Portland festival presents performances of new work across the city

(April 3, 2025) The Fertile Ground Festival of New Works is a performing arts festival that happens across Portland and nearby areas for several weeks. In 2025, the festival will last for 16 days, from April 4 to 19. This event is a showcase of new creations by artists in the Portland area. The festival has 64 projects presented by 46 producers in 27 different locations around the Portland area.

The festival includes many different kinds of performances. You can see brand-new plays written by local playwrights. There are also dance performances. Solo shows, where one person performs, are part of the lineup. There are even aerial performances, where artists perform while hanging in the air, and puppet shows.

The festival also has ensemble work. That means many artists work together as a team. Some projects are fully staged world premieres. That means they are being shown for the first time. Other events might be simple readings. Readings give audiences a look at how a show is developed but do not yet have special scenery, lighting, or costumes. Comedy shows and film events as also part of the festival.