Know Theatre of Cincinnati

Location: Hybrid, Cincinnati, OH
Position Type: Part-Time, Independent Contractor (1099)
Contract Period: December 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027
Must be On-Site from May 15th-June 23rd, 2027
Festival Dates: June 4th-June 19th, 2027

Between December and May, contractor should expect to work an average of 15 hours a week based on Festival needs and scheduling. During the onsite period of this engagement, working hours will be in excess of 40 hours per week based on the needs of the Festival.

Compensation: $17,000

About the Festival: The Cincinnati Fringe Festival is a 14-day celebration of theatre, art, music, film, dance, etc. Cincy Fringe presents over 150 performances of 35+ theatre productions during the first two weeks of June. More info: https://cincyfringe.com/about/

Know Theatre of Cincinnati (KTC) seeks a Fringe Producer to lead the 24th Annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival. The Fringe Producer is the primary contact for Fringe artists and all external community contacts. They lead the jurying process and help curate the year’s lineup. They also work with KTC’s administrative and technical teams to secure the venues, supplies and support the Festival needs, and make sure it is promoted effectively.

The right candidate is highly organized and a clear, warm communicator. They are comfortable juggling many artists, venues and deadlines at once. They are also comfortable being the external “face” of the festival (i.e. appearing at social events, media appearances, etc.).

This is an independent contractor position and is not eligible for benefits.

Primary Duties:

The role has four focus areas: Artist Liaison, Logistics and Administration, Marketing and PR, and Development.

Artist Liaison

  • Serve as the primary contact for Fringe artists on production, marketing, advertising, housing, etc.
  • Run the application process, including but not limited to timelines and notifications of acceptance, waitlist, deferral or rejection
  • Coordinate the Fringe Jury and jurying process alongside the KTC staff
  • Arrange and manage artist housing (billeting)
  • Manage hospitality, including compiling schedules for refilling artist stations, preparing welcome packs, and meeting other Festival hospitality needs
  • Maintain all artist files and folders in KTC’s shared Google Drive
  • Monitor and communicate all needs of the Jotform application and artist app system, as needed, to the appropriate staff member

Logistics and Administration

  • Oversee the overall administration and coordination of the Festival
  • In conjunction with KTC staff, the Producing Artistic Director (PAD) and the Managing Director (MD):
    • Plan the Festival timeline and deadlines
    • Manage the budget for the Festival and all related activities
  • In conjunction with the PAD, MD and Production Manager (PM), select a well-balanced lineup from jury-approved applications and decide the scope of Fringe Special Events
  • Curate the performance and tech schedules in conjunction with the PAD, MD and PM
  • Schedule and lead all staff-wide Fringe-focused meetings
  • Alongside the rest of KTC staff, find and secure venues for Fringe events
  • Serve as a primary point of contact for venues, and work with off-site venues and the KTC staff and production team to ensure that technical, health and safety requirements are in place
  • Design, or work with staff to create, a welcoming and on-brand Festival space in the Underground at KTC
  • Develop and manage the Underground space during the Festival, including working with staff to contract vendors, source items and equipment, create signage and maps, arrange security, and advance all legal, contractual, and health and safety compliance
  • In conjunction with the PAD, MD and PM, coordinate Fringe Late Night and guest artists, and host Late Night News or arrange a host
  • With the PM and admin team, build a Festival staffing plan based on accepted shows, audience capacity and venues
  • Recruit, train and manage volunteers and staff, as needed
  • Ensure a high-quality experience for all throughout the Festival and related events
  • Build and maintain relationships with local and community groups
  • Coordinate the Festival’s education and outreach programs
  • Help with Festival setup, day-to-day operations, and strike, as needed

Marketing and PR

  • Working alongside the Marketing & Communications team:
    • Gather production and artist information from all participating companies for marketing and PR
    • Make sure artist, venue, schedule and other Festival details are communicated clearly and on time to the public
    • Approve and finalize Fringe marketing materials for print, web and social media
    • Support the physical marketing of the festival (putting up posters, handing out postcards, appearing on TV and radio interviews)

Development

  • Working alongside the Development Manager and Senior Leadership:
    • Help secure and cultivate Fringe sponsorships and advertisers for the Fringe Festival Guide
    • Support donor engagement before, during and after the Festival

Qualifications

Required

  • Experience producing, stage managing or coordinating theatre productions, festivals or live events
  • Strong organizational and scheduling skills, with the ability to manage many artists, venues and deadlines at once
  • Clear, friendly communication with artists, staff, volunteers and the public
  • Proficient with Google Drive, Google Sheets/Excel, and Google Docs
  • Strong organizational skills
  • Experience with and passion for fringe festivals and independent theatre
  • Knowledge of the Cincinnati arts community and local venues
  • Experience with arts marketing, sponsorships or event fundraising

To apply:

Interested candidates are invited to submit their application using the following link: https://form.jotform.com/KnowTheatre/fringe-producer-app

Applicants are encouraged to apply by November 20th.

The Know is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe that no one should be discriminated against because of their differences, such as age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, religion or sexual orientation. All employment decisions shall be made without regard to age, race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation