Celebrating artists, rethinking the present, imagining a better future.

A YEAR-ROUND FRINGE

Cannonball is Philadelphia’s fastest-growing incubator of daring and original performance. We present risk-taking independent artists back-to-back next to delicious lounge spaces, fostering creative collisions and community conversation.

We began as a hub of the Philadelphia Fringe Festival—more on that below—and have since evolved to produce a series of performance festivals year-round throughout Philadelphia. Cannonball disrupts traditional arts models by centering artist-to-artist relationships, pooling and channeling resources to these artists, and building a sustainable arts ecosystem from the ground up.

Our Values

  • WILD

    We invite vibrant discoveries, new ideas, and big risks.
    “Ya never know what you’re gonna see!”

  • LOOSE

    We make room for the latecomers and leave space for spontaneity.
    “I have the energy to bring my authentic self, and to encourage others to bring their authentic selves.”

  • EXPERIMENTAL

    We co-create community among artists by investigating and championing new models of performing, producing, and presenting.
    “Just like the Large Hadron Collider—we smash stuff together to see what happens!”

  • DELICIOUS

    We make space for audiences and artists to savor and discuss all the different flavors of the performances. We encourage criticality that creates recipes for increasing the quality of artistic conversation. “Mmmmmmm.”

  • ABUNDANT

    We say “Yes!” as much as we can. We believe “More is better” when it’s within our capacity to say “yes.” We never say “no” to outsiders just to make those on the inside feel like what they have is more exclusive. We choose to give more people modest opportunities rather than give fewer people bigger opportunities. “Pack it in!”

A (BRIEF) HISTORY

Cannonball was founded by Almanac Dance Circus Theatre, an internationally recognized performing arts ensemble based in Philadelphia.

In its inaugural year in 2021, Cannonball produced 28 unique works over 21 days, for 150 performances in a single venue. We welcomed over 2500 audience members, and won 12 weekly audience picks and three overall Fringie Awards.

In 2022, Cannonball returned to the Maas Building, while adding the nearby Icebox Project Space to its roster. The two venues combined to produce over 65 shows for over 300 individual performances across 30 days. Cannonball shows were awarded 13 weekly audience picks and three overall Fringie Awards.

The exponential growth continued in 2023, as Cannonball expanded further to include the Fidget Space and Liberty Lands Park, for a whopping four performance venues! Throughout these four spaces, we supported 587 performances of 154 shows.

As we turn 4 this year, we are proud to announce we are leaving the nest and stepping out from underneath Almanac, to operate as a fully independent non-profit organization.

2024 is certain to be our biggest year yet, and we can’t wait for you to join us!

WE ARE A FRINGE HUB

MINIBALL

Miniball is a micro-version of the festival featuring encores of previous Cannonball shows, as well as other works not featured in the festival before. This is one way we keep the spirit of Cannonball sailing strong throughout the year!

This first Miniball took place April 3-8, 2022 at the MAAS Building, concurrent with Philadelphia Theatre Week. Seven full-length shows were presented along with artist workshops, community events, and a kick-off celebration benefiting the 2022 festival.

The next Miniball Festival will take place March 28-31 at FringeArts!

Glad you asked! Philadelphia Fringe Festival Hubs are vibrant centers of activity that host multiple performances and artists during the Philadelphia Fringe Festival. Hubs are spread throughout the city of Philadelphia in order to maximize the impact of festival activities and serve as accessible spaces for audiences outside of the Center City area.

There are many other wonderful hubs throughout the city! Check back soon for more info on Fringe Hubs in the 2024 festival.

Wait, what is a Fringe Hub?

VENUE PARTNERS

THE MAAS BUILDING

The Maas Building was originally built in 1859 as the Charles Maas Brewery and later became a trolley car repair shop for the Girard St trolley line. Ben and Catherine bought the building in 2008 and began to nurse it back to life. Today, the Maas Building is in use as an arts space, cultural entity, and event hall for many types of arts activities. Cannonball will utilize Maas as one of our four venues for September 2023.

Ben & Catherine (owners of MAAS)

ICEBOX PROJECT SPACE

Icebox Project Space is an innovative and experimental contemporary arts platform where visual artists, musicians, film makers, and performers are able to work, think, and collaborate within a uniquely large scale and open structure. Their mission is to facilitate projects that are a betterment of the community and to push for social change. In 2022, Icebox became Cannonball’s first expansion space beyond the Maas Building. 

LIBERTY LANDS

Liberty Lands is a 2-acre, multi-use community greenspace wholly owned and maintained by the Northern Liberties neighborhood. The park is a nationally recognized demonstration project for reuse of industrial sites, innovative management and reuse of stormwater runoff, and community organizing.

This year, Liberty Lands will be the center for Cannonball’s brand new Performance For Young Audiences cohort!

The green at Liberty Lands