OUR MISSION
The Power of Comedy
Building & Nurturing Creatives
Providing a Platform
Advancement for marginalized voices
The 3rd annual Bergamot Comedy Festival showcased a lineup that amplified female-identifying, BIPOC, LGBTQ+ talent, and commonly unheard, unique perspectives with 92% of our performers representing these communities.
92 % TOTAL
marginalized voices
50%
of our lineup was female
17%
of the comics identified as straight, cisgender males
“
Performing at the Bergamot Comedy Fest gave me the opportunity to make friends, get industry contacts, learn the business side of comedy from the fest's many panels and more specifically, be seen by Beth Stelling who then booked me at Largo, a difficult club to get into, which snowballed into being seen by the Largo owner who then started booking me for other shows.
Nina Nguyen
Bergamot Comedy Fest '24 Comic
39
61
34
48
33
63
53
27
39
48
170
29
Female comics discovered on our stage went on to debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Comics discovered and booked on Just for Laughs New Faces Un-repped (2027)
Comics given record deals — one Queer Female, one Black Male, and one Latinx Male
Queer Female comic booked on Netflix
Featured on Netflix is a Joke Fest
Signed with top talent agents & managers
1,856 Meals Provided
Over the past three years, we have hired and paid for food from a Female Black Owned Food Truck - HotVille Chicken, a Female Latinx Food Truck - Guerilla Tacos, a Latinex Food Truck - 5 Elementos, Santa Monica local spots; Bay Cities Italian Deli, Emmy Squared Pizza, Vito’s Pizza, Milo & Olive, Birdie G’s, HomeState, New York Bagel, Santa Monica Brew Works, Killer Smash Burgers, and Sweet Rose Creamery. We provided all this food for our performers, staff, and industry educators and guests so they could eat for free while participating in the fest.
554
Audience members to comedy shows
450
Audience members for free educational panels
1,004
Total audience and community reached
459
Audience members to comedy shows
768
Audience members for free educational panels
1,227
Total audience and community reached
355
Audience members to comedy shows
874
Audience members for free educational panels
1,229
Total audience and community reached
Budget Allocation
45% Staff
8% Other
9% Artists
5% Food
2% Materials
31% Marketing
$106,612.42
Total budget we spent
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PRESS and MEDIA
It’s still hard for certain voices to get onstage and be showcased,” says L.A.’s Jeffrey Jay. “Bergamot is going to lift you up, bring [the] industry to you and allow you to be seen without shame, without the idea of, ‘We want you to be more like ‘this.’ “We all have different voices, and we’ve all got an even playing field. ...
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The BCF is also putting a special focus on the showcasing of female-identifying, IPOC and LGBTQ talent. A rigorous selection process made sure the pool of performers was diverse - 50% female and non-binary identifying in the end ...
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I feel like this really hits with what Bergamot Station Arts Center was made to be," Blaine said. "It [is] supposed to be a collective of community, celebrating the arts, and there is supposed to be programming here that is free, that is vibrant, and that represents the voices from all ...
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Over the last two years since the Crow opened, Blaine has made it the community-oriented venue's mission to amplify underrepresented voices of female-identifying, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ talent. To do so, she decided to work backwards. If there weren't enough ...
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The BCF is also putting a special focus on the showcasing of female-identifying, IPOC and LGBTQ talent. A rigorous selection process made sure the pool of performers was diverse - 50% female and non-binary identifying in the end ...
READ MORE
Borowsky and the comedians on site attempted to build 300 boxes during the afternoon session, part of a mental health focused day for the entertainers run by Comedy Gives Back. The nonprofit teamed with Crow Founder Nicole Blaine to bring FYA ...
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The festival is designed to nurture not just comedians but the surrounding community. Before any performer takes the stage at the Crow for the Bergamot fest, Blaine provides in-depth educational conversations with key industry players.
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“Education should be free, so all the panels are free, whether you got into the fest or not,” Blaine said. “It has to be accessible … and that’s the only way to build a real community of artists. You’ve got to give them the tools.”
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Crow Comedy Inc. provides a platform for expression, healing, and social progress through comedy. We empower people through joy and laughter, ensuring access for those whose stories might otherwise go untold.
You'll find The Crow nestled in the historic Bergamot Station Arts Center among twenty arts galleries and adjacent to the 26th Street/Bergamot Metro Stop.
The Crow welcomes all who welcome all.
