What is Fringe Central?
Historically, Fringe Central is the name we’ve used for our annual temporary pop-up hub for artists, media and arts industry coming to the Fringe. In 2026 we will open the doors to a new, permanent Fringe Central on Infirmary Street, in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town. It will be a welcoming and open space for Fringe artists, Edinburgh’s residents and partner community groups all year round, as well as the home of the Fringe Society.
We want artists and residents to feel ownership of this unique festival, and Fringe Central will play a key role in this. It will strengthen the bond between the Fringe and the city by supporting artists before, during, and after the festival, while offering much-needed, year-round facilities. It will also create a welcoming space where people can discover the remarkable stories of the Fringe and its decades-long, deeply rooted relationship with Edinburgh’s people, places, and cultural life.
The project involves the renovation and restoration of a Grade B-listed former schoolhouse. We are preserving the building’s rich history while modernising it to maximise accessibility and sustainability. It will be available year-round, with rehearsal and working space for performing artists to develop, network and collaborate while also accessing Fringe Society support services. It will also provide public and accessible toilets and, eventually, green space in the city centre.
Support Fringe Central
A significant amount of funding is in place for the development of Fringe Central, but support is still needed to help us realise the project’s full potential and make it the best possible home for artists and the local community.
Donating to Fringe Central gives you a unique opportunity to become a part of the Fringe’s history and the creative legacy of Edinburgh. You can support the project by clicking the button below.
What could my support achieve?
- £2,000 could help us to restore one original sash window, preserving the heritage of the building and the history of the city.
- £1,000 could install a sound panel in our music room and recording studio, ready for artists and youth groups to use.
- £405 could save and refurbish three square metres of original Victorian floor in one of our flexible studio spaces.
- £120 could provide a local artist with a day’s access to a rehearsal room, giving them the freedom to create and explore.
- £85 could help us to restore a part of the Victorian wooden floor.
- £60 could provide six weeks of desk space for an artist.
- £50 could help us to restore a Victorian wood panel.
- £35 could cover the daily cleaning of the toilets in Fringe Central.
Thank you
Our thanks go to those already supporting Fringe Central and the accompanying Digital Infrastructure project: UK Government (Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport), Bloomberg Philanthropies, Foyle Foundation, The Mushroom Trust and SP Energy Networks’ Transmission Net Zero Fund.
Sustainability
We plan to de-carbonise this 19th-century former school, retaining its heritage and history while modernising its services so it’s fit for the future: removing fossil fuel tanks entirely, improving insulation and reducing heat loss, and installing efficient lighting, green space and much more.
The planned outdoor area will add to the city centre's green spaces, offering a tranquil retreat and enhancing the urban environment.
Access
Fringe Central will include level access, a lift and acoustic and visual considerations to ensure the space is inviting and inclusive. The addition of a Changing Places toilet will address a significant gap in accessibility in the area, providing a valuable resource for those who need it all year round.