Awards open to all genres

These awards are open to the majority of genres and programme categories – please see the details of each award for entry specifics. You can find more awards which are open to most genres and categories as part of the accessibility, diversity and inclusivity awards.

The Besties

The Besties, or The Skinny-Fest Festival Awards, is a series of awards running weekly during the Edinburgh festivals in August. Produced in partnership with Capital Theatres, Premier Scotland, The Skinny and Fest magazines, the awards will platform the best work on show this summer, drawing on our review teams’ exhaustive knowledge to celebrate work from across the different festivals.

Winners of The Besties will be chosen each week by the editorial teams of The Skinny and Fest, drawing on their cross-festival expertise to celebrate the best work happening anywhere in the festivals. The weekly awards ceremonies are to be produced by Premier Scotland and hosted by Capital Theatres at the Festival Theatre on Saturday mornings during the festival season.

The categories will reflect the diversity of the magazines’ coverage, with an Outwith award highlighting the best international talent, while the Great Scot will honour work from closer to home.

2025 award winners

Week 1

• The Super Power Award (chosen by the young critics of The Super Power Agency’s summer school)
  Connor McKenna – Seltzer Boy at Paradise in Augustines
• The Outwith Award (for best international talent)
  Alaa Shehada – The Horse of Jenin at Pleasance Dome
• Radgie of the Festivals (for radgeness)
  In Bed with my Brother – PHILOSOPHY OF THE WORLD at Summerhall
• Next Debut Award
  Toussaint Douglass – Accessible Pigeon Material at Pleasance Courtyard
• New One to Watch Award
  Saaniyaa Abbas – Hellarious at Gilded Balloon Patter House
• The Dame Good Show Award
  Johnny McKnight – She’s Behind You at Traverse Theatre
• The Breakthrough Award
  Kate Dolan – The Critic at Assembly George Square

Week 2

• The Genre Chaos Award
  Sam Kruger and S E Grummett: Creepy Boys SLUGS at Summerhall
• The Emerging Talent Award
  Ayo Adenekan: Black Mediocrity at Monkey Barrel
• The Heart Award
  Sami Abu Wardeh: Palestine Peace de Resistance at Pleasance Dome
• The Collaboration Award
  Opera Queensland and Circa: Orpheus and Eurydice at Edinburgh International Festival
• The Nature Award
  Karine Polwart: Windblown at The Queen’s Hall
• The Kids Award
  The Listies: Make Some Noise at Assembly George Square Studios

Week 3

• The Spooky Award
  Ghouls Aloud for Elysium, Gilded Balloon
• The New Writing Award
  Emma Frankland for No Apologies, Summerhall
• Lifetime Achievement Award for contributions to Scottish publishing
  404 Ink, Edinburgh International Book Festival
• The Dissident Award
  Abdolreza Kahani for Mortician, Edinburgh International Film Festival
• The Radgie Award
  Rosa Garland for Primal Bog, Assembly
• The Alt Reekie Award
  Liam Withnail for Big Strong Boy, Monkey Barrell Comedy
• The Fringe Legend Award
  Mark Silcox for The Gold Trader, PBH Free Fringe

The Brighton Fringe Award for Excellence

Brighton Fringe invites one production from Edinburgh Fringe 2025 to perform at Brighton Fringe 2026. The winner will receive one free registration to take part in Brighton Fringe 2026, among other benefits.

The award will be judged by a small team made up of industry professionals, Brighton Fringe stakeholders and staff who are looking for an artist or company of excellence with a show that has not been performed at Brighton Fringe before.

2025 winner

• Winner
  Jonny Woo: Suburbia (Summerhall)

The Broadway Baby Bobby Award

Recognising that sometimes not all five-star shows are equal, Broadway Baby's iconic Bobby statuette is awarded to the best of the best shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Broadway Baby covers more shows than any other publication in Edinburgh, and while – on average – only 4% of the performances it sees are considered worthy of five stars, that's still approaching 200 productions in any one year.

All shows awarded five stars by Broadway Baby are automatically considered for the Bobby Award; first by the judging team and then those shortlisted are seen by a senior member of the editorial team. There are no set number of Bobby Awards; however in previous years an average of just five trophies are handed out over the entire festival. The Bobby is recognition that you have created something truly special.

2025 award winner

• In the Black by Quaz Degraft (theSpaceUK).

DarkChat Awards

On 20 September 2025 the annual DarkChat Awards took place honouring our favourite shows from this year's festival. Visit darkchat.co.uk for more information.

2025 award winners

• Best Comedy
  David O'Doherty: Highway to the David Zone
• Best Music
  Phil St George feat. Sean O'Callaghan, Garden Party
• Best Entertainment / Music
  Arthur Hull, Arthur Hull's Flop
• Best Actor in a Play (joint winners)
  Alfie Cain, Dropped
  Robert Daws, Wodehouse in Wonderland
• Best Actress in a Play
  Kasen Tsu, Ah-Ma
• Best Performance in an Entertainment / Music show
  Arthur Hull, Arthur Hull's Flop
• Best Play (joint winners)
  The Horse of Jenin
  Ah-Ma
• Best Song
  'The Taxman', Jaffa Cake the Musical
• Best Director
  Lara Lawman, It's Gonna Blow!
• Best Comedy Performance
  Rob Auton: Can (An Hour-Long Story)
• Best Supporting Performance
  Yasmine Meaden, It's Gonna Blow!
• Best Moment
  Seiriol Davies' 'Butterfly Gown', How to Win Against History
• Best Free Show (joint winners)
  Mark Simmons: His Latest Jokes
  The Limerance
• Best One-Person Show (joint winners)
  Ah-Ma
  Dropped
  The Horse of Jenin
• Best Show
  Rob Auton: Can (An Hour-Long Story)

Fringe Theatre Awards

Celebrating the talent, dedication and creativity of those working in live fringe theatre.

While we do have accredited assessors in Edinburgh who can issue an Edinburgh Festival Fringe Theatre Award (the EFFTA), most are obtained by the performer / producer sending in the evidence via our website. 

In 2025, we issued EFFTAs based on a show obtaining at least two reviews from accredited review sites (listed on our website) that are four- or five-star rated. From 2026 we will be expanding this such that there will be gold, silver and regular EFFTA Awards. The criteria for a gold is at least two five-star reviews, a silver for at least one five-star review and the regular would be at least two four-star reviews.

The time frame is throughout the Festival Fringe, the cut off being 01 September. The awards are announced asap with an aim of within 24 hours.

2025 award winners

The Fringe Theatre Awards recognised 108 shows at Fringe 2025 – you can see them all at fringetheatreawards.co.uk:

IC Awards (Intercultural Connections Awards)

The IC Awards celebrate international collaboration and intercultural expression, offering exceptional Fringe artists the opportunity to deepen global exchange, connect with the international market, and engage with audiences far beyond the festival.

Hosted by the Intercultural Connections Initiative (ICI), the IC Awards aim to support productions and artists that demonstrate bold creative vision, strong cultural insight and international touring potential. With a focus on building bridges between the UK and the international stage, the awards offer professional recognition and access to developmental and touring opportunities.

There are four categories to the IC Award:

• Best Production Award
• Pioneer Fringe Award
• Personal Achievement Award
• Future Generation Award. 

2025 winners

Future Generation Award

1. QFunTheatre Children's Experimental Troupe (China)
   Youth and Poetry - The Book of Songs
2. Dylan and Will Theatre (UK)
   Cody and Beau: A Wild West Story
3. Nicholsons Upstage (UK)
   An Evening of Bull

Personal Achievement Award

1. Chiedza Rwodzi - Unshaded Arts (Zimbabwe)
   Strangers And Revelations
2. Alejandro Postigo - HisPanic (Spain)
   Copla: A Spanish Cabaret

IC Pioneer Award

1. The Central Academy of Drama (China)
   Zhuangzi’s Dream
2. Elisabeth Gunawan - KISS WITNESS (Indonesia)
   Stampin' in the Graveyard

Best Production Award

1. Pleasance and Cena Brasil Internacional (Brazil)
   TOM AT THE FARM
2. Corporeal Imago (Canada)
   Imago
3. One Table Two Chairs Charitable Foundation (Hong Kong)
   Cantonese Opera x Children’s Interactive Theatre: Dic Dic Chang Chang Playground

The List Festival Awards

The List Festival Awards celebrate the Art, Book, Film, Fringe and International festivals this summer, including the current Edinburgh International Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Please note: only the awards recognising shows at the Fringe are listed below.

Each List winner will receive a cash award of £500 with two further awards presented in partnership with other organisations. The Sit-Up Award winner will receive £5000 and a slot on the 2025/26 Fringe Encore series. The award aims to help harness the power of theatre to achieve greater social impact. The International Fringe Encore Series Edinburgh Prize will receive a run at the SoHo Playhouse in New York including accommodation and travel plus financial support.

2025 award winners

• Best Comedy Show
  Bebe Cave: Christbride
• Best Dance, Circus & Physical Theatre Show
  Small Town Boys
• Best show from Adelaide
  Smile – The Story Of Charlie Chaplin
• Best LGBTQIA+ Show
  Kinder
• Spirit of The Fringe Award
  Pussy Riot: Riot Days
• Best Kids Show
  Funz N Gamez Rebootz
• Sit-Up Award
  Body Count
• International Fringe Encore Series prize
  Hot Mess

Mervyn Stutter Spirit of the Fringe Award

The Mervyn Stutter Spirit of the Fringe Awards (aka the MERVs), along with Mervyn's regular Pick of the Fringe show, celebrate their 32nd anniversary in 2025, making them one of the oldest awards on the Fringe.

The Spirit of the Fringe Awards acknowledge and celebrate the talent, hard work, pluck and sheer doggedness demanded of performers from all genres on the Fringe to make a show a success.

The Spirit of the Fringe Awards were created to recognise those who show commitment in the face of little support or funding or those who have consistently provided audiences with quality entertainment over the years. There is no application process as the awards are issued at the judges' discretion.

The MERVs for this year's Fringe will be announced during the last week and winners will perform and receive their awards at Pick of the Fringe on Saturday 23 August 2025. For more information go to mervspick.com.

2025 award winners

• 1Shoulder Pad: Galaxy Train, Japanese Musical Theatre
• Kayleigh Jones: I Fed My Dad to a Pelican
• LOLA: A Flamenco Love Story
• Palestine: Peace De Resistance
• Emmanuel Sonubi: Life After Near Death
• Fuselage
• Sped Kid
• When We Were Young

The Seoul Arts Awards

Our mission is to celebrate and foster global cultural exchange in the performing arts, transcending language barriers. The Seoul Arts Awards recognises and honours the exceptional talents in various fields, including physical theatre, arts circus, family shows and beyond.

The awards recognise the most diverse and outstanding performers working in non-verbal performance genres, providing them with the opportunity to perform in Seoul, South Korea. The winners of the Seoul Arts Awards will receive a unique chance to showcase their talent in the Republic of Korea, a platform to captivate audiences and leave a lasting impression.

Join us in celebrating the power of performing arts in bridging cultures and promoting artistic excellence on an international stage.

2025 winners

• The Genesis – Copenhagen Collective, Denmark
• Sophie's Surprise 29th – Underbelly and Three Legged Race Productions, United Kingdom – England
• Tape Face: 20 – Lee Martin for Gag Reflex, New Zealand
• FLIP Fabrique: Six° – Underbelly and FLIP Fabrique, Canada

The Spookies by the Edinburgh Horror Festival

Welcome to 'The Spookies', a new awards initiative running for its second year at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe to recognise excellence within the horror genre.

As horror continues to gain popularity in the live entertainment industry, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate outstanding performances at the festival.

2025 award winners

• Best Cabaret
  • Winner: The Great Divinator: Touched by Spirits
  • Runner-up: Cabaret for the End of the World
• Best Comedy
  • Winner: The Mothman Cometh
  • Runner-up: Come.See.Saw
• Best Musical
  • Winner: Ghosted! A New Musical
  • Runner-up: I was a Teenage She-Devil
• Best Theatre
  • Winner: The Cadaver Palaver
  • Runner-up: Count Dykula
• Best New Writing
  • Winner: Charlotte Ball for Tom Hiccup's Well
  • Runner-up: Milly Blue and Jessie Maryon Davis for Elysium
• Best Solo Show
  • Winner: 2025 Salem Witch Trial
  • Runner-up: Flora Macdonald and Zombies
• Best Performer
  • Winner: Ellie Ball for Tom Hiccup's Well
  • Runner-up: Peter Mitchelson for The Moon Pact Trial
• Critic's Choice
  • Tiana's Choice: Italian Horror Stories
  • Theresa's Choice: Sponsored by the Void

See our website for more information as well as finding the self-nomination form: edhorrorfest.co.uk/the-spooky-awards.

The Uprise Award

The Uprise Award is presented by Replik – an events company creating conversations that matter. The award recognises shows that dare to provoke, disrupt and reframe discussions. Rooted in the spirit of dissent, it celebrates performers that have the courage to challenge dominant narratives and invite us to think differently.

The winner is decided by the founders of Replik who will consider shows listed in the Comedy and Theatre sections of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme. A shortlist of nominees will be announced in advance, with the award presented in person to the winner on the third weekend of August.

2025 award winner

• Sam Jay: We the People (Pleasance)

Shortlist

• Andrew Doherty: Sad Gay AIDS Play (Pleasance)
• Rift (Traverse Theatre)
• Sam Jay: We The People (Pleasance)
• Vittorio Angelone: you can’t Say Nothing any more (Monkey Barrel Comedy)

Previous awards