Tag: DCMS

Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society announces 180 recipients of the 2025 Keep it Fringe fund

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

Today, Friday 7 March, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is delighted to announce the recipients of the 2025 Keep it Fringe fund.

This is the third year of the fund, an initiative created to support Fringe artists to realise their professional ambitions, and in 2025 funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

The Keep it Fringe fund was launched in 2023 by the Fringe Society honorary President Phoebe Waller-Bridge and funded by the Fleabag for Charity campaign, alongside funds donated to the Fringe Society by Edinburgh Gin.

Supported by £1 million from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) over two years (2024 and 2025), the Fringe Society is today announcing the successful 180 recipients of £2,500 bursaries for Fringe 2025. The fund received 848 applications, which were reviewed by 28 independent assessors.

Keep it Fringe shows span a range of topics, including IVF, Miss Universe pageants, Dolly the Sheep, incel culture, Deliveroo cyclists, tinnitus and football hooliganism, with companies and artists covering nearly every genre in the Fringe programme. Representing a mix of free and ticketed shows, 33% of the successful applicants identify as disabled or have a health condition, and more than 30% come from a working-class background.

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

Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy said: ‘The Fringe is the largest performing arts festival in the world and gives creatives from across the UK the opportunity to showcase the wide variety of talent this nation has to offer.

‘This funding will ensure that artists from all backgrounds have the opportunity to put on a show for the international audiences and industry professionals that gather in Edinburgh each summer and enable the Fringe to continue to boost our up-and-coming artists.’

Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: ‘This year we received the highest number of applications to date which highlights how valued and needed this initiative is. 

“We are thankful to DCMS for providing the funding that has enabled us to continue the Keep it Fringe fund for the last two years. We know that for many artists the financial challenges of putting on a show can prevent some from coming to the Fringe, and this funding will enable the Edinburgh Fringe to be more accessible to artists from across the UK. 

‘We are keen to continue the Keep it Fringe fund, as we have heard countless testimonials on how invaluable this support is. If you think you can help, please get in touch with the Fringe Society team.’

THE SUCCESSFUL RECIPIENTS OF THE KEEP IT FRINGE FUND (alphabetical):  

This list does not include the full list of recipients as three shows are still going through the final stages of confirmation.

4PLAY, Colours Run

Agent Red Arts, AUDITION

Aisheshek Magauina, 2 Muslim 2 Furious 2: Go Halal or Go Home

Alastair Clark, Alastair Clark: On The Record

Alex Mitchell, Alex Mitchell: “Tough”

Alfie Webster, lenny.

Alice Cockayne, Alice Cockayne:

Alison Affleck, ali affleck and The Traveling Janes

Alison Spittle, Fat Bitch

Amy Mason, Amy Mason: No Thanks

Amy Yeo, Well Behaved Women

Angela King, A Period of Faith

Aoife Parr, anatomy of pain

Arron Jones Entertainment, #1 Greatest Hit Rock ‘N’ Roll Magic Show

Audaciously Tenacious Theatre, Perfect Dead Girls

Ava Beaux, Ava & Beaux: Tales of Magic

Belis Abysss, Unlearning Mastery

Best in Class, Best in Class

Beth Mullen, Clementine

Bobby Bradley & Emery Hunter, Dregs

Brass Tacks Comedy, Jack Traynor

Cameron Sinclair Harris, Cameron Sinclair Harris: PLANETS!!!

Caroline Madds, Buzzin’

Caroline McEvoy, Caroline McEvoy: Train Man

Castile Collective Ltd, The Queen Is Mad

Chakira Alin, House Party

Christian Dart, Christian Dart: GUMSHOE!

Claire Parry, I am Claire Parry (very funny stand-up)

Clare Fraenkel, I WAS A GERMAN

Clare Noy, Funny Though

Cloud, Warm As Summer, Bright As Blood

Coral Bevan / Asparagus Mousse, Fisherman Jon: What’s on the end of my rod? – a clown odyssey

Curly, C U Later, Simulator

Daniel McKeon, Boyboss

Danielle Reales, Spectrum

Dare Theatre, Youth In Flames

David Ferguson, David Ferguson: Bedhead

Dean T. Beirne, Fated to Pretend

Dee Allum, The Meaning of Life

Deiseil Airson Dannsa, Deiseil

Diona Doherty, GET YOUR PINK BACK

Dora Colquhoun, The Lodger

Ebdon Management, Joz Norris: You Wait. Time Passes.

Effectus Theatre, Sing, Sign and Sensory – On Safari

Elastic Fantastic, Shallowspace Cryotech Feverdream

Eleanor May Blackburn, A Sudden, Disturbing To-Do List

Eliza Kate Nelson, Sinnyworld

Emballage, The Writing of Stones

Emily Briggs, Garbanzo

Emily Davis, Escape the Rat Race

Emma Ruse Productions, Jumper Bumps

Emotionally Volatile Productions, Bluebeard’s Castle

Emul8 Theatre, Becoming Maverick

Fella, Show us ur fruitcake

Fiona Louise Moon, A Brief History of Neurodivergence

Fraser Penman, Penman – The Imagination – You!

Full Frontal Theatre LTD, Rodney Black: Who Cares? It’s Working

G+J Productions, Some Masterchef Sh*t

Genesis Theatre Productions, Lost Girls / At Bus Stops

Georgia Bruce, Attention

Ghouls Aloud, Elysium – a new ghost story with original music

Ginger Black Productions, Life Would be Pretty Dull Without Sex, Raves and MDMA

Giselle: Remix, Giselle: Remix

Grace Mulvey, Did you hear we are all going to die?

Grace Whitty, The last Oak Tree

Grey Castle Productions, Two Tribes

Grownup Playhouse, Milly’s Musical Adventure

Half Diamond Theatre, A Most Pressing Issue

Hasan Al-Habib, Death to the West Midlands

Hassan Govia, Because

Higgledy Piggledy Productions, PALS

Holly Gifford, Big Little Sister

Holly Redford-Jones, I Was Dancing In The Lesbian Bar

Holly Spillar, Holly Spillar: TALL CHILD

Hunter Millington, A Northern Tr*nny Hootenanny

In Bed With My Brother, PHILOSOPHY OF THE WORLD

Jack Brownridge-Kelly, Cold, Dark Matters

Jacob Nussey, Primed

James Clements, The Burns Project

Jessica Aszkenasy, TITCLOWN

Joe Sutherland, Joe Sutherland: Miss World

Julia Salkin/Serpentine Productions, were you in terror?

June Tuesday, June Tuesday: Comic Trans

Kane & Abel, Twin Feats

Kathy Maniura, Kathy Maniura: The Cycling Man

Katie Mitchell, Spine Hygiene

Katie Pritchard, Katie Pritchard: I Kiss The Music

Katy Baird, Get Off

Kayleigh Jones, I Fed My Dad to a Pelican

Keturah Peirson and Evelina Rudasa, Why Won’t They Eat The Cake?

Kie Carson, Silly & Starving

Kiren Virdee, Does Anyone Else Smell Curry?

Kumar Muniandy, Second Class Queer

Lachlan Werner, Lachlan Werner: WonderTwunk

Ladyblue Music, The Beauty of Bacharach

Laugh For Life Comedy, Behind the Laughter

Laura-Rose Layden, GREY

Lauren Talitha Ziebart, Sheepish

Liam Withnail, Liam Withnail – Trauma Dump No Lols

Liebenspiel, Bedlam Late

Little Seeds Music, Cinderella Ice Cream Seller

Lorna Rose Treen, Lorna Rose Treen: The Diner Show

Louisa Marshall, Clean Slate

Lucy Aphramor, Taking the Biscuit

Lucy Roslyn, Lovett

LULA.XYZ Ltd, I AM: A Walking Universe

Made You Look Productions, Lioness

Maria A L Zani, The Collective: Breaking Barriers at the Fringe

Maria Who?, Miss Brexit

Martha Pailing, Chat Sh*t, Get Hit

Jasmine Thien, I Dream in Colour

Maybe You Like It, Down to Chance

Mianoora Kosonen, Echoes of Finland: Rare Piano Gems by Sibelius, Madetoja & Palmgren

Michelle Burke, Mind How You Go

Mohit Mathur, Dial 1 for UK

Molly Farquhar, Hairy B*stard

Molly McGuinness, Slob

Moon Rabbit Theatre, Shirley: A Ghost Story

Moonbeam Theatre Ltd, Once Upon A Flowerbed

Moonstone Theatre Company, ENOUGH.

mr blue productions, Something Else

Narin Ozenci, Narin Oz (Inner Child(ish)

Nate Kitch, Nate Kitch: Something Different!!!!!

Nathan Cassidy, Nathan Cassidy: It’s Not The End Of The World

Niall Moorjani Storyteller, Kanpur: 1857

Northern Lights Theatre, The Sculpture

Orla Newmark, Orla Newmark and Will Hughes: Chef’s Treat (WIP)

Out Of The Forest Theatre Ltd, Bury The Hatchet

Ozzy Algar, Ozzy Algar: Speed Queen

Parky Players, Been There, Done That, Got The Symptoms

Passing Stranger Theatre Company, People We Bury Alive

Pedro Leandro, Soft Animal

Piers MacKenzie, COURIER

Pigs Fly LTD, E@sy Ryan

PINCHY theatre, FLITCH

Ray Productions & Big Sofa Theatre, Egg’s Aren’t That Easy To Make

Roarrr Theatre, Here Comes GuDong

Rodreguez King-Dorset, I am the Greatest!

Rosa Garland, Primal Bog

Saksi Bisou, Stampin’ in the Graveyard

Salt Circle Productions, Bea P. Deigh

Sam Nicoresti, Sam Nicoresti: Baby Doomer

Sam Williams, Touch Me Not

Samia Rida, Kidnap

scott turnbull presents, Scott Turnbull presents…Surreally Good

Seemia Theatre CIC, Saria Callas

Shahaf Beer, The Jewish Dog

Shalaka Kurup, Shalaka Kurup: Get a Grip

Short and Sweet Theatre, Milk On The Side: A Barista Musical

Shy Bairns, Shy Bairns Get Nowt

Siblings Comedy, Siblings

SkelpieLimmer, SHAME SHOW

SkelpieLimmer Productions, Anthem For Dissatisfaction

Slow Theatre Company, ALICE

Sufrecs Ltd, Sufrecs Presents: ‘Live Music and Chat: “A Kick Up The Arts” Live Podcast Event’ (working title)

Susan Riddell , Kopfkino

Tamsyn Kelly, Tamsyn Kelly Hot Titty Bungalow

TEAM Collective Cymru, Relay

The Biscuit Barrel, Biscuit Barrel: The 69-Sketch Show

The Crunch Collective, Nick it For Munich

The Harbourers Theatre, Harbouring

The Horgles, A Xerox of a Deer

Tigers, Not Daughters, Cara and Kelly are Best Friends Forever for Life

Tom Little, Tom Little Less Conversation, Tom Little More Action

Tomas McCabe, 1Date: The Dating Game Show

TRIADA theatre company, HER RAVING MIND

Uncaged Theatre, Love you, bye

Undone Theatre, The Butterfly Project

Unexpected Places, After Juliet

V Jay Theatre Productions, Streets Paved with Gold

Victoria Evaristo, Ma Joyce’s Tales from the Parlour

Victoria Firth, Batty!

Victoria Melody, Re-Enactment

wendy houstoun, Watch It!

Wilmas Productions, Mr Jones

Xhi Ndubisi, The Apologetics of Icarus

Youth Action Alliance, As We Face The Sun by Kit Withington

ASSESSORS 

28 assessors supported the Fringe Society in reviewing the applications received. Thanks to the following for their support in the fast turnaround of these awards.  

Alex Howarth, Artistic Director, Patch of Blue

Apphia Campbell, Writer / Performer

Ashley Davies, freelance Arts Journalist

Ben Humphrey, Artistic Director / Producer

Chris Cooke, Founder and Co-Editor of ThreeWeeks Edinburgh

Geoff Rowe, Founder Leicester Comedy Festival

Jake Orr, freelance Creative Producer

Jess Donn, Just Something Different LTD

Pax Lowey, Director: Actually Rather Good Comedy Festival, freelance Producer / Programmer, elected member of the Fringe Society board

Ruth McCarthy, Artistic Director / Outburst Arts

Sasapin Siriwanij, BIPAM Artistic Director

Sharon Burgess, Chief Executive of Aberdeen Performing Arts

Linda Catalano, Creative Director and Executive Producer, Quiet Riot

Paloma Estevez, Director of Artistic Programming, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

Nqobile Dumo Mbhele, Artist Manager, National Arts Festival

Cat Sheridan, Senior Producer, We Are Unlimited

Rachel Clarke Hughes, Creative Director, The Playhouse, Derry~Londonderry

Stewart Pringle, Writer and Dramaturg

Richard Williamson, Lighting Designer / Production Manager

Murray Robertson, Arts Writer

Holly De Angelis, Development Producer

Saima Ferdows, freelance TV Producer

Ameena Hamid, Producer and General Manager

Zoe Paskett, Founder of LMAOnaise Comedy

Laura Rouxel, Head of UK Comedy for 800 Pound Gorilla Media

Aisling Galligan, Senior Events Producer and Programmer

Anonymous, Booker, Programmer 

Anonymous, Booker, Promoter, Producer

Keep it Fringe Fund Stats 2025Download

The excitement builds: Colour A Corgi among plans for Jubilee celebrations

  • More than 70,000 ‘Big Lunches’ and events planned across the country
  • Activities for children released including Colour a Corgi

Big screens will be set up outdoors in London, Edinburgh and Cardiff so thousands of people can come together to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee next month.

Screens broadcasting the events will be placed in The Mall in London, Edinburgh’s Princes Street Gardens and in Cardiff’s Bute Park.

From street parties and ‘Big Jubilee Lunches’ happening across the UK, to London’s Trooping the Colour, Service of Thanksgiving, concert and pageant, the nation and commonwealth will come together over four days to mark The Queen’s 70-year reign.

The screens are organised by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) which today is launching an activity pack for children to help them learn about The Queen’s reign, including articles about how the country has changed in the last seven decades, opportunities to colour in a corgi or crown and bunting to decorate for street parties.

More than 70,000 Big Jubilee Lunches are planned in the four UK nations over the weekend, with an expected ten million people set to sit down with their neighbours on Sunday 5 June, to celebrate Her Majesty’s momentous jubilee.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said: “In less than a month we will come together as a nation and Commonwealth to mark Her Majesty The Queen’s 70-year reign. No other British monarch has reached this milestone and we will celebrate it with tradition, pomp and circumstance.

“I hope that people and communities across the country will come together to pay tribute to Her Majesty – whether that be to watch on big screens or toasting Her Majesty at a Big Jubilee Lunch with their neighbours or coming together in their local village hall.

In London, screens broadcasting the BBC’s live feed will be placed down The Mall and in St James’s Park for members of the public to watch the events taking place across the Bank Holiday weekend.

In Edinburgh, screens will be placed in Princes Street Gardens with thousands able to host picnics and watch the celebrations with a backdrop of Edinburgh Castle and entertainment provided by the Royal Marines and local performers.

The Welsh Capital is also inviting families to bring their Jubilee Picnic and enjoy an afternoon in Bute Park. The beautiful Grade I listed park in the heart of Cardiff’s city centre will provide the perfect venue for an afternoon of Jubilee celebrations as families are invited to enjoy the Jubilee Pageant on a large screen along with entertainment from the bandstand.

In Northern Ireland, a design competition will see primary school children create a ‘snapshot of Northern Ireland’, with the winning entry to be manufactured into a rug by leading company Ulster Carpets and sent to Her Majesty the Queen.

In addition, The Queen and other members of the Royal Family will receive Northern Ireland Platinum Jubilee Hampers showcasing over 50 top quality local food and drink producers, and representing the appreciation of the people of Northern Ireland for Her Majesty’s dedicated service.

Events taking place in London will be broadcast on TV networks BBC, Sky and ITV. In a further move to mark the occasion, the BBC is offering local communities a special one-off TV Licence dispensation so they can screen it on a big screen they organise themselves.

The plans will allow those celebrating with events arranged in town halls, community centres and streets to show live programmes throughout the weekend without needing to purchase a licence.

UK Government Minister for Scotland Iain Stewart said: “Watching the celebrations on the big screens the UK Government is setting up around the country is a great way for people to really get involved and soak up the atmosphere of this fabulous occasion.

“We’re looking forward to a great family-focused event in Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh where people can bring a picnic, enjoy the weekend’s festivities and raise a glass to Her Majesty to mark her 70-year reign.”

BBC Director-General Tim Davie says: “I am delighted we are helping to bring people together to celebrate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and I’m looking forward to seeing our coverage on big screens up and down the UK, as we mark this wonderful occasion.“

Can hardly wait … !

Record number bid to become UK’s next City of Culture

  • Bids received from every nation in the UK as regions and groups of towns were encouraged to apply
  • The new winner will be announced next year and will be at the centre of the UK’s cultural spotlight in 2025

A record 20 places from across the UK have submitted an expression of interest to become the UK City of Culture 2025 – an all time high of entries for this prestigious competition.

Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway (part of a joint Borderlands coalition bid), Tay Cities (Dundee and Perth) and the city of Stirling fly the flag for Scotland.

The competition, delivered by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in collaboration with the devolved administrations, uses culture as a catalyst for levelling up areas outside London and putting new parts of the UK on the cultural map internationally.

Entrants have been tasked with proving that they can put culture at the heart of their plans to recover from the impact of the pandemic.

Regions and groups of towns have been encouraged to apply in this competition, with a number stepping forward from across the UK.

Bidding for the title in its own right has been shown to have a hugely positive impact on a place, for example previous longlisted bids have used the bidding process to bring together lasting local, national and international partners, share a vision for their area and attract investment.

To ensure as many places as possible across the country can take up this opportunity, DCMS are awarding grants of £40,000 to successful longlisted places for the first time to support their long applications.

The winner, which will be announced next year, will take on the baton from Coventry as the 2021 UK City of Culture and be at the centre of the UK’s cultural spotlight in 2025.

The benefits to the winner of the title are huge, attracting millions of visitors and investment and bringing communities together to showcase the place where they live to the country and the world.

Throughout the history of this competition the winning cities have always benefited from financial support to ensure the programme’s success and lasting legacy. Coventry has received over £15.5 million from the Government to directly support its year as UK City of Culture.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “This record number of applications from all four corners of the country is testament to the huge success of City of Culture in generating investment, creating jobs and boosting local pride.

“This prestigious prize creates a fantastic opportunity for towns and cities to build back better from the pandemic and I wish all bidders the very best of luck.”

Sir Phil Redmond, Chair of the City of Culture Expert Advisory Panel, said: “From Derry-Londonderry to Hull and Coventry it has been a difficult and rewarding challenge to select the next UK City of Culture, and the list of potential candidates for 2025 indicates that life in the immediate future is going to be even more challenging!

“The three previous title holders have demonstrated the transformative and catalytic effect culture can bring about, even within places that have been ultimately unsuccessful but have gone on to develop collaborative and sustainable partnerships.

“The list for 2025 also demonstrates the breadth of ambition, aspiration and innovation that exists from coast to coast and nation to nation across the UK and I am looking forward to that challenge of immersing myself once again in the UK’s rich seam of creativity.”

Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 is providing a blueprint for how culture can be at the heart of social and economic recovery.

The city has already attracted over £100 million so far in capital investment to support cultural projects, such as Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, Coventry Cathedral and Belgrade Theatre, among many others.

City of Culture status also had a huge impact on Hull and Derry-Londonderry.

Hull saw more than 5.3 million visits to over 2,800 events, cultural activities, installations and exhibitions.

75% of those who visited Hull in 2017 stated that it changed their perception of the city for the better and 9 out of 10 people in Hull thought that UK City of Culture had a positive impact on the city and more than nine-in-ten residents took part in at least one cultural activity.

The twenty bidders will be reduced to an initial long list of bidders in the coming weeks and then cut down further to a final shortlist in early 2022. The winner will be announced in May 2022.

Full list of bidders:

  • Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
  • The City of Bangor and Northwest Wales
  • The Borderlands region, comprising Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish Borders, Northumberland, Cumbria and Carlisle City
  • Bradford
  • Conwy County
  • Cornwall
  • Derby
  • County Durham
  • Lancashire
  • Medway
  • City of Newport
  • Powys
  • Southampton
  • Stirling
  • The Tay Cities region
  • Torbay and Exeter
  • Wakefield District
  • City of Wolverhampton
  • Wrexham County Borough
  • Great Yarmouth & East Suffolk