This year the Fringe maintained its unique position in the world as one of the most important performing arts expos on the planet. More than 1,800 arts industry delegates came to the festival to see, book and buy work for opportunities such as onward touring and broadcast potential. Artists from 60 countries performed in 3,746 shows across 262 venues, and some 900 accredited media wrote about the festival and reviewed work. Along with the success of this year’s festival there continue to be significant concerns regarding the cost and availability of affordable accommodation in Edinburgh, pressures on the supply chain, and an unhelpful policy environment, all exacerbating the already fragile cultural economy of the Fringe.
At the close of this year’s Fringe, Fringe Society Chief Executive Shona McCarthy penned an open letter outlining the many challenges faced by the sector and its thousands of artists, supporting the 'no art without artists' campaign by Scottish creatives. The Fringe Society also supports the current #InvestInCulture campaign from Scotland’s cultural sector, which seeks to increase the Scottish Government’s budget contributions of national spend on culture from 0.5% to match or exceed the European average investment in culture of 1.5%.
The challenges facing the Fringe Society, the Festival Fringe and the Scottish arts sector can only be overcome with long-term collaborative, sustainable action and investment. As such, in a new development for this annual publication, we've designed the 2024 review of the year as a launchpad for further discussion. In Shona McCarthy’s last review of the year before stepping down as Chief Executive, we invite potential funders, partners, sponsors and those who benefit from the economics of the Fringe to engage with us now and help ensure the sustainability of this unique event into the next 77 years.
Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: ‘This year’s review is an invitation to discussion and solutions for the future of this amazing festival and expo. The whole sector needs action and investment and so does the Fringe. As the most influential and important performing arts marketplace in the world, the Fringe is crucial for the whole cultural ecosystem, not only for local, UK and international artists, but for the thousands of arts industry and media delegates who come here every year to view work, and source content for their own theatres, festivals and platforms.
'Warm words do not support our vital cultural life and creativity. Warm words do not provide platforms for Fringe artists on a global stage. Warm words do not help communities and audiences experience an event of global significance, on an Olympic scale, on their own doorstep. Now is the time to step up and work collaboratively to secure the future of this signature event for Scotland. After nearly 10 years at the helm of the Fringe Society, I urge our public funders, our potential sponsors and partners, and those who have the influence, to turn words into action and sustainability for the sector and for this iconic event for the next decade.’
Benny Higgins, Chair of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: ‘Against an increasingly difficult policy environment and ongoing financial pressures, I congratulate Shona and the entire Fringe Society team on all that they have achieved this year. Artist support remains at the core of the work of the Fringe Society and the team works tirelessly to ensure this festival can continue. This isn’t easy work but is vital to ensure artists can continue to create and share their creativity that we all benefit from.’
