These awards recognise diversity, accessibility and inclusivity – please see the details of each award for entry specifics.

The Asian Arts Award (presented by Asian Art Fund Scotland)

The Asian Arts Award was founded in 2014 to promote Asian art forms at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. All artists with an Asian connection are eligible to apply. When you apply you'll be invited to our free launch party / press night as well as the final award ceremony. It's also a great way to make new friends and connections at the Fringe. Check out asianartfundscotland.org for more information and the gallery of past events.

Awards will be made in the following categories:

  • Outstanding Show
  • Outstanding Production
  • Outstanding Male Performer
  • Outstanding Female Performer
  • Outstanding Young Performer
  • Asian Arts Special Award

asianartfundscotland.org

2024 award winners

  • Outstanding Show

    • Winner
      Aha! Doggy Poo – Modl Theater (Korea)

    • Highly commended
      Picasso 2033 – WaitDog (China / UK)
      Sushi Tap Show – Tokyo Tap Do! (Japan)

  • Outstanding Production

    • Winner
      Legend of the White Snake – Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre (China)

    • Highly commended
      Gayatri and Gitarja – Gytr.art with 7evenotes Productions and Mhyajo (Indonesia)
      Weaving Me, Weaving Mum – Jiayi Chen, Yuqiu Wang, Zuqi Dong and Jiarong Yu (UK / China)

  • Outstanding Male Performer

    • Winner
      GABEZ / MASA / hitoshi / LIVE MANGA (Japan)

    • Highly commended
      Wong Tan-ki – It’s Not My Body Chapter 3.5 (Hong Kong Soul 2024)

  • Outstanding Female Performer

    • ​​​​​​​Winner
      Tsumugi Masui – YOAH Cirquework (Japan)

    • Highly commended
      Sindhura Kalidas: Psychobitch – W!ld Rice (Singapore)
      Xiner Lan: Vanishing – in-version ensemble

  • Outstanding Young Performer – shared award

    • Winners
      Only Human – Conundrum Theatre (Singapore)
      Echoes from The Archipelago: An Indonesian Music Odyssey – Trinity Youth Symphony Orchestra (Indonesia)

    • Highly commended
      Ms Liu Zhan (the Green Snake) – Legend of the White Snake (China)

  • Asian Arts Special Award

    • ​​​​​​​Winner
      Draft My Life: A Concept Musical – We Draman Group (Hong Kong)

    • Highly commended
      Cantonese Opera x Children’s Interactive Theatre: Dic Dic Chang Chang Playground – One Table Two Chairs (Hong Kong)
      Ms Gao Pei Yu (the White Snake) – Legend of the White Snake (China)

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Binge Fringe Queer Performer’s Award

The Binge Fringe Queer Performer’s Award will honour the commitment of performers to furthering LGBTQIA+ causes. Four trophies will be presented to shows in a ceremony on 22 August 2024 to be hosted at theSpace @ Surgeons Hall in Edinburgh’s Old Town.

Shows will become eligible to be shortlisted if they have received a review from Binge Fringe Magazine published before or on 16 August 2024, which is the date the shortlist will be announced. The show will need to either explicitly cover LGBTQIA+ themes or make Binge Fringe Magazine aware that a member of the cast or production team identifies as Queer via email to [email protected].

2024 award winners

  • F*ckboy – Freddie H Arts
  • The Disappeared – Down the Rabbit Hole Theatre
  • The Freemartin – Speakbeast
  • Ugly Sisters – piss / CARNATION
     
  • Grassroots Hero Award
    Presented to Aidan Sadler
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Mental Health Foundation Fringe Award

The Mental Health Foundation Fringe Award was established in 2017 in recognition of the most compelling new show about mental health at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. It is presented by the Mental Health Foundation and supported by the Scotsman newspaper. From 2023 to 2025 it will be sponsored by the Cornwell Charitable Trust, in memory of the arts journalist Tim Cornwell who died in 2022.

The longlist is compiled from a combination of self-nomination, nominations by venues and promoters, and recommendations from the Mental Health Foundation's network of cultural contacts. The winner will be announced as part of the Scotsman Fringe Awards ceremony at the Pleasance Courtyard on Friday 23 August. The winner will be offered a £3,000 prize plus a flexible package of support tailored to the needs of each creative team and the future development of their show, which may include mentoring support and mental health training, support with funding applications and / or a contribution to production costs.

If you wish to be considered for the award, please contact Andrew Eaton-Lewis on [email protected].

2024 award winner

  • Batshit by Leah Shelton (Traverse Theatre)
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The Neurodiverse Review Awards

Neurodiverse Review is working with charities and theatre companies to provide awards for exceptional work at the Edinburgh Fringe 2023. Autistic, neurodiverse and disabled-led work can often be ignored or misunderstood. All our awards are open for anyone from our community; you can also nominate an act that is not yours.

Judges will be going to see shows during the Fringe, you can request to be considered for an award by contacting us via neurodiversereview.co.uk. Also, any show reviewed by us with a 4/5 star rating will also be considered for longlisting in an eligible category.

The nominations will be judged by a panel from our communities.

2024 award winners

  • Actually Autistic Excellence
    Ashley Gutermuth – Ashley Gutermuth is Hard to Pronounce
     
  • ADHD Comedy Award
    Jordan Tweddle – Pillock
     
  • Outstanding Visually Impaired Creative
    David Eagle: The Eagle is Candid
     
  • Birds of Paradise Exceptional Theatre
    Laura Horton – Lynn Faces
     
  • Birds of Paradise Emerging Artist
    Sanjay Lago – Love me like a Chai Tea Latte
     
  • DeafAction Excellence Award
    Sign Between the Lines: Deaf Women in Literature
     
  • Disability Champions
    Aretha Nortey – Just Aretha
     
  • FringeBiscuit Trends
    Missing Rib Collective: 4 girls first letter e
     
  • Lifetime Achievement
    Lung-Ha Theatre Company
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Somewhere: For Us Fringe awards

The Somewhere: For Us Fringe Awards (aka the Queer Fringe Awards) were launched in 2023 by the team behind Scotland’s award-winning LGBTQ+ magazine and podcast, Somewhere: For Us, and the LGBTQ+ Edinburgh Fringe Guide.

The awards reward and recognise LGBTQ+ shows and performers that have had a big impact with their audience and beyond, and shows that have been on a unique journey. There were over 300 shows staged by LGBTQ+ performers or shows with LGBTQ+ themes at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Somewhere: For Us has been working hard to amplify and celebrate queer voices at the Fringe since 2018 – through reviews, LGBTQ+ show listings and features in their magazine, research, podcast and printed Fringe guide. 

Discover more about the social enterprise at somewhereforus.org.

2024 award winners

  • Awkward Productions: Gwyneth Goes Skiing and Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story
  • Dylan Mulvaney: Faghag
  • Kemah Bob: Miss Fortunate
  • TERF
     
  • Fringe Icon Award
    Susie McCabe: The Merchant of Menace
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Previous awards

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