative), Ben Hill*,
Kanchan Mattoo* (chair), Stacy McKee, Dave McKeever*

*notates co-founder of the festival

2
 2023 TICKET SALES BREAK DOWN

$10 37,062 49,409

average cost tickets sold total tickets
of 1 ticket online sold

7664 5%
of tickets sold
comps given
were to virtual
out by show
performances
producers

2023 CATEGORIES OF PERFORMANCE AVAILABLE

immersive & games
3.2%

solo show comedy

29% 20.8%

cabaret & variety

5.4%
dance & physical theatre
two person show
3.2%
5.9%

musicals & operas

drama
7.2%
events & workshops 15.8%
9.5%
4
2023 PRODUCER BREAK DOWN

301 55% 79%

first time of productions
producers
producers at were premieres
HFF of new work

PRODUCER PRODUCER
BREAKDOWN BY BREAKDOWN BY
AGE GENDER INDENTITY

Under 20 Prefer not to say

60-69 Gender-nonconforming or
2.2% 3.9%
7.1%
Nonbinary
12.7%

50-59
13.1% 20-29
28.8%

Female
43.1%

40-49
18.4%

Male
40.3%

30-39
28.5%

5
 4

PRODUCER BREAKDOWN BY RACE

&/OR ETHNICITY
Asian American/Pacific Islander

1178 5.3%
Black or African American,
22
7.3%
artists venues

Hispanic or Latinx
8.3%

Indian Subcontinent
1.3%
White/Caucasian Multiracial/prefer not to describe
55.1% 4.6%

Other
5.6%

Prefer Not To Say

9.6%

19% 10% 56%

of producers were
of producers of producers
from under-
identified as identified as represented
multiracial queer gender identities

59% 32% 12%

of producers
of producers of producers
identified as having
were under the identified as a disability
age of 40 BIPOC

6
 2023 POST-FRINGE ARTIST
SURVEY RESULTS
HOW LONG WAS YOUR SHOW? HOW MANY PERFORMANCES?
35%

3 Performances
30%

25%
4 Performances

20%

15% 5 Performances

10%
6+ Performances
5%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
0%
s

s
in

in

in

in

in

in
m

m
30

60

0
-7

-9
-5
-4
er

61

71
30

45
nd

WHAT WAS THE SHOW’S BUDGET?

U

$1 - $999

$1,000 - $1,500

50%
of artists received
$1,501 - $2,000

$2,001 - $3,000
additional funds
from a fundraiser
$3001 - $4,000
or grants

$4,000+

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

80% 50%
of artists made
of artists found the
cost of production their venue &
to be reasonable registration
investment back in
ticket sales

7
 2023 POST-FRINGE AUDIENCE
SURVEY RESULTS

HOW MANY SHOWS DID YOU SEE AT HFF HOW DID YOU CHOOSE TO SEE SHOWS?
23?

Show Poster
31+ Shows Press/Articles 3.9%
10.9% 4.9%
Fringe site reviews
1-3 Shows 5.8%
27.3% Word of mouth
16-30 Shows 32%
Fringe guide
14.5% 7.8%

Fringe site/app
14.6%
10-15 Shows
12.7%

4-6 Shows
23.6% Friend's recommendation
7-9 Shows Show Flyer
18.4%
10.9% 12.6%

HOW DID YOU CHOOSE TO SEE SHOWS?

Show Poster
Press/Articles 3.9%
4.9%
Fringe site reviews
5.8%
Word of mouth
32%
Fringe guide
7.8%

Fringe site/app
14.6%

Friend's recommendation
Show Flyer
18.4%
12.6%

16% 59% 55%

of those surveyed
of those surveyed of those surveyed
saw work were under 50 saw more than 5
digitally years of age shows at HFF23

8
 WHERE DOES FRINGE’S MONEY GO?

Individual Giving
INCOME
1.6%
During the FY22-23, Hatchery Arts (the organization
Grants that runs the Hollywood Fringe Festival) had an income
22.9%
of $810,737.75

Relative to 2019, the organization produced a slightly

Sponsors &
smaller festival of 301 shows and resumed
Ticket Sales
Advertising 50.3% programming such as the Creative Workshop Series,
3.5%
Merch
the Producers Workshop Series, the Scholarship
1.1% Program, the Fringe Artist Fund, Fringe Abroad, Fringe
Fees
Central and more. The Fringe also additionally launched
9.6% the Fringe Membership and Industry programs, to be
continued in 2024.
Registration
9.8%

EXPENSES
Marketing
5.1%
Admin During the FY22-23, Hatchery Arts (the organization
8.8%
that runs the Hollywood Fringe Festival) spent
$737,753.
Commissions
2.8%
Our largest category is ticket payout (ticketing
proceeds that go back to artists). Our admin category
includes our storage, taxes, travel, work space and
Ticket Payout
55.3%
bank fees, as well as professional services such as tax
Payroll
21.2% preparation and lawyer fees.

There was a surplus of $72,984. This partially went to

pay off COVID debts, and increase our stability as we
Website
4.3% look to more equitably pay our staff in 2024 & 2025.

TEAM EXPANSION PLANS

In 2023, two full time staff members were extended to full
time hours, the organization’s co-leadership, Lois Neville &
Ellen Boudreau Den Herder. By 2025, the Fringe will
hire/extend the hours for two additional staff members in
marketing/communications and programs/artist services.
2
full time staff
4
full time staff
members were members will be
hired in 2023. hired by 2025.
By 2025, the Fringe is also committing to increasing pay
equity across the staff, from year-round managers to part-
time seasonal staffers in June.
9
 COMMISSIONS IN 2023

15 5 3
artist fund
exchange
scholarships stipends
productions

23 productions at HFF23 were funded by the

Hollywood Fringe through the scholarships,
festival exchange and artist fund programs,
thanks to funds from the National
Endowment for the Arts, Western States Arts
Federation and partnerships with Sydney
Fringe & San Diego Fringe.

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

79 16
industry awards
members presented
abroad
productions

Introduced as a new program this year, the

Discover Fringe program seeks to connect
participating artists with members of the
international theatre, film and television
industries to take their shows beyond the
Hollywood Fringe Festival stages.

Through the program, 16 organizations

presented Discover Fringe Awards/future
opportunities to participants, including
extended runs, podcast opportunities and
professional development sessions.
productions
2023 PROGRAMS
Fringe Scholarships are financial awards available to first-time Hollywood
Fringe producers who contribute to the ethnic, cultural, racial, intellectually
or physically disabled, D/deaf, and the LGBTQ+ diversity of the Fringe
community. Each scholarship in 2023 included free registration, a stripped
down, black box theatre rental, and a Fringe mentor (an experienced
producer who helps guide through the Fringe process). This year, we had 13
shows participate in the program.

Artist Fund: The Hollywood Fringe Festival recognizes that artists have been
hit hard financially over the course of the pandemic and economic crisis. To
help offset costs of producing at the Fringe, the festival has dedicated 25%
of membership funding to direct-to-artist grants of $500 towards production
costs each may for artists who face poverty. 5 awards were given in 2023.

Fringe Exchange: This year the festival is thrilled to help share art across the
globe and create opportunities for artists to expand their reach through
partnerships with local and international theatre companies. Our artists this
year are going onto runs at Sydney, San Diego and Catania Fringe.

The Discover Fringe industry program seeks to connect participating artists

with members of the international theatre, film and television industries to
take their shows beyond the Hollywood Fringe Festival stages. This year, 79
individual users registered as Discover Fringe Industry members, and 16
official awards were presented by industry members, including the Soho
Playhouse in NYC, NAMBA Performing Arts Center in Ventura, and more.

Producers Workshop Series: The Festival acts as a training ground for artists
to become their own producers and business liaisons. HFF partners with local
producers and arts organizations to provide year-round creative and
producing workshops for artists. These workshops educate early-career
artists on how to successfully self-produce and manage a theatrical
production.

Fringe Central, aka the Fringe social space. The community center of the
festival, Fringe Central features free programming, networking
opportunities, food trucks, Fringe merchandise and is the location of Bryan’s
Bar, the infamous Fringe watering hole. The Fringe Concierge will always be
present to assist you with all ticketing needs.

Fringe Hot Spots was created to connect the festival with the wonderful
businesses in our city. As the festival has grown it has strengthened our local
economy and sense of community that stretches beyond the artists that
participate. Each year local businesses partner with the festival by offering
discounts to participants. The relationships between the businesses and the
festival have grown significantly since 2010. Hot Spots now host events,
parties and have become an integral part of the festivities

11
 2024 AND BEYOND

We hope that your adventures at the Hollywood Fringe Festival are

memorable and that you share your experience with others.

As always, we strive to champion the under-exposed artist and to

bring our performing arts community closer together. Although your
Fringe run has finished, we know that the life of your show is just
beginning. We cannot wait to see where you bring your performance
next: whether it’s to another festival across the ocean or a local run,
we’re excited to see what you can make happen.

It’s never too early to create a project for next year at

hollywoodfringe.org/add_project

If you’d like to see the Fringe grow and prosper and you have some
cash to spare, we en-courage you to donate to the cause at
hollywoodfringe.org/donate

Thank you
to all our artists, venues and staff for
making 2023 a success!