ORLANDO, Fla. – Safety concerns, low box office revenue and flooding are some of the issues the Orlando Fringe team has gone through with its downtown venue.
It has become critical – and it is why the team announced on Wednesday that it is ending its operations at Fringe ArtSpace in February 2025.
“Although this decision has been made deliberately and after much difficult discussion, we are deeply saddened by the impact the closure of Fringe ArtSpace will have on our artists, audiences, staff and community,” the nonprofit said in a prepared statement.
Meka King, CEO of Sunflower Joy Music, expressed her sadness about the upcoming closure of the Orlando Fringe ArtSpace. “This is definitely a sad moment for us because we need a space like that,” she said.
Fringe ArtSpace opened its doors in January 2023 with the goal of having a year-round venue dedicated to hosting workshops, classes and shows.
The space sits on West Church Street and is roughly 9,000 square feet. It has two theaters – a main stage with 166 seats and a black box with 40-60 seats, as News 6 previously reported.
Orlando Fringe managers explained that maintenance costs became overwhelming, including expenses for repairs to air conditioning units, toilets, and more.
“Just to open our doors, it’s $9,000 a month, and that does not include labor, which brings us closer to $30,000 a month,” said Artistic Director Tempestt Halstead.
“The air handlers for the AC unit are quite old and need a lot of maintenance,” said Managing Director Melissa Fritzinger. “We have a quote from a local HVAC company of $300,000 to replace all five units.”
The ArtSpace also faced flooding in June, which cost an additional $30,000 to repair, and low attendance contributed to financial strain.
“We struggled to fill the seats for artists, and we struggle to have any revenue coming in to offset the cost of our operations,” Halstead explained.
Sunflower Joy Music held several productions at the venue, which contributed to its growth.
“It inherited a lot of challenges,” said King. “And I just wish there had been time to overcome those so that we could see it become what everybody dreamed and hoped it would be.”
The decision marks a challenging time for many in the Central Florida art community, after Gov. DeSantis vetoed arts and cultural funding in the state budget earlier this year. The area is also reeling from the closure of The Garden Theater in Winter Garden.
“It inherited a lot of challenges,” and I just wish there had been time to overcome those so that we could see it become what everybody dreamed and hoped it would be.” Her company, Sunflower Joy Music, held several productions at the venue, which contributed to its growth.
With the closure of ArtSpace, Orlando Fringe’s yearly budget will decrease from around $2 million to $1.2 million. The organization will refocus on its art festivals and other performances around town.
However, there are still some shows that will go on before the doors close:
- The Red String: A New Musical (Nov. 15, 7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.)
- This is a romantic comedy about a woman chasing her dreams to become a writer.
- Becoming Santa (Dec. 5 - 7 at 7:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Dec. 7)
- Not recommended for children who still believe in the jolly man, but it is a comedy about discovering the truth behind Santa Claus.
- When Love Is Found: A Tribute to the Muppet Christmas Carol (Dec. 5 – 8 9:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Dec. 8)
- This is a musical paying homage to the classic Muppet’s Christmas movie.
It will also host the FESTN4 festival running from Jan. 8 –12. The organization said there are also other performances that will be hosted here which will be announced soon.
“We hope you come out to support these artists and shows that completely deserve it,” the statement reads.
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Overall, the Orlando Fringe team is hopeful for the future and still plans on continuing its mission of providing an accessible outlet in the community for those who want to explore their creative side.
“However, we look forward to being better positioned to focus our energy and resources on evolving and cultivating the event at the heart of the Orlando Fringe, the annual Orlando Fringe Festival, which will continue to be an integral contribution to the cultural fabric of our city,” Orlando Fringe said in a statement.
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