Fringe museum shows potential

But now the Fringe could become a year-round fixture in the Capital with ambitious, but as yet unfunded, plans to build a museum dedicated to the event.

Daniel Harvey, an interior design graduate, has support from festival chiefs to establish the Ultimate Fringe Experience museum in a disused church off the Royal Mile.

He said he hoped to establish a bustling hub at the Blackfriars Street building, by filling it with memorabilia, programmes, videos, pictures and the occasional live Fringe-inspired performance.

Daniel, 23, from Morningside, said: "This is an idea I've been developing for the last year and it looks entirely feasible. I've been living in this area for a few years as a student and the Festival has always been fantastic, but then it disappears in August after a month of madness. Off-season, people don't get to experience this important part of the city.

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"Outside August, when the Fringe generates up to 141 million, its presence is limited to the small shop space on the city's Royal Mile.

"At the moment there is no archive or museum available. There are a couple of displays at the National Library, but that's it. There'll be two parts to the museum - an archive containing loads of Fringe materials and an educational level which will allow schoolkids and undergraduates to learn about lighting and stage design.

"We'll hold nights where people can watch past Festival performances on the big screen and there will hopefully be some live performances.

"We hope this will appeal to Edinburgh residents and tourists who perhaps can't afford to come here during peak time."

He said that the money made from entrance fees would go straight back into the museum while he also envisaged a bar, restaurant and hub area.

Neil Mackinnon, head of external affairs of the Festival Fringe Society, said: "This is a tremendously exciting idea and although the Fringe Society does not itself run venues we do offer a great deal of support to venue managers and prospective venue managers.

"At our heart is our open-access ethos. We work closely with Edinburgh City Council, school groups and other agencies to improve access to the Fringe and some of the year-round work contained in this proposal would fit well with that element of our work."

The church has a previous connection with the Fringe as it was owned by arts impresario Richard Demarco and used to host performances in the 1990s.

The former Presbyterian church has recently been purchased by a private developer, Sal Shepherd, who has allowed Daniel free rein to design its interior concept.She said: "The site is too culturally rich to become accommodation and the flexibility of Daniel's designs is very enlightening."

Visitors to the Edinburgh College of Art Degree Show, on display from Saturday, will be able to see Daniel's concept and the designs for the Ultimate Fringe Experience. There is also an opportunity to attend a special event in the church building to see how the proposals would transform it.