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Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society announces recipients of the 2026 Keep it Fringe fund

Bursaries of £2,500 to support artists bringing work to this year’s Fringe

Today, Thursday 09 April, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society has announced the recipients of the 2026 Keep it Fringe fund.

This important initiative was launched in 2023 by Fringe Society honorary President Phoebe Waller-Bridge and supports artists who may face financial barriers in bringing work to the festival.

This year, 402 applications were received for an initial £30,000 of available support. Following the launch announcement, further donations have increased the funding available to £40,000.

In 2026 the Fringe Society has been delighted to receive donations from actress Miriam Margolyes, the Williamson family, and James Seabright, who pledged support in 2024 for new theatre in recognition of 25 years of producing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

We are also grateful to Cheez-It for its donation via a fundraising partnership with the Co-op. The Keep it Fringe fund has gained significant interest since its inception and is now in need of further financial support to ensure the Fringe Society is able to sustain it in future years.

The shows that have received Keep it Fringe funding explore a range of topics, including club culture, nostalgia, PTSD, declining seaside towns, moving back in with your parents, hypnosis, eating disorders, declining journalistic standards and growing up in the shadow of the British Empire, with companies and artists spanning the cabaret, comedy, musical, spoken word and theatre categories in the Fringe programme. 43% of the successful applicants identify as disabled or have a health condition, and more than 30% come from a working-class background.

Tony Lankester, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: ‘We recognise the significance of the Keep it Fringe fund and the number of applications this year demonstrates how important it has become.

“We know that bringing work to Edinburgh comes at significant cost, and Keep it Fringe goes a long way to helping artists bridge the gap.

“We are extremely grateful to Miriam, James, the Williamson family and Cheez-It for their kind donations to this year’s fund. We are busy working on fundraising to ensure Keep it Fringe continues in 2027 and beyond and would encourage anyone able to support us in this work to reach out to us’.

The Fringe Society hopes to continue the Keep it Fringe fund for as long as possible and is actively seeking new funding and donations to ensure the long-term sustainability of the fund.

Donations can be made here, and updates will be provided as the project progresses.

The successful recipients of the Keep it Fringe Fund 2026 are the following shows (alphabetical):

Abbie Edwards: Knee Touch
Crush
Ele McKenzie: Bringing It All Back Home
Fantasy World Adventures Mega Park! The Musical
Giraffe
Half-Time
hame. teeth. CLUB
The Hypnotist & Mind Reader Live
Mothman: A Romance Musical
One Dog One Nutter – PTSD to Pleasure
paywall
The Poetical Life of Philomena McGuinness
A Simply Beastly Murder
SLAY
Target Audience
The Wreck

As wider show information becomes available, full information will be listed on edfringe.com.

Edinburgh swimmers’ ‘Victorian Pool Crawl’ raises over £40,000

Edinburgh Leisure’s five-pool charity challenge supports local people facing barriers to being active

Sixty-one Edinburgh swimmers completed Edinburgh Leisure’s aquathlon-style Victorian Pool Crawl on Easter Monday, 6^th April, walking 16km and swimming 5km across Edinburgh Leisure’s five historic Victorian pools, raising more than £40,000 for the Active Communities programme.

The challenge, sponsored by Landmarc Support Services, began at Dalry Swim Centre (est. 1895) before continuing through Warrender Swim Centre (est. 1887), Glenogle Swim Centre (est. 1899), and Leith Victoria Swim Centre (est. 1900), finishing at Portobello Swim Centre (est. 1901).

Edinburgh Leisure also hosted its Great Lengths exhibition, highlighting the history of the city’s Victorian pools and bathhouses.

The Victorian Pool Crawl was conceived in 2025 by a regular swimmer from Leith Victoria Swim Centre as a community fundraising challenge. After the inaugural event, the challenge became an official Edinburgh Leisure fundraiser, growing from 13 participants in 2025 to 61 this year.

Among the original 13-strong team was Marek Bernat, aged 49, who learned to swim at Dalry Swim Centre in 2019. Despite having found completing the final lane tough last year, it was also extremely rewarding. So much so that Marek and two of the original group returned this year with a new team of ‘Leith Victorians’ who collectively raised over £5,500.

A year ago, Landmarc employee Tamsin Gee wouldn’t have imagined taking on a half-marathon-distance challenge. By her own admission, she was “allergic to exercise”.

One year on, she celebrated completing this year’s event alongside colleagues and friends at Portobello Swim Centre—an achievement she described as huge. “It was a fantastic day, seamlessly organised and such fun to take part in,” she said.

Kevin Kneeshaw, Landmarc’s Regional Operations Manager for Scotland and Northern Ireland said, “At Landmarc, we are passionate about supporting initiatives that make a real difference locally.

“The Victorian Pool Crawl not only celebrates Edinburgh’s heritage but also helps break down barriers to being active. It has been fantastic to be part of such a positive and impactful event.”

The event’s top fundraiser Frederick Phillips sees first-hand the impact this fundraising has for local people. He volunteers with Edinburgh Leisure’s Ageing Well project as a ‘Buddy Swimmer’, supporting older people to enjoy swimming which Frederick says, “transforms lives by supporting physical health, reducing isolation and opening up opportunities that simply wouldn’t exist otherwise.”

Adam Shaffer, Events & Individual Giving Fundraiser at Edinburgh Leisure, said: “This was a great event to organise, drawing on colleagues’ expertise and enthusiasm for getting people active.

“It was brilliant to see so many people turning out to cheer on the swimmers and support our charitable mission.”

Rachael McCrea, Head of Fundraising at Edinburgh Leisure, said: “Every pound raised helps remove financial, health and disability barriers that stop people getting active.

“We’re so grateful to our incredible participants whose efforts have raised over £40,000, and over the course of the day demonstrated how taking part in physical activity improves health, wellbeing and builds communities.”

All funds raised support Active Communities, Edinburgh Leisure’s programme tackling inequalities and inactivity. Active Communities supports around 14,700 people a year, including people affected by health conditions, disability, poverty and other barriers to physical activity.

Edinburgh Leisure is a charity dedicated to helping people lead more active, healthy lives. With 75 sport, leisure and school venues across the city, it creates opportunities for everyone to get active and stay active.

Donations to support the Victorian Pool Crawlers can still be made via JustGiving:

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/vpc26

Art For Grown Ups exhibition at North Edinburgh Arts opens today

SPECIAL EVENT THURSDAY 16 APRIL 6 – 7.30pm

EXHIBITION RUNS FROM 9th – 21st APRIL

We’re excited to celebrate the work of three local people – Yasmin Shorter, Kirsty Sutherland and Kevin Jack – the first Local Artists in Residence at Art for Grown Ups’ Studio at North Edinburgh Arts.

After months of creativity, now it’s time to share the results with you!

The exhibition opens today, Thursday 9 April and runs until 21 April. Pop by and see it during the NEA’s opening times: Monday – Wednesday: 9am-5pm, Thursday & Friday: 9am-8pm, Saturday: 10am-2pm.

We’ll be hosting a special celebration event on Thursday, 16 April at 6pm. You’re invited!

– Meet the artists

– Enjoy refreshments

– Take part in a studio tour

– Explore the creative journey of the past 9 months!

Joint Statement on the conflict in the Middle East

WORLD LEADERS WELCOME ‘CEASEFIRE’

Statement by President Macron, Prime Minister Meloni, Chancellor Merz, Prime Minister Starmer, Prime Minister Carney, President Dan, acting Prime Minister Frederiksen, Prime Minister Frostadóttir, Prime Minister Jetten, Prime Minister Kristersson, Prime Minister Mitsotakis, Prime Minister Sanchez, Prime Minister Støre, President Stubb, Prime Minister Takaichi, President of the European Commission von der Leyen, President of the European Council Costa:

We welcome the two-week ceasefire concluded between the United States and Iran today (Wednesday 8 April).

We thank Pakistan and all partners involved for facilitating this important agreement.

The goal must now be to negotiate a swift and lasting end to the war within the coming days. This can only be achieved through diplomatic means.

We strongly encourage quick progress towards a substantive negotiated settlement.

This will be crucial to protect the civilian population of Iran and ensure security in the region. It can avert a severe global energy crisis.

We support these diplomatic efforts. To this end, we are in close contact with the United States and other partners.

We call upon all sides to implement the ceasefire, including in Lebanon.

Our Governments will contribute to ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Paws at the ready as new dog park opens in Edinburgh

Unleashing even more fun with tenth park launch

A NEW dog adventure park with panoramic views towards Arthur’s Seat is preparing to open in East Edinburgh, marking its tenth location for one of Scotland’s fastest-growing canine leisure brands.

Set just off the A1 near Musselburgh, the brand-new two-acre dog park – known as Big Arthur’s Field – is the latest venture by award-winning operator Unleash The Dogs. The park will be its second to open in the capital following the successful launch of the West Edinburgh location last year.

Opening this Saturday, 11th April, final touches are being added in the coming days and bookings are expected to ramp up quickly.

To celebrate the opening, visiting dogs will be treated to complimentary puppuccinos during launch weekend, with owners also being treated to hot drinks and snacks, adding an extra touch of fun for pet owners booking the first sessions at the new site.

Craig Gammage, founder of Unleash The Dogs, said: “Opening our tenth park is a huge moment for us. When we started just over three years ago, the goal was simple, to create the very best places in Scotland for dogs to run free safely. To reach ten sites is a huge milestone for us and we’re really excited for the future.

“This site is something we’re really proud of. The setting is incredible. You’ve got that iconic Arthur’s Seat backdrop, but you’re only minutes from the city. It gives you that rural escape without the long drive.”

Big Arthur’s Field is the largest park in the company’s portfolio to date, spanning two acres and featuring a wide range of purpose-built obstacles and enrichment features suitable for dogs of all sizes and energy levels.

Each session is privately booked online, guaranteeing exclusive access for up to eight dogs at a time. The model has proven hugely popular with owners seeking a secure environment where their pets can exercise off-lead without the unpredictability of public parks.

The Edinburgh expansion builds on the success of the brand’s first capital site, which was voted number one in its region at the British Dog Field of the Year awards within just four weeks of opening, beating more than 60 competitors in a public vote.

Craig added: “Winning that award so soon after first launching in Edinburgh meant a lot. It showed that owners here recognise quality and appreciate the level of care we put into every site.

“There’s been a real buzz around this particular site too. People have been driving past, messaging us, asking when they can book. It’s brilliant to see that excitement.

“Ultimately, if dogs leave tired and happy and owners leave saying it was the best hour of their week, then we’ve done our job.”

For more information about Unleash the Dogs, the sites and how to book your slot visit www.unleashthedogs.co.uk

Girlguiding: Be a Peer Educator

Become a peer educator and give girls a space to talk about what’s important to them!

As a peer educator you will explore important topics like mental wellbeing, safety and gender stereotypes, using your own experiences to become a role model for girls all across Scotland.

If you are 14-25 join us in May at our next peer education training weekend. Find out more through the link below

https://bit.ly/4scuRKL

If you know someone who would make a great peer educator make sure to share the link with them

Art: A lost Eardley returns

As the National Galleries of Scotland opens Joan Eardley | The Nature of Painting at Modern Two, a remarkable rediscovery has brought one of her paintings back into public view more than sixty years after it was last handled by The Scottish Gallery.

In the summer of last year, The Scottish Gallery received an unexpected call. A manager from a charity shop in the East Midlands had taken in a dark, unassuming painting through a house clearance donation.

On the reverse, a worn and fragmentary label revealed just six words: “Summer, Joan, Exhibited, The Scottish Gallery.”

Intrigued, Director Tommy Zyw turned to The Scottish Gallery archive. After searching through its historic day books, he uncovered a handwritten entry from May 1961 recording the sale of a painting titled Summer Fields by Joan Eardley. The possibility was compelling.

The painting was retrieved and brought to Edinburgh for inspection. From the moment it was unwrapped, its authenticity was clear. The surface, the handling, the authority of the mark all pointed unmistakably to Eardley. Sixty-four years after it had left us, Summer Fields had returned.

Conservation brought the work back to life, revealing an atmospheric landscape painted in the final years of Eardley’s life in Catterline. A corner of a farmer’s field is caught in the golden light of late September, with the foreground alive with textured grasses and seed heads. It is a deeply observed and quietly powerful work, rooted in the landscape that she loved and defined her practice.

The painting was unveiled by The Scottish Gallery at the British Art Fair in September 2025, where it attracted significant attention, and was later exhibited at the gallery on Dundas Street, Edinburgh.

It has recently been acquired by a distinguished collector of Scottish art. Its rediscovery carries impact beyond the art historical. Sold on behalf of the charity from which it emerged, the work achieved the largest single work sale in the charity’s history of £29,500, directly supporting vital medical research in the UK.

Tommy Zyw, Director of The Scottish Gallery commented: “This story speaks of the enduring power of Joan Eardley’s painting and of the role of careful stewardship, archives, and expertise in bringing such works back into the public arena.

“From Joan Eardley painting this work in Catterline, its sale in 1961, decades enjoyed privately then its arrival on the charity shop’s shelf, to the phone call that started its return to Scotland; we have been proud to support Summer Fields on its continuing journey.”

Since first exhibiting Joan Eardley’s work in 1955, The Scottish Gallery has played a central role in shaping and sustaining her reputation through scholarship, exhibitions, and careful placement in major private and public collections, ensuring each work is presented with context, care, and authority.

The Gallery sells many works on behalf of private clients and families, offering a discreet and considered alternative to auction, allowing works to be placed directly with committed collectors and achieve consistently strong results without the uncertainty of a single sale day.

Running from 2 April to 28 June 2026 at Modern Two, the National Galleries of Scotland exhibition brings together over 30 works by Eardley, alongside paintings from the national collection.

It places Eardley’s work within a wider artistic context, revealing her engagement with both international and Scottish contemporaries, while reaffirming her status as one of the most powerful painters of the twentieth century.

It is a timely moment to reflect not only on her legacy, but on the extraordinary journeys her paintings can take.

First British astronaut Helen Sharman to speak at Edinburgh Science Festival

First British astronaut Helen Sharman to give a talk this Sunday, 65 years to the day since Yuri Gagarin’s historic flight to space

SUNDAY 12th APRIL 7pm USHER HALL

In this special event Helen Sharman, the first British astronaut, shares her unique, personal experiences from her historic 1991 mission aboard the Mir space station. Audiences will hear about some of her training, blasting off on a Soyuz rocket, what it’s like to live and work in space including conducting science experiments.

In conversation with Earth scientist and former BBC presenter Dr Hermione Cockburn, Helen reflects on the evolution of space exploration – from Tim Peake’s International Space Station mission to private space companies – and the growing international diversity in space programmes.

Helen Sharman said: “Space is getting really exciting again! I’m delighted to return to Edinburgh to share some insights, including my own experiences of what it’s like in space.”

Tickets here: https://www.edinburghscience.co.uk/event/helen-sharman/

Here to Listen: Forth Community Police drop-in sessions this month

We’re here to listen.

Join your local Forth Community Police Officers at our April drop‑ins. Stop by, say hello and chat about any community concerns or questions you may have.

Mon 20 April