We want to know what you think of the Fringe’s access services
18 October 2019
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world’s greatest celebration of arts and culture, which takes place in Scotland’s capital every August. Since its beginnings in 1947, the Fringe’s core ethos has been one of inclusivity and open access – the idea that anyone with a story to tell and a venue to host them is welcome to join in.
That’s sometimes easier said than done. The Fringe welcomes thousands of artists from around the world, each with their own idea of how their show should look and sound; it’s staged in over 300 venues across the historic city of Edinburgh, from parks and pub basements to thousand-seat auditoriums and all points in between. Ensuring the Fringe is accessible to all is not without challenges.
As part of our efforts to address these issues, we consult regularly with D/deaf and disabled people to learn more about what we can do to help. With their input, we’ve supported more captioned and audio-described performances, installed a Changing Places toilet in the Old Town every August, and introduced accessible viewing areas at our street events as well as sensory backpacks to make the Fringe more welcoming for autistic people. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made, but we recognise that there’s still a lot more to do.
That’s why we need your help. Even if you’ve never been to the Fringe before – if the very idea of the Fringe gives you second thoughts about coming – we want to hear from you, so we can work on making the Fringe better for you.
Our feedback survey won’t take long to fill in, and the information you provide will help us develop ways of making the Fringe more inclusive. Better yet, you can enter a prize draw for £100 in e-gift vouchers of your choice once you’re finished – just our way of saying thanks for taking the time to help us out.