Independent Arts News Reporting Art for the Adventurous: Cannonball's Revolutionary Artist-Led Hub Returns for Fifth Year
Reported on Wednesday, August 6, 2025.
Pictured Above: Xander Cobb + Crew – Cannonball Fest 2025. Photo Credit Contributed.
NEWSROOM POST: PHILADELPHIA, PA
The largest Hub of the Philadelphia Fringe Festival offers boundary-breaking performances, workshops, and a month-long art party at venues across the city from September 1-28
Philadelphia, PA – For almost the entire month of September, Cannonball will once again take center stage as the largest hub of the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, championing a revolutionary artist-led model that prioritizes equity, experimentation, and community connection. As Cannonball celebrates its fifth year, it marks its most expansive offering yet, with first-time self-producing artists joining their vibrant ecosystem alongside seasoned boundary-breakers in 135 productions, totaling 40 percent of the Fringe Festival.
From rebellious circus and delicious dance to fearless theater and activist art, plus workshops, parties, and immersive experiences, Cannonball pushes the boundaries of live performance across multiple venues throughout Philadelphia. Come as you are and stay past bedtime. Audiences can blaze their trail at cannonballfestival.org.
Tickets are now on sale. For more information, visit www.cannonballfestival.org. Tickets and more information about the Philadelphia Fringe Festival can be found at www.phillyfringe.org, by phone at 215-413-1318, or in person at the Fringe Festival Box Office at FringeArts (140 N. Columbus Blvd) from August 25-September 28.
A Festival Built by Artists, For Artists
Cannonball has evolved into Philadelphia’s most dynamic presenter of live performance, operating on the principle of “by artists for artists, by community for community.” With shows presented back-to-back, audiences can experience multiple offerings every night, enjoying pop-up food and beverages in lounge spaces between performances and connecting with friends, artists, and fellow Fringe-goers.
This year showcases an unprecedented number of first-time self-producers, reflecting a shift toward artist independence and entrepreneurship. Cannonball producers are practicing artists who also present work in the festival, creating authentic programming and deeper connections between organizers and participants. The rotating producer cohort is a shared leadership model that has proven effective.
Record-Breaking Support for Underrepresented Artists
Cannonball’s commitment to funding artistic development through competitive tracks sets them apart from other presenting organizations. The festival provides over $40,000 in direct commissioning support to local and regional independent artists through innovative programs, including:
-BIPOC New Work Track: Financial support and artistic development opportunities for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color artists creating new performance works
-SWANA Award: Funding and mentorship for artists of Southwest Asian and North African descent
-Performance for Young Audiences Development Cohort: Support for artists creating work specifically designed for children and families, including development workshops and presentation opportunities
-CSAW Award for Circus Artists of Color: Financial support and recognition for circus artists of color, addressing historical underrepresentation in the circus arts
-Philadelphia Theatre Company Text and Dramaturgy Cohort: Script development and dramaturgy support for emerging playwrights through partnership with Philadelphia Theatre Company
-Newly added! Immersive Track: Support for artists creating site-specific, interactive, or immersive performance experiences that engage audiences in non-traditional ways
Cannonball created these programs to uplift underserved communities, seed long-term impact, and ensure that boundary-breaking work by underrepresented voices has the space, support, and visibility it deserves.
Pictured Above: Adam Kerbel – Choreographer. Photo Credit Contributed.
Wild, Experimental Work Spanning All Disciplines
The 2025 lineup blasts into the future with wild, experimental work spanning performance, dance, theater, circus, music, and comedy. For audiences hungry for unapologetically queer, radical, intimate, visceral, and immersive experiences, Cannonball delivers beloved artists unveiling their newest creations while building community around shared creative risk-taking.
Highlights include Ethiopian Dreams by Circus Abyssinia, an internationally acclaimed circus company based in the UK, founded by Ethiopian brothers Bibi and Bichu Tesfamariam. This company blends breathtaking acrobatics with rich Ethiopian culture, music, and storytelling to create bold, joyful, and visually stunning circus theatre. El idioma de lo silenciado: The letters that were never sent by Lucia Bedoya, reimagines the ancient tragic chorus in a contemporary setting to embody the collective voice of a generation silenced, displaced, and disillusioned, while 45 Minutes Before I Die, a solo performance by Mohamed Magdy, an Egyptian actor and dancer studying at the Sharjah Performing Arts Academy, explores the liminal space between sleep and death, where a protagonist’s nightly 45-minute unconscious descent becomes a surreal journey through suppressed memories and unspoken thoughts in the vulnerable solitude of a bedroom-turned-dreamscape. These shows demonstrate Cannonball’s commitment to programming that reflects Philadelphia’s diverse communities while expanding traditional theater audiences.
Curated experiences for audiences and artists alike include:
-The Return of Blind Dates: Cannonball’s beloved platonic ticketing option, which pairs audience members together for a show, a drink, and a guided conversation
-Presenters Platform: A gathering for performing arts presenters and producers to connect with artists and each other.
-Cannonball After Dark: 18+ offerings for the most adventurous audiences
-Cannonball Kids: remarkable performances for young audiences and families
-On Deck Cabaret Nights: gatherings that offer a sneak peek of the upcoming week’s performances
