Fringe festival teams up with Kickstarter to fund new shows

The Edinburgh Fringe Society has teamed up with Kickstarter - the world’s biggest fundraising platform - to bring new shows to the stage
Le Patin Libre from Canada as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Credit steven scott taylor / J P LicenseLe Patin Libre from Canada as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Credit steven scott taylor / J P License
Le Patin Libre from Canada as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Credit steven scott taylor / J P License

The deal with the online powerhouse builds on a long history of artists and creatives turning to Kickstarter to raise cash to bring their productions to the Fringe.

Benefits of the new partnership include incentives offered to shows coming to the 2019 Fringe using Kickstarter to fund their project.

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Kickstarter has also announced plans to give targeted financial support to a programme of events focusing on health and wellbeing during August.

Since Kickstarter first launched in 2009, Edinburgh Fringe Festival artists have raised more than £1.2 million for hundreds of shows.

Shona McCarthy, chief executive of Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “Supporting and empowering the risk-takers and change-makers who make the Fringe happen every year is at the very heart of the Fringe Society’s work, so we are thrilled to be partnering with Kickstarter in 2019, who will provide an invaluable platform for so many artists to present their work during the Fringe.

Shows that have already used Kickstarter funding include Lovelace: A Rock Musical and Going Green the Wrong Way.

“We are looking forward to working together on a number of initiatives that will continue to support Fringe artists in 2019 and beyond. From the support of our Fringe Central health and wellbeing events programme to peer support for the artists, we know this partnership will strengthen the existing resources we already provide.”

Kickstarter’s senior performance lead Jessica Massart added: “From our earliest days at Kickstarter, championing creativity has been woven into our DNA. In the performing arts, Edinburgh Festival Fringe has set a high bar for encouraging artists across dance, theater, comedy, circus, performance art, and more to do extraordinary things in their practices.

“Kickstarter couldn’t be more thrilled to work alongside the Fringe to offer support to thousands of Fringe projects that will journey to the city this August.”

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is a charity that was established by participants to act as the custodian of the Fringe.