The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the largest open-access arts festival in the world.
In 2010 the Fringe saw 40,254 performances of 2,453 shows, featuring over 21,000 performers from over 30 countries, an inspiring celebration and showcase of the best performance and entertainment emerging from around the world. Our open-access policy means that anyone is able to participate in the festival, making the Fringe the perfect place for attracting new talent and developing the stars of tomorrow. Many famous artists we’ve come to know and love got their big breaks at the Fringe - including Sir Ian McKellen, Emma Thompson, Dame Maggie Smith and Eddie Izzard.
Despite the Edinburgh Festival Fringe generating over £75 million for the Scottish economy, the Festival Fringe Society is a registered charity that receives very little in the way of public funding.
We rely on the very kind support of individuals, sponsors and other organisations who help us ensure that we remain faithful to our founding principle – to be an open-access festival which is inclusive of all – and that we continue to grow in a sustainable and vibrant way.
In return we offer the Friends a range of benefits including the programme delivered direct to your door and the opportunity to purchase 2 for 1 tickets to a selection of shows across the Fringe.
Please lend us your support and sign up to become a Friend of the Fringe or purchase a Friend’s membership as a gift for someone this Christmas. And as a special thank you, we are offering a free Limited Edition Johanna Basford print (worth £50) to the first 75 people who buy a Best Friend membership.
For full details on all of our Friends memberships and to sign-up with our online form, visit the Join Now page.