New Spire Stages
The newest gathering space in the heart of downtown Frederick
Are you planning a business meeting, or a special event to announce your new business plans? Thinking of a fancy social or fundraising event? Perhaps you want to invite friends to a wedding shower or just a simple birthday celebration.
Maybe you are a concert promoter, theater company, or a touring artist looking for a venue in which to self-present. Whether your event is big or small, New Spire Stages may be just the type of place you are looking for.
- Performances
- Rehearsals
- Meetings
- Company Retreats
- Conferences
- Personal Events
- Weddings
- And More!
The Ausherman Black Box Theater is our most customizable space. Outfitted with state-of-the-art theater lighting and sound, you could plan anything from live theater, music, or digital film exhibition, to a business meeting or a family get-together. Seating is as flexible as seats with risers, tables and chairs cabaret style, or just seats on the floor facing a stage or screen. Couple this with our renovated lobby space (also good for a meeting or event in itself) and you’ll have everything you need for your public or private event.
Rental Rates (effective July 1, 2023)
New Spire Arts
| New Spire Arts | Commercial | Non-Profit |
| Performance | ||
| •Monday-Thursday Single Performance | $1,200.00 + 10% of gross | Please refer |
| •Friday-Sunday Single Performance | $1,500.00 + 10% of gross | to chart |
| Same Day Additional Performance | $500.00 + 10% of gross | below |
| •Rehearsal/Tech Prep Time Block (7 hours) | $500.00 1st Block, 250.00 each additional time block | |
| Non-Performance | ||
| • Full Day (9 hour time block) | $1,200.00 | $800.00 |
| Wedding/Private Party | ||
| • First 4 Hours | $800.00 | $600.00 |
| Each Additional Hour | $150.00 | $100.00 |
| Business Meetings-Weekdays | ||
| • Hourly Rate | $200.00/hour | $100.00 |
| Class Rate**- Mon-Wed (11a-9p) | ||
| · 6 Week Class Block (2 hours each week) | $400.00 | $400.00 |
| · One-Time Workshop (up to 6 hours) | $200.00 | $200.00 |
- All rates are subject to change without notice.
- Labor for all set-ups and cleaning by New Spire Arts personnel is NOT included. There is an additional $400.00 charge for removal and set up of risers and chairs and an additional $200 for removal of the platform stage.
**Limit to 4 class blocks in a calendar year per individual. Reservations can only be made 2 months prior to the scheduled first day of class.**
| Annual Income | Mon- Thurs Single Performance | Fri- Sun Single Performance | Same-Day Additional Performance |
Rehearsal/ Tech Prep Day (7 hour time blocks, limit 2 blocks per day) |
|
| 1 | $1,000-$50,000 | 75/25% gross door split | 70/30% gross door split | 80/20% gross door split | $75 1st time block, $50 each additional time block |
| 2 | $50,001-$125,000 | $350 + 10% gross | $450 + 10% gross | $250 + 10% gross | $75 1st time block, $50 each additional time block |
| 3 | $125,001-$200,000 | $500 +10% gross | $700 + 10% gross | $300 + 10% gross | $100 1st time block; $75 each additional time block |
| 4 | $200,001-$500,000 | $700 + 10% gross | $1,000 + 10% gross | $400 + 10% gross | $150 1st time block; $100 each additional time block |
| 5 | Above $500,001 | $800 + 10% gross | $1,200 + 10% gross | $500 + 10% gross | $250 1st time block; $125 each additional time block |
| *Individual Artist/ Small Unincorporated Group Performance Rate (Mon-Thursday nights) | 70/30% gross door split or $200 whichever is higher | *Must make >$50,000 from performances and be unincorporated. Limit 4 performances in a calendar year | |||
- Nonprofit Organizations will be asked to share their most recent 990 or equivalent tax form
- For the Individual Artist/ Small Unincorporated Group rate, the Renter will be required to sign a document stating that they make less than $50,000 a year from performing and are unincorporated.
* Reservations can only be made 3 months prior to performance date and no less than one month prior to the performance date.
1. About renting New Spires Stages
Booking space at New Spire Stages occurs on a first-come, first-serve basis. The first step is to contact us and enquire if your prospective date is available—if not, there may be other dates available that may work for your event. Be prepared to discuss alternatives. The latest an event can go (including clean up) is 1:00 am. A deposit is required to confirm a reservation.
2. The next step: contact us
Please contact us to discuss the type of event you envision, schedule a walk-through, and to review dates and services that are available. A minimum of eight weeks away from your preferred date(s) is ideal. After you find a date, we will send you a questionnaire in advance of a face-to-face meeting with one of our staff members. Please bring the completed questionnaire to the meeting along with any remaining questions you may have. Following this meeting, we will ask you to sign off on the questionnaire and then a contract will be issued for your booking. This can be arranged with Laura Hawk, Manager of Operations and Production, at lhawk@cityoffrederickmd.gov
3. You’re ready to make a deposit on a rental
A deposit of 50% of your quoted fee is due at the signing of your contract. Your date is not confirmed until we are in receipt of your deposit along with a fully executed contract. Some of the fee (85%) may be refunded if you cancel a minimum of 60 days away from your event. You may not publicize or sell tickets to your event until a deposit has been made and your contract is signed.
4. Deciding on the set-up for your rental
Please download and read through our rental questionnaire. It addresses matters from the arrangement of tables and chairs to lighting and sound, to cleaning following your event. It’s best if you have reviewed all the items that relate to your event and have questions ready as far in advance as possible.
5. Liability insurance, setup, and cleaning
All rental clients of New Spire Stages must, at their own expense, provide a certificate of comprehensive general liability insurance which names the City of Frederick as additionally insured. The breakdown for minimum liability limit is $1,000,000 each occurrence, $5,000 medical, $2,000,000 aggregate. Please inquire for further details. Set-Up and cleaning for your event may incur additional charges. Please inquire for further details.
6. Alcohol license
New Spire Arts has a liquor license for Beer and Wine only, no hard liquor is allowed. New Spire Arts must be the one to supply and sell the alcohol for events, BYOB is not allowed.
