News

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society and Summerhall have teamed up to announce Summerhall Surgeries, a brand new artist development initiative. Launching in August 2023 as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Summerhall Surgeries will offer 16 artists or companies the paid opportunity to showcase excerpts of unfinished work to an audience of peers and industry figures (with the possibility of expanding the number of artists per session). Summerhall Surgeries will provide a safe, collaborative and creative playground for emerging and early career artists to try out new ideas to local and international audiences, gaining industry and peer-to-peer feedback. 

The concept of scratch performances or outside eyes is a major part of developing work and connections outside the festival. Summerhall wants to encourage the Fringe this August to widen the possibility of peer-to-peer collaboration and feedback, globalising it. Through happenstance, meetings and connections are created across the Fringe on a daily basis, and this initiative will help build on those organic connections and give more room for ideas to breathe. 

Sam Gough, Summerhall Chief Executive, commented: “Supporting the artists that make such sacrifices to come and spend the month of August with us is central to how we programme and deliver our Fringe. This year we are so delighted to be able to launch so many schemes that do just that... Summerhall stands with artists and couldn’t be prouder to do so.”

Chris Snow, Head of Artist Services, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, commented: "We're so excited about the launch of Summerhall Surgeries – offering future Fringe artists a space to try out unfinished work with peers and industry, who are an incredible creative community during August and can provide crucial feedback and connections. We're proud to partner on something that supports artists across the Fringe and those who are considering future festivals; helping them shape new work and plan their next Fringe."

The Summerhall Surgeries will take place on:
Tues 08 Aug: 14:35 – 15:35 (Main Hall)
Wed 16 Aug: 10:20 – 11:20 (TechCube0)
Sat 19 Aug: 16:05 – 17:05 (Main Hall)
Fri 25 Aug: 10:20 – 11:20 (TechCube0) 

Applications for Summerhall Surgeries are open now, with applications closing at 17:00 BST on Sunday 16 July.

Apply to take part in the summerhall surgeries

Thumbnail photo credit: Pianodrome Live! (2019), Pianodrome. Photographer: David Monteith-Hodge.