Creative Scotland has published the findings from independent research looking at public attitudes to cultural participation and attendance in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Surveying a representative sample of the population in Scotland, this is the second wave of research, following the first wave which was completed in August 2020. The survey provides valuable insight regarding how the Covid-19 pandemic has changed attitudes towards, and engagement with, cultural activity and also looks at public attitudes towards cultural participation in the future.
Key findings include:
More than half the population (56%) say they really miss attending cultural venues and events
However, there is wariness amongst the culture-going public as regards returning to venues and events as restrictions ease, more so than with many other leisure activities
The vast majority of the population (98%) are engaging with cultural activity from home during the Covid-19 pandemic but only a small proportion (17%) say they are willing to pay for cultural content that has moved online due to the pandemic
Audiences are nevertheless looking forward to attending cultural activity when they can; are open to trying new experiences at different types of venue (70%); and audience levels look likely to return to pre-Covid levels, or increase, once a vaccine is widely available
Iain Munro, Creative Scotland Chief Executivesaid: “The impact on Scotland’s art and culture sector by the Covid-19 pandemic has been severe. This important and ongoing research helps us understand that impact from a public perspective and is helping inform our ongoing discussions with partners, including Scottish Government, regarding current and future support.
“The research also provides invaluable insight that will help shape our collaborative work with the sector in terms of recovery and renewal as we emerge from the impacts of the pandemic through 2021.”
The report summarising the findings from the research can be found on the Creative Scotland website. A further wave of this research is planned for Spring 2021.
Three charitable arts organisations will receive a share of £3 million of additional funding as part of the ongoing emergency coronavirus (COVID-19) support for culture.
Capital Theatres – which operates the Festival Theatre, the King’s Theatre and The Studio in Edinburgh – will receive £800,000.
Aberdeen Performing Arts – which runs His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen Music Hall and The Lemon Tree – will receive £1.4 million.
Eden Court Highlands – Scotland’s largest single-site arts venue – will receive £800,000.
The funding is part of the £185 million package of targeted COVID-19 funding announced by the Scottish Government last month.
Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “This funding will help to secure the future of three of Scotland’s important independent performing arts charities, protecting jobs and addressing some of the financial pressures they are facing.
“These venues all receive UK and international touring work of major scale, make a significant contribution to the economy and support a network of arts organisations, artists and creatives at the heart of our cities and regions.
“The Scottish Government has allocated more than £120 million of additional funding to support culture and heritage since the start of the pandemic and we will continue to listen to the needs of the sectors.”
Chief Executive of Aberdeen Performing Arts Jane Spiers said: “This funding will go a long way towards helping us survive, thrive and play our part in the cultural and economic recovery of the North-East.
As an arts charity with a high reliance on earned income and over 500 show cancellations to date through 2021 and into 2022, it provides us with a vital lifeline.
“This new funding recognises the unique scale of the challenge facing large scale theatres and concert halls, the significance of culture to the region’s economic future and the vital role Aberdeen Performing Arts plays in civic, cultural and community life.
“We wouldn’t be here today without all the financial support we’ve been able to access to date from the Scottish Government, from our local authority and generous donations from audiences. It means more than words can say. We can’t wait to welcome everyone back when it’s safe to do so.”
This additional support takes the overall emergency COVID-19 funding from the Scottish Government to £2.38 million for Aberdeen Performing Arts, £2.07 million for Eden Court Highlands and £1.55 million for Capital Theatres.
Further awards from the Culture Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund
Thirty further organisations across Scotland have received a total of £1.4million through the Scottish Government’s Culture Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund.
The funding provides welcome emergency support to a range of venues and organisations covering comedy, music, nightclubs, performing arts, publishing, visual arts, as well as festivals and cultural support infrastructure.
Designed to protect jobs and support the sustainability of organisations threatened with insolvency by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, today’s news follows the announcement of £11.75million awarded to 203 organisations and venues through this fund on Thursday 5 November.
Culture Secretary, Fiona Hyslop said: “The £15 million Culture Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund is crucial for supporting the culture sector through this pandemic, and is designed to help organisations cope with the immediate issues they are facing and to help save jobs.
“This emergency funding will be a lifeline for a wide range of organisations from craft to theatre, galleries to production companies.
“We are determined to do everything within our powers to support the culture sector and we will continue to work closely with stakeholders and Creative Scotland to provide additional help where needed.”
Iain Munro, CEO, Creative Scotland said: “In addition to those announced previously, these funds provide much needed emergency support to even more venues and organisations across Scotland which are experiencing significant difficulties as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Today’s announcement forms part of a broader package of support for people and organisations that we are working at pace to deliver on behalf of the Scottish Government, with more to come.”
The further 30 organisations receiving funding from the Scottish Government’s Culture Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund are:
Organisation (Trading name)
Funding Amount
Local Authority Area
Active Events
£15,000
North Ayrshire
A-Line Group
£70,000
Aberdeenshire
Alzatar Ltd (B Bar)
£65,000
City of Edinburgh
BD 2011 Ltd (Blue Dog)
£16,000
Glasgow City
Ceilidh Club
£29,917
Midlothian
Charco Press
£15,000
City of Edinburgh
Compass Gallery
£42,203
Glasgow City
Cove Park
£20,795
Argyll and Bute
Cuba Club Ltd (Club Cuba)
£37,517
City of Edinburgh
East Ayrshire Leisure
£71,000
East Ayrshire
Edinburgh Open Workshop
£30,000
City of Edinburgh
Edinburgh Science
£115,000
City of Edinburgh
Elderco (Word Up)
£104,482
Inverclyde
F4F event services Ltd.
£50,000
Fife
Flag Promotions Ltd
£15,214
Glasgow City
Great Junction Events Ltd (Old Dr Bells Baths)
£75,000
City of Edinburgh
Hemelvaart Bier Cafe Ayton Ltd
£24,000
Scottish Borders
Kelburn Arts Limited (Kelburn Garden Party)
£65,000
North Ayrshire
Panoptic Events
£15,299
Glasgow City
Red Bridge Arts
£85,000
Fife
Rogue City Productions
£26,500
City of Edinburgh
Scottish Sculpture Workshop
£36,580
Aberdeenshire
Shazam Theatre Company
£20,000
Aberdeenshire
Skye Live
£40,000
Highland
SS Press
£40,000
City of Edinburgh
The Birchvale Players
£15,746
Dumfries and Galloway
The Biscuit Factory
£50,000
City of Edinburgh
The Dovecot Foundation
£125,000
City of Edinburgh
Venue 45 Ltd (the SpaceUK)
£40,000
City of Edinburgh
West End Festival (Glasgow)
£24,000
Glasgow City
Total
£1,379,253
Updates on all emergency funds are being published regularly on this website and publicised through media and social media communications.
Image: Sparks from the iron furnace at the Scottish Sculpture Workshop’s 40th birthday celebrations (Creative Scotland)
New opportunities to help broaden socio-economic diversity in the cultural sector
Seven Scottish arts organisations are to host year-long paid creative fellowships designed to broaden socio-economic diversity in the arts as part of the Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries programme.
Thanks to £100,000 funding from The National Lottery through Creative Scotland, the Bursaries will support early-career development of creative professionals such as artists, curators and producers from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds, across Scotland.
The seven host organisations and the roles being offered in Scotland are:
Applications for the Bursaries for Edinburgh Printmakers and The Workroom/Tramway are now live, while Aberdeen Performing Arts, ATLAS Arts, Eden Court and Red Note will launch their application dates soon with updates posted on their websites and social channels.
Lilli Geissendorfer, director of Jerwood Arts, commented: “I’m delighted that Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries Fellows will be hosted across Scottish arts and cultural organisations.
“They all applied to be part of the programme before COVID-19 had been identified, so it is heartening that making their organisations more diverse and inclusive is still high on their agenda despite the additional challenges they are facing.
“It speaks to the resilience I have been inspired by from all corners of the arts and cultural sector in recent months to find the silver linings in the bleakest of times and commit to creating a stronger sector that everyone will benefit from.”
Shân Edwards, CEO, Edinburgh Printmakerssaid: “We are excited to be taking part in the Fellowship programme at this time. As we emerge from the shock of lockdown and begin to rebuild our programmes, we need to reconnect across boundaries and tackle inequality.
“Edinburgh Printmakers has a strong track record in training and development, and it has never felt more urgent to overcome a lack of accessible, quality, professional experiences and opportunities.”
Previous Scottish host organisations includeNational Theatre of Scotland, Dundee Rep & Scottish Dance Theatre, The Common Guild, Glasgow International and the Royal Lyceum Theatre.
Joan Parr, Director of Arts & Engagement, Creative Scotlandsaid: “Fair access to careers in the arts is a pressing issue facing the sector, and hearing diverse voices enriches us all.
“With support from The National Lottery these transformative opportunities are being made possible from Skye to Edinburgh, Aberdeen to Inverness, and go some way to ensuring that the most talented people, regardless of background, are given the chance to succeed and contribute to a more vibrant arts sector for us all.”
Photograph: Felicity Cranshaw. Simone Kenyon, Into the Mountain (2019) produced by Scottish Sculpture Workshop.
Fund Guidance to be published: Thursday 22 October
Applications invited from: 12 noon, Monday 26 October
Crafts Council& Craft Scotland, Help Musicians, Society of AuthorsandVisual Arts Scotlandhave been confirmed as partners to assist Creative Scotland in the delivery of the Scottish Government’s £5million Hardship Fund for Creative Freelancers.
Subject to confirmation, BECTU will also be partnering with Creative Scotland on the delivery of this funding.
The specific sector expertise of these partners will help ensure the hardship funds reach as many freelancers across different creative sectors as possible, working with Creative Scotland who will deliver the funds to creative freelancers who work in the sectors not covered by the partner organisations
Eligibility criteria for the fund will be published on Thursday 22 October followed by the fund opening for application at 12noon, Monday 26 October.
Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “Culture is vitally important to all of our lives in Scotland. This is an extremely worrying time for many people involved in culture and creative industries, particularly creative freelancers and practitioners whose work is integral not only to the economy, but to the wellbeing of individuals and communities.
“Many continue to face uncertain futures while much of their sectors remain unable to operate, and it is important that we can offer financial support while we continue to navigate our way through the pandemic.
“This fund will provide emergency support to creative freelancers in Scotland who are experiencing hardship as a result of the pandemic. Working closely with partners in industry to deliver this fund will help Creative Scotland ensure support reaches people as quickly as possible.”
Iain Munro, CEO at Creative Scotlandsaid: “There is no end in sight to the COVID-19 pandemic and the significant impact it is having on Scotland’s creative sector.
“With welcome financial support from the Scottish Government, this Hardship Fund offers much needed support for creative freelancers who have been particularly hard hit by the inability to work due to necessary restrictions. Creative Scotland is working hard with our partners to ensure this support reaches those in need as quickly as possible.”
CraftsCouncil’sExecutive Director, Rosy GreenleesOBE said: “We are delighted to partner with Craft Scotland to deliver much needed financial support to craft freelancers in Scotland.
“We know that craft professionals from curators, and educators to individual makers and businesses are struggling. Creative Scotland’s investment will offer a lifeline to ensure the Scottish craft sector remains a thriving and creative force.”
Help Musicians’ Chief Executive, James Ainscough said: “With no end in sight to the restrictions that prevent musicians earning a living from live performance, we are delighted to see Creative Scotland providing this much needed funding for the community of Scottish musicians.
“The team at Help Musicians are pleased to play a supporting role by administering this funding, ensuring that musicians experiencing financial hardship are given a real financial boost as quickly as possible.”
Society of AuthorsChief Executive, Nicola Solomonsaid: “This funding will be invaluable to the many Scottish writers, illustrators and translators who have fallen between the gaps in financial support during the health crisis.
The grants we will now be able to distribute through the Authors’ Contingency Fund will enable some authors to keep working in spite of financial losses, others to stay afloat while dealing with their own ill health, others to fulfil caring responsibilities – and others simply to keep a roof over their heads. We are grateful for the opportunity to make a difference for Scottish authors.”
Sarah Calmus, President of Visual Arts Scotlandsaid: “Visual Arts Scotland are proud to be partnering with Creative Scotland to help deliver these new funds which follow on from our own Emergency Art Workers Support Fund.
“In this unprecedented period, Visual Arts Scotland are dedicated to helping the creative community and are committed to stand in solidarity through distributing funds to Visual Artists who are most in need of support at this time.”
The Hardship Fund for Creative Freelancers is one of a series of Scottish Government emergency funds for creativity and culture being administered through Creative Scotland.
These funds have been put in place to help mitigate the immediate impacts of COVID-19 on the creative and cultural sector. There are five new emergency funds which were announced by the First Minister on Friday 28 August and which are being delivered through Creative Scotland as follows:
£15million Culture Organisation and Venues Recovery Fund which opened for applications on Thursday 17 September with a deadline of Thursday 24 September. 348 applications have been received totalling over £22million. Application assessments are now taking place and decisions will be communicated early November.
£5million Hardship Fund for Creative Freelancers, for which an open call for partner organisations to help us distribute this fund was launched on Friday 11 September, with a deadline of Friday 25 September. 18 Expressions of Interest were received with five organisations now selected. The £700,000 Screen element of these Hardship Funds opened for applications on Tuesday 22 September and closed on Friday 2 October. Assessments are taking place and decisions being communicated to applicants.
£3.5million Independent Cinemas Recovery and Resilience Fund, which opened for applications on Monday 14 September with a deadline of Monday 5 October. 27 applications have been received totalling £3.55million. Assessments are taking place and decisions will be announced w/c 26 October.
£3.5million additional funds for Creative Scotland’s Open Fund which is open for applications to individuals and organisations now. The application threshold has recently been increased from £50K to £100K.
£3million Youth Arts funding package comprises of at least £1.2million through the Access to Youth Arts Fund which will be open to applications until Thursday 12 November; the £700,000 Small Grants Scheme which launched onThursday 24 September and will be open to applications until Monday 2 November; £50,000 assigned to the Time to Shine Nurturing Talent Fund, and anadditional £1,050,000 allocated to support a number of targeted national and local area youth music and wider youth arts organisations. These organisations will be invited to apply for the Youth Arts Targeted Fund by Tuesday 13 October.
£1.5million for the Culture Collective programme (part of the £5million Sustaining Creative Practice Fund, referred to in the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government), supporting organisations employing freelance artists to work in and with communities across Scotland. More details to be announced in the coming weeks.
Previously announced funds from the Scottish Government are:
Updates on all emergency funds are being published regularly on the Creative Scotland website and publicised through media and social media communications.
Booking is now live for our next creative ageing event Bringing art and creativity back to care homes. Book your place here.
This event, on 30th September at 11am, will bring together community artists with colleagues in health and social care to explore how we might bring art and creativity back into care homes over the coming months.
It will be some time before artist visits to care homes can resume, but what is possible? A small number of activities led or supported by artists are now happening at a distance using online and offline approaches, and usually building on relationships between artists and care homes that existed before lockdown. What can we learn from these experiences?
This online event is part of a series of Creative Ageing events from Luminate, focusing on how we can continue to support opportunities for older people to engage with the arts.
Creative Scotland has published details of the Scottish Government’s Culture Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund, which forms part of the £31.5m emergency funding for culture announced by the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, on 28 August.
The £15 million Culture Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund aims to provide emergency support to organisations that provide opportunities for cultural engagement and have been unable to trade due to the impact of Covid-19. Its primary aim is to protect jobs and to support the sustainability of organisations threatened by insolvency in the short to medium term
Eligibility criteria and guidelines for applying to the Fund have now been published ahead opening for applications on Thursday 17 September.
Culture Secretary, Fiona Hyslop said: “It’s been an extremely difficult time for the culture sector this year. We’ve done everything we can to alleviate some of the immediate challenges but we know many businesses will continue to struggle until they can fully reopen.
“The Culture Organisations and Venue Recovery Fund will aid a range of cultural businesses and help them weather the most critical challenges they face. I’m grateful to Creative Scotland for the pace they’ve worked at to develop the funding and its distribution.”
Iain Munro, CEO, Creative Scotland said: “The challenges presented to the culture and creative sector by the Covid-19 pandemic are only too real and are not going to go away quickly or easily. That’s why this additional emergency funding from the Scottish Government is so welcome.
“Our top priority is the delivery of these funds to the sector as quickly as possible and the launch today of the Culture Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund is an important step in providing much needed support. While we know that this funding won’t be able to meet every challenge, it will help to protect jobs and support the sustainability of organisations wherever possible.”
The Culture Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund is the second of five new emergency funds from Scottish Government being delivered by Creative Scotland as follows:
The £3.5m Independent Cinemas Recovery and Resilience Fund, announced on Thursday 3 September, is helping to secure the survival of Scotland’s independent cinemas, enabling them to re-establish and adjust their business models in response to Covid-19. The fund opens for applications on Monday 14 September.
The £5m Creative Freelancer Hardship Fund will address the current financial hardship being felt by creative freelancers who normally work in the culture sector but whose work has been impacted by Covid-19. We will be issuing an open call for partner organisations to help us distribute this fund on Friday 11 September
The £5m Sustaining Creative Practice Fund will support artists to continue developing new creative work that will make a significant contribution to Scotland’s recovery from COVID-19. This includes £1.5 million for the Culture Collective programme, mentioned in the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government, supporting organisations employing freelance artists to work in and with communities across Scotland. The remaining £3.5m has been added to Creative Scotland’s existing open fund which is open for applications from individuals now.
The £3m Youth Arts Fundwill ensure creative opportunities for children and young people continue to exist across Scotland despite the Covid-19 pandemic. Details of this fund are currently being finalised and will be announced week commencing 14 September.
The previously announced £2.2m Grassroots Music Venue Sustainability Fund closed for applications on 3 September. The fund has received 97 applications and awards will be announced on 22 September.
The £5m open call element of the Performing Arts Venue Relief Fund closed for applications on 27 August. The fund received 42 applications and awards will be announced by 24 September.
Updates on all emergency funds will be published regularly on the Creative Scotland website and publicised through media and social media communications.
A theatre project about the lived experience of disability, album recordings and a film project highlighting the experiences of LGBTQIA refugees are among the 25 projects to receive support in the latest round of Create: Inclusion funding, throughCreative Scotland.
The Create: Inclusion Fund, supported by the National Lottery, has distributed awards of between £2,250 and £28,187, to a total of £375,000. The fund supports activities which enable development of creative and professional practice, and opportunities to take creative risks.
Actor Kirin Saeed has received funding towards Crossing Care (working title), a theatre project which will use the lived experience of a blind Asian woman as a framework to collaborate with community groups and emerging artists.
Kirin Saeed said: “This project will offer opportunities for disabled people and communities whose voices are not often told on their own terms through the medium of theatre. I am so excited to be able to highlight the many complexities of receiving support as a disabled person, especially at a time when carers and caring are such topical subjects for discussion.”
Folk pop musician Man of the Minch has received funding towards debut album The Tide is At the Turning. An extension of the Bogha-frois: LGBT+ Voices in Folk project, the album will be recorded working with people who predominately identify as members of the LGBTQIA community. The Tide is At the Turning will be a musical blend of traditional Scottish music and contemporary pop, and its lyrical content will discuss queer experiences.
Pedro Cameron (Man of the Minch) said: “I hope the album serves as a monument to the Bogha-frois project and will be a piece of work which speaks not only to LGBTQIA people, but the wider community as a whole.”
Composer Amble Skuse has received funding towards A Reasonable Adjustment, a verbatim opera about the experiences of disabled people under austerity in the UK. The piece will be performed by an all-disabled ensemble and will premiere in February 2021 as part of Aberdeen’s Sound Festival.
Amble Skuse said: “This funding means we will be able to explore strategies of disseminating disabled voices through composition. We will be using the funding to work out how disabled artists can make and share work under the restrictions of shielding, a situation which may be considerably lengthier for disabled people than for the general population.”
Bombito Productions received funding towards Who I am Now, a short film project focused on the experience of a transgender Egyptian man and his emigration to Scotland. The project is dedicated to the memory of Zan Scott, who originally conceived of the idea and sadly passed away before production.
Reece Cargan, Producer, Bombito Productions said: “This funding was vital in allowing me to work with queer collaborators and expand my slate as an LGBTQI+ filmmaker. More importantly, the film will hopefully give audiences an insight into the extra barriers experienced by trans people when seeking asylum in the UK.”
Edinburgh-based acclaimed Syrian artist Nihad Al Turk has received funding towards The Threat, a collection of paintings expressing the artist’s experience of living under constant threat.
Nihad Al Turk said: “This project will really help to support me to start working as a professional artist in Scotland, both by funding my work and enabling me to connect with other artists. The project will also help my wellbeing, by creatively expressing my experience of living under threat.”
Director Manu Kurewa has received funding towards Life Lived in Black and White. The short film project, set on a Glasgow housing estate, explores the lives of a group of African immigrants who are connected by their sense of dislocation. The film celebrates the love and loss experienced by the diaspora and will be performed by actors with lived experience of the issues the film explores.
Manu Kurewa said: “I am delighted at having been given this wonderful opportunity to develop my film practice. This is a great opportunity for me and other members from Black and Ethnic Minority backgrounds to share experiences with the wider community and tell stories that normally don’t get the chance to be heard.”
Other projects to receive funding in this round include:
An interactive game depicting the experiences of refugees from Malath Abbas
A spoken word project exploring neurodiversity from Jen McGregor
A collection of multi-artform projects from Roderick MacKenzie
A short film exploring mental health and questions of place from Fiona Bailey
A devised verbatim piece from Heather Andrews, exploring neurodiversity
Do you mind can I ask you what happened … (to your legs)? a dance film about disability from Simon Fildes
A storytelling dance drama project from Abhinaya Dance Academy
A research and development programme merging Ghanian traditional arts with contemporary performance practice from Adie Baako
An artistic development programme from Penny Anderson
The development of a new neurodivergent artist collective from Tzipporah Johnston
A printmaking programme from Garvald Art Studio, in collaboration with Edinburgh Printmakers
The development of a drama film feature from Razan Madhoon
A celebration of folk song from Azerbaijan from FarzaneZamen
The mentoring and development of musician Magnus Turpie
A spoken word project from Sarah Grant
A novel from Anne Hamilton
The Ando Glass Collective, a musical ensemble from Glasgow’s Roma communities.
The Create:Inclusion Fund represents one aspect of Creative Scotland’s ongoing workto address the numerous and complex barriers to access, progression and representation in the arts, screen and creative industries.
Another round of the fund will open for applications in Autumn 2020.
Iain Munro, Chief Executive, Creative Scotlandsaid: “When creative practice is reflective of, and made by, a diverse range of people and communities, it becomes more relevant to everybody.
“This fund offers a step towards achieving this ambition, helping increase diversity among people building careers in the arts, screen and creative industries. These awards support a breadth of practice, a diversity of perspectives and level of ambition that reflects the rich cultural life of Scotland.”
Following the announcement that the Edinburgh Festival Fringe will not be going ahead as planned in 2020, the Fringe Society has unveiled alternative digital plans taking place this summer, complementing a variety of activities planned by Fringe artists and venues.
Under hugely difficult circumstances, creatives from across the Fringe landscape willbe bringing versions of their work to life digitally, many for the very first time. From livestreamed performances to nostalgic throwbacks and community-focused events and support sessions, the spirit of the Fringe will live on in the work of thousands of Fringe artists and venues, and the Fringe Society will help audiences navigate them through a central listings service on edfringe.com.
Alongside this, we will be running a series of digital activities, including virtual shows, a festival-wide crowdfunding campaign, artist-facing workshops, a new online arts industry platform and a virtual Fringe Central, so thereare still plenty of ways to #MakeYourFringe in 2020.
We have also unveiled the artwork for the Fringe programme cover that never was. Designed by celebrated contemporary artist Butcher Billy, the campaign is based on the theme of ‘the heroes of the Fringe’. Full details on the artwork and the Society’s diverse programme of activity can be found below.
Commenting on the launch of this year’s digital Fringe activity, Shona McCarthy, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society Chief Executive, said:“It’s hard to imagine a summer without the Fringe.
“The explosion of creativity and community that the festival brings every year is unparalleled, and whilst we may not be able to provide a stage in Edinburgh in quite the same way this year, it feels hugely important that the spirit of this brilliant festival is kept alive.
“Little did we know way back in autumn, when we first started talking about this year’s programme artwork, how prescient the superhero theme would be today. We’re happy to be able to shine a spotlight on some of our Fringe heroes now, as we rally round to support the people that make your Fringe. On the other side of this, we’ll need them more than ever.
“The impact of Covid-19 has been devastating for the countless artists, audiences, venues, workers and small businesses that make this festival happen every year. The FringeMakers crowdfunding campaign is designed to support them, while the Fringe on a Friday live show and the Fringe Pick n Mix website aim to bring some much-needed joy to our devoted audiences both here in Scotland and all over the world.”
Professor Sir Tim O’Shea, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society Chair, added:“It’s been an extraordinarily difficult year and we still have real work to do to secure the future of the wider Fringe ecosystem.
“The partnership with Crowdfunder is an important step towards helping venues and artists raise vital funds that we know are needed to keep the Fringe alive.
“At its core the Fringe Society exists to support artists and we’re pleased to be able to offer so many different opportunities for arts professionals during this difficult time, from our online artist development programme, Fringe Central, to our dedicated Fringe Marketplace arts industry platform.
“We’re incredibly grateful to all the partners, funders and supporters who have helped us to deliver this. Their support is invaluable during what has been a difficult time for the Fringe and the wider arts sector.”
Helen Page, Group Brand and Marketing Director at Virgin Money, said:“We’re proud to support the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society at what is an incredibly difficult time for the creative industries.
“Creating this brand-new digital Fringe is innovative and enables the community to come together at a time when social connections are needed more than ever. We look forward to joining the virtual shows and recreating the Fringe spirit at home this year.”
A spokesperson for Johnnie Walker said:“The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is such a vital part of the life and culture of the city for residents and visitors alike, and we are pleased to make our contribution along with other partners to keeping the spirit of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe alive during these challenging times.
“We will miss the incredible excitement, colour and vibrancy the Fringe brings to Edinburgh this summer, but it is wonderful to see the creativity and innovation of the virtual programme. We wish our friends at the Fringe the very best.”
Join us for Edinburgh Culture Conversations, a 10-week series of live, online events that will debate the future role of arts and culture, and examine how the arts and creative sectors can help society recover from the effects of Covid-19.
The events will bring together members of the public, artists, academics and cultural leaders to discuss how culture contributes to our lives and what it could do in the future.
The online debates, staged in conjunction with the Edinburgh Futures Institute, begin tonight with the first conversation considering the question “How can we keep the Festival spirit of internationalism and interculturalism alive?”
Janet Archer, the University of Edinburgh’s Director of Festivals, Cultural and City Events, will host the weekly conversations which will debate the value of creativity, not only to the arts, but also to society and the wider economy.
Over the course of the series a distinguished panel of guests is set to include Scots Makar Jackie Kay, CEO and Festival Director of the Edinburgh International Festival Fergus Linehan, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, Shona McCarthy, singer-songwriter Karine Polwart and British Art Show 9 artist Hanna Tuulikki.
The conversations have been organised by the University of Edinburgh Festivals Office and are being staged in conjunction with the University of Edinburgh’s new centre for interdisciplinary learning and research, the Edinburgh Futures Institute.
