We are delighted with the news that the Scottish Government is awarding the Fringe Society £500,000 to help support our international engagement work and our ongoing digital and data transformation project, including the development of our new website to be introduced in time for the 80th anniversary of the Fringe next year.
The digital improvements that are currently in development will greatly enhance how audiences discover work at the Fringe, and how artists and venues connect with them.
In addition, the boost to our international activity will help us create more opportunities for artists, strengthen relationships with partners around the globe and continue supporting the festival’s role as a world-class platform for cultural exchange.
We’ve been working and communicating with Scottish Government for a long time in the lead-up to this announcement, and we are incredibly grateful for their continued support. The infrastructure that makes the Fringe happen year after year is in need of long-term, strategic support, and this weekend’s news marks real progress in the right direction.
Tony Lankester, Chief Executive of the 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.’
Scottish Government’s Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: ‘This announcement underlines the Scottish Government’s ongoing commitment to safeguard the future of the Edinburgh Fringe, built on the principle of free access for all.
‘The Fringe is one of Scotland’s signature events. It 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 for ongoing work with organisations who play an important role in making the Fringe the annual success it is, particularly collective efforts focused on long term sustainability to both the Fringe Society and the Fringe as a whole.’
It’s worth noting that, while this investment is significant, it is restricted to two specific areas of our work. As such, we will continue to rely on support from a wide network of partners, funders and donors so the Fringe can remain open, accessible and artist-led.
Together, this collective supporting network helps ensure the Fringe can continue to support artists, reach audiences from around the world and create life-changing experiences year after year.
