The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society will receive £500,000 to
help support ongoing digital transformation work, Deputy First
Minister has announced.
A new website is being developed to coincide with the
80th anniversary of the Fringe next year. The
funding will also ensure the Fringe Society can continue its work
supporting Scottish artists and the sector, while promoting
international opportunities for artists at the Fringe.
The Deputy First Minister said:
“The Scottish Government has an ongoing commitment to safeguard
the future of the Edinburgh Fringe and support it to flourish,
built on the principle of free access for all.
“As one of Scotland's signature events the Fringe has grown to
become the world's largest performing arts festival – a major
economic contributor to Edinburgh, and Scotland as a whole, and
one of our country's most significant national and international
cultural assets.
“As we approach the 80th anniversary of the Fringe
next year, this investment will provide a foundation to expand
its global reach and the ongoing work with organisations who play
an important role in making the Fringe the annual success it is -
in particularly collective efforts focused on long term
sustainability to both the Fringe Society and the Fringe as a
whole.”
Tony Lankester, Chief Executive, Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Society said:
"The ongoing support for the work of the Fringe Society
from the Scottish Government will go a long way to shoring up our
resilience and builds on their previous investment. The Society's
work in future-proofing the Fringe with world-class digital and
data infrastructure is a critical imperative – with this
foundation, these ambitions can be more readily realised and the
future more secure. We've made giant strides over the last year
and this announcement helps us build on that work, delivering
even more for the Fringe community, ensuring the festival remains
a jewel in Scotland's creative crown."
Background
This funding builds upon £300,000 of
support provided by the Scottish Government in 2025/26.
