Indianapolis Theatre Fringe Festival Inc

Who we are: IF Theatre is Indy’s home for bold new theatrical experiences, including the IndyFringe Festival. As a nonprofit arts incubator, IF Theatre advances the performing arts by creating access to a variety of opportunities for artists, audiences, and our local community to thrive. We aspire to be a Midwestern hub for the performing arts, investing in creative talent from across the country, inviting the spirit of curiosity to the arts in Indianapolis, and cultivating a celebratory artistic culture in the state of Indiana. 

What we do: IF Theatre supports artists by producing vital artistic programs that provide new and experienced creators alike with opportunities to deepen their relationship with their craft and with their community. Our key program is the IndyFringe Festival, which brings together over 500 artists each year for nearly 300 performances over the course of 11 days. The Festival is open and accessible to art forms of all kinds, from aerial dance and puppetry to new drama, stand-up comedy, or even chamber music. Having grown from just 30 acts in 2005, the IndyFringe Festival is now the state’s largest performing arts festival, featuring up to 75 acts each year and welcoming 10 - 12,000 guests on average. 

IF Theatre believes in creating bold theatrical experiences. In addition to the IndyFringe Festival, IF theatre partners with local artists to shine a spotlight on our homegrown talent. We provide marketing, development, and outreach services to small theatre companies and sole producers looking to bring their work to the stage. We also invest in immersive, interactive events, and have dedicated ourselves to the creation of new plays through programs like OnyxFest, Div(x)Fest, and the upcoming Flanner Fringe Laboratory. 

We strive to be a third space for artists and arts-lovers, establishing our three-stage campus as a social space for public art, games, neighborhood hangouts, and education. By building connections amongst our audience members and artists we hope to drive higher civic engagement, passion for climate and social justice in the arts, and a city-wide interest in supporting local artists where they live. 

Why we’re important: IF Theatre creates innovative theatrical events and educational programs which propel the arts in Indianapolis to new heights, drive economic growth in developing neighborhoods, improve the quality of life for local residents and creatives, and invest in the belief that Indy is the Midwest’s next great performing arts destination. 

How we serve the community: Since 2005, IF Theatre has returned over $2.5M to artists, directly stimulating the Indianapolis economy and creating a more sustainable culture for the arts in our city. We have produced over 72 new plays by playwrights with a marginalized gender, and over 85 new plays by black playwrights through our new work initiatives. We are currently entering a phase of research to identify notable deficits in our community that IF Theatre is well positioned to serve, and hope to do so through the development of an arts education center.