THE Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society has launched the Keep It Fringe US bursary initiative for a second year ahead of the Edinburgh Fringe 2027, which will be the Edinburgh Fringe’s 80th anniversary year.
In 2026, 555 shows from the United States participated in the Edinburgh Fringe, highlighting what an important market this is for the festival.
Keep It Fringe US will provide five artists based in the United States with bursaries of $2,500 to help bring work to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2027. In addition to financial support, successful recipients will receive a tailored support package of marketing, screen development, and industry networking opportunities to help with audience and career development.
Supported by Fringe Ambassador, Brian Cox, Keep It Fringe US was an initiative designed to help reduce the financial barriers faced by US-based artists taking part. Keep It Fringe US was launched in 2025, when five US-based artists each received a $2,500 grant. The fund followed the successful launch of the original Keep It Fringe fund in 2024 by the Fringe Society’s honorary President Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
In 2025, more than 130 artists applied for the five bursaries available through Keep It Fringe US. Keeping in the spirit of the original fund, Keep It Fringe US aims to encourage applications from the widest possible range of artists with professional ambitions. Successful recipients will have the flexibility to use their grants in the way that best supports bringing their work to the Edinburgh Fringe and making the most of the opportunity to perform for a global audience.
Heather and Paul Innella, and Her Royal Majesty Queen Angelique-Monet, The American born Queen Consort of Eti-Oni, Osun State, Nigeria and Edinburgh Fringe performer herself, have confirmed their support to help bring Keep it Fringe US back for 2027.
Through Keep It Fringe 2027, the Edinburgh Fringe Society hopes to continue supporting artists to access the festival and are inviting partners, sponsors and donors to get in touch to see how they can support this important work.
Tony Lankester, Chief Executive Officer of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: ‘I am pleased to announce the return of Keep It Fringe US for a second year.
“Next year will be Edinburgh Fringe’s 80th anniversary, and throughout its history artists, from the United States and beyond, have pushed boundaries and responded to the world around them. I do not doubt that 2027 will continue in that tradition.
“We look forward to receiving applications from artists across the United States when applications open and welcoming many to one of the greatest demonstrations of arts and culture on Earth in Edinburgh next year.’
Her Royal Majesty Queen Angelique-Monet, The American born Queen Consort of Eti-Oni, Osun State, and Keep It Fringe US 2027 supporter said: “Opportunities for performing artists are crucial to the survival of the arts and to their power to bring people together for the greater good.
“Supporting Keep It Fringe US helps ensure that American artists have the opportunity to bring their stories to the world’s largest arts festival, while strengthening the historic cultural ties between Scotland and the United States.
“Having experienced the Edinburgh Fringe firsthand, I know the extraordinary work, courage and talent not mentioning the financial constraints that could stop artists from being part of it. I want to help ensure that other American artists have that same once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and the support needed.”
THE Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society officially opened Fringe Central on Infirmary Street in the heart of the Old Town at the weekend.
The new permanent home for the Fringe Society was opened by Culture Minister Ian Murray, City of Edinburgh Council Culture & Communities Committee Convener Cllr Margaret Graham, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, Tony Lankester, City of Edinburgh Council Leader, Cllr Jane Meagher and Chair of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, Benny Higgins.
Fringe Central will be an inclusive, year-round hub for the Fringe community, providing support to artists in preparing and delivering their Edinburgh Festival Fringe experience. They will be able to access services which include guidance on developing their show, support in achieving their future career ambitions and industry engagement, and advice on how to market and promote their work.
Throughout August, Fringe Central will be open daily, providing a friendly hub for artists and industry to connect and build relationships within the Fringe community. The 2026 Fringe Central programme includes a range of networking and industry events, helping performers build relationships with industry professionals from theatre, film and television to aid onward touring opportunities.
Practical, in-person support from the Fringe Society team will be available to participants through one-to-one advice and artists will be able to access wellbeing services from local mental health partner Health in Mind.
Throughout the project, the Fringe Society has engaged with co-tenants Canongate Youth, who support young people in Edinburgh aged between 5 and 18, as well as other local community schools and groups, such as Royal Mile Primary School, Sciennes Primary School, James Gillespie’s High School and LGBT Youth Scotland, to ensure a space for local cultural expression and development was co-designed.
The project was made possible due to support from a range of partners, including the UK Government via the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, The Foyle Foundation, SP Energy Networks Transmission Net Zero Fund, Garfield Weston Foundation, and Changing Places Toilets Scotland Fund.
The Fringe Society would also like to thank the City of Edinburgh Council for supporting this project with the signing of a 99-year building lease.
Ian Murray, Culture Minister said: ‘It was an honour to open the Fringe Society’s official new permanent home today. It’s been a long time coming and I am so pleased that we have been able to support this project with £7 million from the government.
“I know from my experience working at the Fringe when I was young just how transformational it can be, both for aspiring artists, comedians and producers, but also for the entire creative and cultural ecosystem of the UK.
“I hope this permanent new home will enable the Fringe Society to keep Edinburgh on the map as a world cultural hub and deliver more and more for our up and coming artists, as well as their international audiences and local communities, for decades to come.’
Cllr Margaret Graham, Culture and Communities Convener, said: ‘I’m so pleased that the new home for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is now officially open. This fantastic year-round city centre hub will provide a welcoming space for everyone involved in the Fringe, while also creating valuable opportunities for local cultural organisations to connect, collaborate and thrive.
“This is an important and significant investment by the Council in the future of the Fringe and in Edinburgh’s cultural life, ensuring that the world’s greatest arts festival has a permanent home at the heart of the city it belongs to and that Canongate Youth will be returning to their familiar home too.’
Tony Lankester, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society said: ‘Opening Fringe Central today marks the realisation of nearly a decade of work for the Fringe Society, and we are incredibly proud to be opening this physical hub for performers and industry.
From today, Fringe Central is a welcome space to the Fringe community with artists able to access practical in-person support to deliver their work at the Festival Fringe. Year-round, Fringe Central will be open to Edinburgh’s residents, stakeholders, and our local arts community through support services and bookable rehearsal spaces.
“We are grateful for the support from the UK Government, the City of Edinburgh Council, and our wider funders and supporters in achieving this ambition.
“We look forward to welcoming the Fringe community into Fringe Central this August, and we encourage them to make the most of the opportunities available this month and beyond.’
£500,000 funding of digital development for world’s largest performing arts festival
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society will receive £500,000 to help support ongoing digital transformation work, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes has announced.
A new website is being developed to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the Fringe next year. The funding will also ensure the Fringe Society can continue its work supporting Scottish artists and the sector, while promoting international opportunities for artists at the Fringe.
The Deputy First Minister said: “The Scottish Government has an ongoing commitment to safeguard the future of the Edinburgh Fringe and support it to flourish, built on the principle of free access for all.
“As one of Scotland’s signature events the Fringe has grown to become the world’s largest performing arts festival – a major economic contributor to Edinburgh, and Scotland as a whole, and one of our country’s most significant national and international cultural assets.
“As we approach the 80th anniversary of the Fringe next year, this investment will provide a foundation to expand its global reach and the ongoing work with organisations who play an important role in making the Fringe the annual success it is – in particularly collective efforts focused on long term sustainability to both the Fringe Society and the Fringe as a whole.”
Tony Lankester, Chief Executive, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society said: “The ongoing support for the work of the Fringe Society from the Scottish Government will go a long way to shoring up our resilience and builds on their previous investment.
“The Society’s work in future-proofing the Fringe with world-class digital and data infrastructure is a critical imperative – with this foundation, these ambitions can be more readily realised and the future more secure.
“We’ve made giant strides over the last year and this announcement helps us build on that work, delivering even more for the Fringe community, ensuring the festival remains a jewel in Scotland’s creative crown.”
This funding builds upon £300,000 of support provided by the Scottish Government in 2025/26.
Scotland’s most internationally recognised cultural brands will work alongside the Scotland Office to promote Brand Scotland, in a ‘landmark partnership’ selling the best of Scotland overseas and encouraging investment and growth.
This is the third Brand Scotland partnership agreement to be signed, following on from recent agreements with the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and Scottish Chambers of Commerce.
These cultural partnerships demonstrate the vital role arts and creativity play in opening doors for Scottish businesses worldwide, whilst showcasing the best of Scottish talent to global audiences. Part of our Plan for Change, our Brand Scotland work overseas will bring real returns for people back home.
The Fringe deal will be signed as the Scottish Secretary makes a keynote speech about the value of Scotland’s cultural sector.
Speaking during the first week of Edinburgh’s summer festivals, at the newly-refurbished Filmhouse, Mr Murray will say:
Scotland’s world renowned cultural sector is a key part of his work to sell the best of Scotland overseas, and encourage inward investment in Scotland. The sector has a key role to play in driving economic growth and putting more money in people’s pockets.
Our arts sector is also an important part of the UK’s soft power – building links and relationships around the world.
The UK Government is a champion of the arts and culture in Scotland – including investing in vital projects such as the Edinburgh Filmhouse (£1.5 million), the King’s Theatre (£2 million), V&A Dundee (£2.6 million), a new cultural hub in Kilmarnock (£20 million), plus a new year-round home for the Fringe and funding for Keep it Fringe grants for artists (£7 million).
Mr Murray will talk about how the Edinburgh Festival Fringe plays a key role in widening access to the arts. Ensuring everyone can have the chance to enjoy events which spark imagination, laughter and emotion.
He will say: “For some, art and culture is a tool of power, of wealth. For others it is a tool of nation building, of defining who we are and who we are not.
“For me, it is something which transcends states and systems, and teaches us something about the human condition which other experiences simply cannot do.
“But that value, that treasure, that ability for our cultural pursuits to let us see into our souls and those around us is something we cannot take for granted.”
Speaking ahead of his speech, Ian Murray said: “Scotland’s excellent arts and culture sector opens doors right around the world. From the global stage of the Edinburgh Fringe to the pageantry of the Military Tattoo, our arts and creativity don’t just entertain – they build the relationships and showcase the innovation that drives real economic returns for communities across Scotland.
“Our partnership deal with the Edinburgh Fringe will help us sell Brand Scotland around the world, helping us deliver the economic growth that will put more money in people’s pockets.”
Tony Lankester, Chief Executive, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “The Edinburgh Fringe is arguably one of the UK’s finest cultural exports and, in recognising that, this partnership gives us the opportunity to proudly put it at the heart of a global conversation.
“We’re proud of the artists and audiences who make the Fringe possible and who create this joyous celebration of creativity each year. Putting the Fringe at the centre of Brand Scotland recognises that work, and opens up a world of new platforms for participants.”
The Scottish Secretary will also announce the first round of successful bids from the overseas Brand Scotland fund, which is investing £250,000 this financial year to promote Scottish soft power, culture and trade opportunities worldwide.
The new fund is supporting the Fringe’s international event today at the Filmhouse.
Funding has also been signed off for initiatives including supporting an event in Berlin with the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland [which Mr Murray attended earlier this week], a ‘Travelling Museum of Whisky’ in Bolivia, a celebration of Scottish heritage and craftsmanship in Switzerland and St Andrew’s Day events to promote Scottish exports and cultural engagement.
The overseas Brand Scotland fund has already approved several cultural initiatives across the UK’s overseas network of over 250 posts.
The Brand Scotland programme complements the work the UK Government is doing to strike trade deals around the world, and to reset relationships with our European neighbours.
The Westminster government ‘will continue to drive forward Brand Scotland in the coming months, with ministerial visits planned to India, Japan, France, Canada, Spain, New Zealand, Australia, Germany and Sweden’.
Today, Tuesday 03 June, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is delighted to launch the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme. The programme celebrates the diverse selection of work at the Fringe, with performers from across the world and work from 58 countries.
This year’s programme features work from 3,352 shows across 265 venues, with themes tackling some of the most topical issues in the world today.
From rebellious women to the paranormal; the apocalypse to nostalgia; queer joy to life with illness; rave and club culture to science and technology.
Edinburgh Fringe Programme Launch 2025
Launching the 2025 Fringe programme, Tony Lankester, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: ‘Programme launch is such an exciting moment for everyone involved making the Fringe happen.
“Thank you to all the Fringe-makers – the artists, venues, workers, producers, technicians, promoters, support staff and audiences that bring their un-matched, exceptional energy to Edinburgh in August.
‘This year’s Fringe programme is filled with every kind of performance, so whether you’re excited for theatre or circus, or the best of comedy, music, dance, children’s shows, magic or cabaret; get ready to dare to discover this August.
“Jump right in, book your favourites, shows that intrigue you and take a chance on something new.’
At Traverse Theatre,Gary McNair’s ‘award-winning show’ A Gambler’s Guide to Dying returns ‘back home for a special run to mark its 10th anniversary’.
‘Four generations of Northern Irish women, reunited’ in Consumed (Traverse Theatre), ‘a tale of twisted family dynamics and national boundaries’.
‘Inspired by his involvement in the Egyptian revolution of 2011, and experience of the counter-revolution that followed, Khalid Abdalla brings together the personal and the political’ in Nowhere (Traverse Theatre).
At Scottish Storytelling Centre, join the Loud Poetsfor ‘fist-thumping, pint-drinking, side-tickling, heart-wrenching fusion of poetry and live music’ or ‘Scottish and Welsh traditional storytellers Ailsa Dixon and Ffion Phillips as they weave folk music, language and story across these isles and between worlds’ in Aderyn/Bird.
Also at Scottish Storytelling Centre, Cassandra ‘blends Greek myth, Scottish folklore and personal narrative to explore prophecy, protest and survival across time and space’.
At Summerhall, Amazons is a ‘gripping new solo show about the Amazon rainforest and the generations of women who have fought to protect it’.
‘From Parisian hysteria to the glowing Radium Girls’, Fragile Creatures at theSpaceUK ‘reveals gripping stories of women’s rebellion, resilience and their relentless fight for bodily autonomy and equality’.
In Alice Hawkins – Working Class Suffragette at the Arthur Conan Doyle Centre, ‘Peter Barratt gives a stirring and passionate account of his great-grandmother’s hard-fought campaign for the vote’ while VOTE the Musical at Paradise Green takes a ‘gripping look at the Suffragette movement exploring imprisonment, activism and the fight for electoral freedom’.
Three resilient Scottish sex workers, dream of escaping the lives they’ve been trapped in, but the patriarchy stands in their way in Happy Ending Street at Leith Arches.
In Well Behaved Women at Gilded Balloon, in 1888 ‘three chaotic twentysomething women decide to host a séance’ and make ‘a bit of a mess of things.’
‘Get ready for a powerful performance’ at Women in Socks and Sandals at ZOO, ‘filled with quirky stunts, mental courage and celebration of the right to be oneself’.
With ‘history, sermons and singalong’, Church of the Clitori at Paradise Green aims to ‘satirise and crash-tackle anatomy, religious ads and female sexuality politics’.
At Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge, Fallen Angel by Liam Rudden tells the story of Angel, who’s been ‘tortured’ by angels for ‘500 years’, while ‘startling revelations about Edy Hurst’s relations have set him on vision quest to contact his ancestors’ in Edy Hurst’s Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches in the Countie of Himself at Assembly.
Do Zombies Dream of Undead Sheep? is a ‘one-man (and one puppet) musical journey through a zombie outbreak, combining live performance, puppetry and animation’ at ZOO.
‘Get to know Frankenstein’s Monster like you’ve never been able to before’ at Fatherless Monster (Paradise Green), ‘face to face with only a mic and some stage lights between you and him.’
0.1% Accurate: Magdalena the Fortune Teller Show ‘will predict the future, summon the spirits, answer your life questions and send you home smiling’ at Alchemist Cocktail Bar and Restaurant.
Listen to the tales of Haunted Edinburgh at Arthur Conan Doyle Centre ‘and discover a host of terrifying stories of hauntings from the city’s dark past’ or visit The Mother Superior to ‘unveil women’s role in shaping the history of alcohol, including sharing how some were framed as witches’ in Whisky & Witches.
A Haunted House at Assembly is a ‘hysterical, terrifying and surreal tale, about one hair-raising night in a haunted house’ ‘for those who like their laughs big and their scares spine-chilling!’
‘The world-renowned paranormal expert Baron Vordenburg and his helpers, Gothic and Grotesque, give away trade secrets and expertise on hunting the unknown’ in Baron Vordenburg’s Guide to the Paranormal at theSpaceUK.
‘A man commits the ultimate act of cowardice’ and ‘a woman’s spirit gains terrifying embodiment’ in ‘dark, twisted folk horror tale’ Tom Hiccup’s Well at Greenside.
At theSpaceUK, ‘apocalyptic anti-romcom’ Horny for the End of the World follows ‘Gen Z, try-hard, pick-me Ebeth gets dumped by the man of her dreams the day before everyone realizes the world is going to end’.
Apocalipsync is a ‘high-energy solo show blending physical theatre, mime, dance and lip-sync mastery’ ‘exploring themes of isolation, hyper-connectivity and human expression’ at Assembly.
Original musical The Real Housewives of the Zombie Apocalypse at Greenside asks if the ‘OGs of reality TV’ can ‘survive the hordes, and each other, and self-produce their way to the end?’ while 4’s a Crowd (Or What Not to Do When Stuck in a Bunker During the Apocalypse) at theSpaceUK ‘follows the idiots left behind after the world ends’.
Apocalypse Cabaret: Songs for the End of the World (Underbelly) is a ‘powerhouse Fringe debut packed with original songs, pop bangers, audience interaction, and existential musings’ following ‘a lonely karaoke jockey is the sole survivor at the end of the world and decides to go out singing.’
Scenes of Unfathomable Horror brings ‘absurd, twisted and entertaining take on modernity, celebrity and existential dread’ to Just the Tonic.
At Underbelly, A Small Town Northern Tale is a ‘Y2K coming-of-age story, charting life in a small Northern town as a mixed-race boy’ and WANTED tells the story of ‘two girls from opposite worlds’ ‘fated to meet on the 00s queer scene’.
At Club NVRLND (Assembly), ‘where the party goes on till morning’, ‘Wendy and Peter reunite for an unforgettable night of adventure, nostalgia and staying forever young, featuring the biggest 2000s anthems’
‘All set to the soundtrack of the 2000s’ Jake Donaldson Is The Fifth Weezer at Laughing Horse is set to be ‘packed with nostalgia, punchy jokes and stories about finding your place in the world’.
‘The perfect nostalgic show for pop fanatics and chart aficionados’, Margot and Martha’s Chart Show Mixtape at theSpaceUK will ‘take you on a journey from mixtapes to Spotify wrapped, celebrating pop music through what was in the charts on the 18th of August – the very week they’re performing at the Fringe’.
‘Party like it’s 1999’ at MASSAOKE: 90s Live (Underbelly) with ‘an epic 90s sing-along’.
‘Through everyday conversation, hilarious comedy, and music-hall style songs’ at The Steamie (Gilded Balloon) ‘we learn from four working-class women about their lives, husbands, technology and the approaching New Year in this time capsule of Glasgow in the 1950s’.
A ‘love letter to the queers, the weirdoes, the trailblazers, the fringes and the night-walkers’, Anatomy of a Night at Summerhall isan ‘exploration of personal identity through a reflection of memories from queer and club spaces’.
‘Queer, chic and outrageous’ – head to the Big Gay Afterparty at Just the Tonic for the ‘biggest, gayest party at the Fringe (fun straights allowed)’.
‘A queer love story but no one dies at the end? Welcome to the world of’ Blooming at Greenside.
Join a ‘plus-sized, 72-year-old lesbian’ sharing ‘intimate stories celebrating inclusivity’ at Tales From Your Queer Elder (Greenside).
At Carpet Muncher at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, ‘the contemporary folklore of the Mothman is brought to life, using vibrant surrealist costuming to explore themes of queer alienation, metamorphosis, cross-border solidarity and homoerotic hot-hub encounters’.
Follow a young trans girl as she navigates the hilarity of rural Argentina during the 1900s at Cecilia Gentili’s Red Ink at Underbelly.
‘Expect chaos, drag, stand-up, glitter, queer joy and an ever-changing line-up of LGBTQIA+ acts’ at Comedy Queers (Laughing Horse) or check out Midnight at the Palace (Gilded Balloon) for a ‘night of radical joy and glitter-encrusted anarchy’.
3 Kidneys No Colon at Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge is ‘the medical diaries (or rather… diarrheas) of Dave who suffers from chronic kidney disease, ulcerative colitis and has had multiple organ transplants’.
Learn about ‘narcolepsy from a true-life perspective’ at theSpaceUK, Fragments of Fatigue is a ‘coming-of-age story to transform your world and prove just how much fight is required to beat the fatigue’.
‘Artfully weaving between generational trauma and chronic illness’, Robyn Reynolds: What Doesn’t Kill You at Assembly will have you ‘roaring with laughter’.
In The Nature of Forgetting at Pleasance, ‘Tom is living with early onset dementia’ and ‘we meet him as he prepares for his 55th birthday party and past memories come flooding back’. At theSpaceUK, Ah-Ma is ‘a hauntingly beautiful new play, weaving together natural and social disasters, bodily deterioration and family sorrow’.
At Assembly, Ohio tells the story of ‘when Shaun turned his back on the church’ and ‘found a new home in music’ before he is ‘confronted now with acute degenerative hearing loss’.
Yvonne Hughes: Absolutely Riddled is ‘a fresh and bold dive into the reality of living with cystic fibrosis (CF) – a journey that’s as phlegmy as it is funny’ at Gilded Balloon.
At Summerhall,TheButterfly Who Flew Into The Rave is ‘the atmosphere and culture of a three-day rave condensed into an hour’ while PUMP ‘drops you in the middle of a nightclub dance floor in a desperate search for validation, intimacy and identity’.
Her Raving Mind is ‘a Greco-British rave tragicomedy unravelling the complex mind of an abuse survivor’ at Just the Tonic.
‘Loud, lawless, and laced with naughty bits’, Watch Me Die! is ‘rave theatre: performance, film, stand-up and pounding basslines, dragging Shakespeare into a civil war where star-crossed love and vengeance make their scene’ at theSpaceUK.
At Rave, Colin and Rosie ‘are battling through their own worlds of crisis using the music of the rave club to help, encourage and solve their problems’ at Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge.
Created by an AI researcher, AI: Save Our Souls at Greenside features ‘an immersive future world of AI, polystylistic music and a dynamic plot’ while at Paradise Green, Rise of the Solar Punks asks ‘what can we learn from ancient cultures regarding climate adaptation, and how can we fuse this with technology and AI?’
As part of the Made in Scotland showcase, MUO Live at the French Institute in Scotland is ‘a unique fusion of music, science and unseen cosmic forces.’
Head to Just the Tonic, Excel Comedy and Mathem-antics for a ‘themed stand-up show for spreadsheet experts and rookies alike’ or check out Sci-larious – Science Stand-up at Laughing Horse for ‘bi-lol-ogy or pharm-ha-cy’.
Mark Thompson’s Spectacular Science Show at Gilded Balloon is ‘science like you have never seen it before’ exploring ‘the magical properties of matter’.
At PBH’s Free Fringe, Freya McGhee: Experimental blends ‘science, comedy and dating into one unforgettable experiment’ investigating ‘the chemistry of attraction to the mechanics of mixed signals’.
Check out Hot Rubber (Gilded Balloon) to see ‘eight comedians pit their homemade remote-control cars against one another in the world’s smallest demolition derby’ or ‘form a team, select a knockoff Roomba, customise it, then pit it against a dozen rivals’ at Robot Vacuum Fight Club (Outhouse Bar).
Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge ‘on busy George Street’ is new with a number of shows this August, including well-known musicals Little Shop of Horrors, High School Musical and Footloose, as well as a range of theatre, cabaret and children’s shows.
Welcome to the Fringe, Palestine, ‘a mini-festival to celebrate Palestinian art and culture’, takes place in new venue Portobello Town Hall.
Citadel Youth Centre is ‘hosting two fundraisers for the Citadel’s valuable work with young people and families in Leith’ Storm in the Citadel and Punchline on Leith.
The Bowlers Rest in Leith is home to Beggared, ‘the story of a privileged white South African whose life collapses into homelessness’.
Easter Road Stadium joins the Fringe as a venue, hosting two shows: Dropped, in which ‘former Chelsea FC trainee Alfie Cain tells his moving story of dashed football dreams and explores the darkness and pressures young men go through trying to make it as professional footballers’ and Frankie Mack Showman – The Next Stage: The Leith San Siro ‘a high-energy, show-stopping night of swing, rock’n’roll and modern classics’.
All the way from Italy is Mirage Spiegeltent at Gyle Shopping Centre, hosting Spirit of the Favela, a ‘dynamic fusion of circus and theatre showcasing Rio de Janeiro’s vibrant culture and communities’.
Gilded Balloon have introduced a new space at Appleton Tower for twenty shows, including Frances Floats and Not My Grandmother’s Daughter.
Now in St. Andrew’s Square, The Famous Spiegeltent returns, offering theatre, cabaret, music and musicals, including La Clique – ‘the global phenomenon that redefined a genre, with its mélange of cabaret and circus’.
Josie Long: Now Is the Time of Monsters is ‘a new show about extinct, gigantic, charismatic megafauna from three-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee’ at Pleasance.
Gilded Balloon marks their fortieth anniversary with ‘a series of special in-conversations featuring comedy greats’ including Jenny Eclair and Michelle McManus.
Also at Gilded Balloon, Rosie O’Donnell: Here & Now ‘reflects on her life in the present, including why she moved to Ireland from the USA, and how that shift has shaped her future’ and Michelle Brasier: It’s a Shame We Won’t Be Friends Next Year is a ‘show for the theatre kids, the freaks, the queers; for anyone who’s spiralled about something they did years ago’.
Fringe favourite Nina Conti: Whose Face Is It Anyway? is back at Underbelly, with ‘an unparalleled, unscripted show that delves deep into who we are, hijacking faces to spark a bold, hysterical reality warp’.
‘Direct from a sell-out West End season’, Bill Bailey is at Edinburgh Playhouse with Thoughtifier while Miriam Margolyes brings ‘more characters, more Dickens and more fascinating stories about the man behind the classics’ to Pleasancewith Margolyes and Dickens: More Best Bits.
‘The talented comedian, writer and host of A24 late-night variety sketch show’ Ziwe brings Ziwe’s America to Pleasance.
At The Stand Comedy Club, ‘expect to hear the glorious mess of being a professional polymath – from medical school to quiz championships, comedy clubs to Parkinson’s advocacy’ at In Conversation with… Paul Sinha or ‘jokes, rants, politics, swearing and possible nudity’ at Mark Thomas: WD40.
At Monkey Barrel, there’s ‘new material from the Rose d’Or, Southbank Sky Arts and Edinburgh Comedy Award winner’ Bridget Christie. Also at Monkey Barrel, ‘the Taskmaster treasure, Live at the Apollo star and voice of Netflix’s Too Hot to Handle presents a new hour about our bodies corporeal and politic, and what remains through ascension and destruction’ with Desiree Burch: The Golden Wrath.
‘A love letter to people pleasers everywhere’, Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares at Underbelly is ‘a hilarious, heartfelt and sometimes brutally honest tribute to recovering ingenues, mothers and anybody working on themselves’.
‘Comedy veteran’ Karen Dunbar ‘returns to the Fringe for a limited run of her stand-up tour’ at Just the Tonic.
At Assembly, David O’Doherty: Highway to the David Zone has ‘has got the lot’ with ‘talking, songs, talking during songs, talking while walking around’.
There are 325 free shows and 529 Pay What You Can/Want shows in this year’s programme.
10,001 Ideas by Robyn Perkins at Laughing Horse offers a ‘uniquely different hour of critically acclaimed stand-up and storytelling’.
Huge Davies: Free Work in Progress is at PBH’s Free Fringe with ‘his wearable keyboard for a free hour-long work in progress’. Also at PBH’s Free Fringe, Escape the Rat Race is a ‘a must-see for anyone who has ever worked in an office’.
At Laughing Horse, Three Bad Sisters is a ‘cacophony of the best and darkest materials from these three female rising stars of Irish comedy: Aideen McQueen, Shinanne Higgins and Louise O’Toole’.
‘Imagine an Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman in the same bar as a therapist’ and you’ll imagine 5 Mugs, No Tea at Leith Depot. At the Mother Superior, you can ‘expect a fever-dream of love, loss, and existential dread’ at Crying at the Meat Raffle.
Disco Picnic at The Three Sisters is a ‘Fringe fiesta serves up a delicious mix of toe-tapping disco tunes’.
The Fringe Society are grateful to the many partners, supporters, funders and sponsors this year. In particular, they would like to thank the official Education Partner of the Fringe Anthropic, the official Beer of the Fringe Innis and Gunn, Cirrus Logic and Baillie Gifford.
They would like to thank the UK Government and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for their Keep it Fringe Fund support, the Scottish Government and City of Edinburgh Council for strategic funding support, the Scottish Government’s Festivals EXPO Fund support for the Made in Scotland programme; and Screen Scotland for supporting Screen Fringe.
The Fringe Society would also like to thank accommodation partners who provide much needed affordable accommodation to artists – Queen Margaret University and the University of Edinburgh, Theatre Digs Booker. Health in Mind are also returning in 2025 to support the delivery of mental health and wellbeing services within Fringe Central, which is once again kindly delivered in partnership with Grassmarket Community Project.
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes has announced new funding to support the world’s largest performing arts festival.
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society will receive £300,000 from the Scottish Government in 2025-26 to help grow the significant benefits the Fringe delivers for Scotland’s economy, society and culture sector.
The funding will enable work in two areas agreed between the Scottish Government and the Fringe Society, firstly to develop the capabilities of the Society’s data and digital infrastructure to make it more accessible for artists, audiences and venues.
Secondly, it will fund work to explore how the Scottish Government and the Fringe Society can help Scottish artists and the sector as a whole capitalise on international opportunities, by targeting agreed priority countries and regions.
Deputy First Minister and Economy Secretary Kate Forbes said: “The Fringe is one of Scotland’s signature events. From humble beginnings in 1947, it has grown to become the world’s largest performing arts festival, making it a significant economic contributor to Edinburgh, and Scotland as a whole.
“This agreement recognises firstly, that the Fringe Society does not neatly fit into the funding streams available to other culture organisations. Secondly, that there is ample opportunity for the Fringe Society to work more closely with all the other organisations who play an important role in making the Fringe the annual success that it is.
“The Scottish Government is committed to working with the Fringe Society and all partners who deliver, it to help safeguard the future of the Edinburgh Fringe as a world leading cultural asset, built on the principle of free access for all.”
Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society said: “We welcome this new funding and thank the Scottish Government for recognising the unique position that the Fringe Society has.This will undoubtedly contribute greatly to Scotland’s economy, society and culture sector and we hope that this is a first step towards long-term funding for the Fringe Society.
“It is vital that the Fringe Society can continue to provide much needed core services to the thousands of artists who come to the festival every year and who recognise it as a global marketplace and expo. A sustainable Fringe Society can use its convening role to unlock support for the wider Fringe from the imminent visitor Levy.
“We look forward to working with Kate Forbes and the Scottish Government on developing a long-term sustainable funding model, and welcome this investment into both digital infrastructure and international opportunities.”
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
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
Fringe Society publishes its review of the year 2024
Today, Tuesday 26 November 2024, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society publishes its review of the year 2024, outlining its activities over the past 12 months. These include the Society’s core services to artists, as well as the work it undertakes year-round to give anyone a stage and everyone a seat.
This year the Fringe maintained its unique position in the world as one of the most important performing arts expos on the planet. Over 1,800 arts industry delegates came to the festival to see, book and buy work for opportunities such as onward touring and broadcast potential.
Artists from 60 countries performed across 3,746 shows in 262 venues and some 900 accredited media wrote about the festival and reviewed work.
Along with the success of this year’s festival there continue to be significant concerns regarding the cost and availability of affordable accommodation in Edinburgh, pressures on the supply chain, and an unhelpful policy environment; all exacerbating the already fragile cultural economy of the Fringe.
At the close of this year’s Fringe, Fringe Society Chief Executive Shona McCarthy penned an open letter outlining the many challenges faced by the sector and its thousands of artists, supporting the no art without artists campaign by Scottish creatives.
The Fringe Society also supports the current #InvestInCulture campaign from Scotland’s cultural sector, which seeks to increase the Scottish Government’s budget contributions of national spend on culture from 0.5% to match or exceed the European average investment in culture of 1.5%.
The challenges facing the Fringe Society, the Festival Fringe and the Scottish arts sector can only be overcome with long-term collaborative, sustainable action and investment.
As such, in a new development for this annual publication, the 2024 review of the year has been designed as a launchpad for further discussion.
In Shona McCarthy’s last review of the year before stepping down as Chief Executive, the Fringe Society invites potential funders, partners, sponsors and those who benefit from the economics of the Fringe to engage with them now and help ensure the sustainability of this unique event into the next 77 years.
Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Societysaid: ‘This year’s review is an invitation for discussion and to find solutions for the future of this amazing festival and expo.
“The whole sector needs action and investment and so does the Fringe. As the most influential and important performing arts marketplace in the world, the Fringe is crucial for the whole cultural ecosystem, not only for local, UK and international artists, but for the thousands of arts industry and media delegates who come here every year to view work, and source content for their own theatres, festivals and platforms.
“Warm words do not support our vital cultural life and creativity. Warm words do not provide platforms for Fringe artists on a global stage. Warm words do not help communities and audiences experience an event of global significance, on an Olympic scale, on their own doorstep.
“Now is the time to step up and work collaboratively to secure the future of this signature event for Scotland. After nearly ten years at the helm of the Fringe Society, I urge our public funders, our potential sponsors and partners, and those who have the influence, to turn words into action and sustainability for the sector and for this iconic event for the next decade.’
Benny Higgins, Chair of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Societysaid: ‘Against an increasingly difficult policy environment and ongoing financial pressures, I congratulate Shona and the entire Fringe Society team on all that they have achieved this year.
“Artist support remains at the core of the work of the Fringe Society and the team work tirelessly to ensure this festival can continue.
“This isn’t easy work but is vital to ensure artists can continue to create and share their creativity that we all benefit from.’
To whom it may concern: As the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe comes to a close, an open letter from SHONA McCARTHY, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society
As the curtain falls on the 2024 Festival Fringe, much is being discussed in the spaces, rooms, cafes, and streets of Edinburgh, on the success of this year.
Today it was announced that 2.6 million tickets were issued during the 2024 Fringe, however there is no doubt that the current environment for artists across the UK is of great concern; and the fragility of the performing arts community is palpable.
An outward veneer of success cannot mask the struggle for artists to emerge let alone thrive in the UK right now. While Fringe 2024 has been brilliant, and it is to be celebrated that artists, companies, venues, producers and promoters took huge financial risks and pieced it together and put on the show.
However, the dominant message as we close this year’s festival is that there is no Fringe without art. There is no art without artists.
The cumulative effect of the relentless rise in the cost of everything, and an unhelpful policy environment facing the arts sector has resulted in widespread concern that is keenly felt by artists.
From the availability of affordable accommodation, blunt policy changes which have consequences for major events, to continuous public sector cuts; we need to ensure that the hard won and fragile success isn’t met with complacency by those who can influence change.
It is not enough to have old stories of how important Edinburgh’s festivals were in providing healing and connection after the Second World War. They are important now, contributing hugely to health, well-being, joy and job creation.
The Edinburgh Fringe vision is to give anyone a stage and everyone a seat. That is a commitment to inclusion, to freedom of expression and to being allowed to try and to fail. It is a vision that is increasingly easier to say than it is to do.
I have worked in the arts across the UK for 35 years now, and in the last two decades there has been a journey away from elitism, monoculturalism and exclusion with inspiring developments in access to the arts for all, with still a long way to go.
If the UK continues on an upward trajectory of cuts to arts education, and Scotland continues to decimate investment in the sector, breaking promises of support; then we are on a direct course to job losses, exclusion and boring art that is only the privilege of those who can afford to be part of it, as performers or as audiences.
Here at the Fringe and across the UK, the pipeline of creative potential is under threat. Artistic risk and ambition is hamstrung by an operating context that squeezes out emerging artists that have made the Fringe globally renowned, unique and joyful.
How can the Edinburgh Fringe remain exemplary, exciting, experimental; the only place in the world to be every August? As the most influential arts marketplace in the world, this year over 1,800 arts industry accredited with the Fringe Society, and came to Edinburgh to seek new work for onward touring and broadcast opportunities. Nearly 900 accredited media reviewed shows, interviewed artists and worked tirelessly to support the 3,746 shows that took place this year.
There is no future for the Fringe without art. There isno art without artists. Artists and the venues who host them are at the heart of this event, and there would be no Fringe without them.
They take the risk of bringing work to the festival every year, and while the arts landscape is at a crossroads, we need to ensure that the Fringe, one of the greatest celebrations of arts and culture in the world, is protected for the future.
As we celebrate the hundreds of thousands of people who have been moved, delighted, awed, shocked and entertained by the stories artists present across Fringe stages, it feels that now, more than ever, we must not take artists for granted; we would do so at our peril.
SHONA McCARTHY,
Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society
Care Home Residents Enjoy The 3rd Annual Fringe Cares Festival
2024 Fringe Cares Festival – conceived by The Edinburgh Interfaith Association back in 2023 – started once again with a very successful event at Queen’s Manor Care Home on Queensferry Road.
Performers from all over the world take part in the Fringe Cares Festival which brings a taste of the musical & theatrical talents of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to all residents of 7 care homes in the city, in a partnership sponsored by Barchester Healthcare, The Edinburgh Interfaith Association, Scottish Care and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society.
Queens Manor Care Home, the founding care home Residents, relatives, friends and staff – along with several guests from the local community, were able to participate in a full afternoon of entertainment.
Lord Provost Councillor Robert Aldridge attended and said, “This is my favourite part of the Fringe!”
The event included a piper on arrival, drinks canapes and cocktails. Street performer Andie Mars with her impressive hula hoops displays, forget me Nots Children’s’ Parties provided face painting and visiting Princess Ariel. Matthew Shiel, award winning classical pianist played in the foyer.
The main act – “Ella, Etta and Eartha”, singer Melissa Western and her accompanists rounded off the show in a performance inspired by those legendary female singers.
Professor Joe Goldblatt, who inspired and instigated the Fringe Cares Festival explained: “The first year my wife and I sponsored one performer and I was amazed when residents who had not spoken for months suddenly burst forth into song, in French, when a Fringe performer began to sing the Edith Piaf classic ‘La vie en rose’.
“As they sang along, I was speechless and in awe of the power of musical memories to inspire their strong positive emotions and awaken their senses. The events of this year so far at Queens Manor were no less than spectacular – offering the same level of amazement that we had in our founding year!”
Margaret-Ann Davidson, General Manager of Queens Manor in Edinburgh, said: “I am delighted the Queens Manor Team is able to support our residents to participate in such an exciting initiative, which has grown each year; and we are proud to be part of Barchester Healthcare, the founding sponsor for this special programme.
“Music, entertainment, time with loved ones and friends are key elements of life enrichment for all care home residents. In years gone by the Edinburgh International Festival and the Fringe would have been part of the lives of many of those in our care.
“Through the Fringe Cares Festival, we are able to bring a flavour of the excitement, fun, and delights of the Festival Fringe to our residents at home. The long-term aim of this project is to help ensure that all care home residents in Edinburgh have access to the Fringe Cares Festival in the next 10 years – regardless of care provider.
“There are many other entertainers participating at the other 6 care homes. We look forward to the feedback and photographs”.
The executive director of the Edinburgh Interfaith Association, Iain Stewart said: “EIFA is very proud to have conceived this programme as part of our commitment to bringing people together to celebrate, communicate, and appreciate one another through music.
“The 36-year-old EIFA is the oldest interfaith association and represents all faiths and none promoting respect, understanding, peace and love.
The Fringe Cares Festival at Barchester dramatically demonstrates that we may all come together and benefit through music”.
We are already looking at inspiration and planning for this event in 2025 – if you would like to be involved or become a sponsor, please reach out to either Joe Goldblatt at joe@joegoldblatt.scot or margaretann-davidson@barchester.com.