Timeline is subject to change!

* February 15 — Artist Call Opens


* April 16 — Artist Call Closes**.

* May 1 — Artists notified of their status, or asked for additional information.

* Mid-May - first draft of the (massive) Cannonball schedule shared with artists.

* June 1 - Offers finalized


* June 15 - Signed contracts and deposits due.


* June-July - artist photoshoots, workshops, and social events. 


* August - Cannonball preview nights and networking/promo opportunities.


* September 1 - 30 - Cannonball Festival 2023!


* November 1, 2023 - Artist surveys are due and all payouts will be completed. 


** All applications for the BIPOC NWT and PYA Cohort must be submitted by this date. Buy-in artists and artists interested in Co-Presentation can still apply to be a part of Cannonball and will be accepted on a rolling basis as space allows. Get your application in by April 16 for preferential scheduling and maximum availability!

We are more than happy to answer technical questions about completing the application. You can email us at admin@thealmanac.us. For specific questions about your show and where it might best fit into Cannonball’s programming, we ask that you submit your application first, and then schedule a meeting to talk about your show with a Cannonball Producer. This makes it easier for us to talk specifics!

One of our core values is “Pack it in” — we would like to give as many opportunities to as many artists as possible. In the past, we’ve only “rejected” artists for the buy-in track with whom we mutually agreed that our spaces or models were not a good fit for the project, or for works that (based on work samples or the application) we felt were not in line with our values of working to create a warmly inclusive and welcoming space for folks of marginalized identities. If applications greatly exceed our capacity, we will first try to find more capacity, and only then turn to rejecting viable applications if necessary.

The Co-Presentation, BIPOC New Work, and Performance for Young Audiences Cohort tracks are all competitive opportunities. While Co-Presentation track decisions are made collectively by festival producers, the BIPOC NWT and PYACT opportunities are panel-adjudicated.

Our budget is still being finalized, so we will know the total amount of funds dedicated to the BIPOC New Work Track in mid-April. Last year, we were able to fully fund 5 projects.

If you would like to make a donation to support the BIPOC New Work Track, please click here, and thank you!

Yes! You are welcome to apply to all tracks for which your work is eligible. If you apply and are accepted to multiple tracks that come with financial stipends, you will be asked to chose which opportunity you would like to take advantage of.

Some works will be awarded participation in multiple tracks, for example, a shorter work that is a Split Bill and also a Co-Presentation.

All Cannonball shows are also registered as part of the Philly Fringe Festival, and we serve as a “Hub” of the Philly Fringe. FringeArts, as the parent organization of the Philly Fringe, works closely with Cannonball and directly with artists. We all collaborate to create the best possible festival!

Yes! All artists must apply to the Philly Fringe in addition to Cannonball. Registration will open on March 1, 2023. If you are accepted into Cannonball, we will reimburse your $20 Fringe registration fee during ticket reconciliation after the close of the festival.

Yes! More than just producing your work, we are a part of and invested in continuing to build a community that can support itself. We think deeply about what independent artists need to successfully produce their shows. Pre-festival social events build camaraderie and connection between festival artists — and we try to supply as much donated food and drink as we can get our hands on!

All Cannonball artists are invited to participate in several photoshoots over the summer leading up to the Festival. However, the Fringe deadline for show images is June 15 and our photoshoots will likely occur after that, so your Cannonball photos are best for supplemental content like posters, postcards, and ads. In the coming months, you can sign up for a time slot, bring props and costumes, and collaborate with other artists to help us showcase the energy of the festival as a whole.

Miniball is our name for shorter versions of Cannonball that happen outside of the Philly Fringe. Last year, we had Miniballs in April and December. We are excited about being a place for new works to grow and mature, and often invite past or future Cannonball artists to participate in our Miniballs.

Cannonball is produced by Almanac Dance Circus Theatre (you can visit us at www.thealmanac.us), but the Cannonball community extends far beyond Almanac. We are a community-curated and artist-produced festival, and lots of Cannonball artists work on the festival as producers, stage managers, box office managers, food vendors, and more!

Our festival has a light pirate theme. You may hear us say “ahoy” or “arg” every now and then. This is just to add some fun, and to speak to independent artists’ shared identity as renegades operating in a world of larger, more established institutions. Your show does not need to have anything to do with pirates to be a part of Cannonball.