Edinburgh Comedy Awards director urges big names to put something back to help unearth future Fringe stars

Famous comics urged to follow example of Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Nica Burns is director of the Edinburgh Comedy Awards. Picture: Euan Cherry

The director of the longest-running comedy award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is urging the stars who got their big break at the event to do more to help give the next generation of performers the chance to appear.

Nica Burns has urged “Fringe alumni” to follow in the footsteps of Phoebe Waller-Bridge and put something back into the event to ensure it remains accessible to unknown acts.

The Fleabag star, who agreed to become honorary president of the event two years ago, joined forces with the Fringe Society earlier this year to launch a new fund to help emerging artists and companies meet the costs involved in putting on shows.

Phoebe Waller Bridge won a Scotsman Fringe First Award for the stage version of Fleabag in 2013.

Ms Burns suggested that contributions of £1000 from comedians could make a huge difference to the future of the 76-year-old event.

Leading venues warned last year that the rising cost of accommodation posed the biggest threat to the future of the Fringe.

Ms Burns stressed the importance of “Free Fringe” shows to the festival, but also welcomed the annual influx of big-name comics.

She said: "When the Fringe really changes someone’s life, they want to come back to perform. I think that it’s really important that the Fringe alumni do come back. It’s the one time of year that the whole comedy industry gets together.

"We have people who are working on their work, haven’t quite made it yet and still have a bit further to go, and there are a whole load of brand new people, That’s how the Fringe should be. I think you need to give audiences some familiarity in order for them to take a punt.

"The ‘Free Fringe’ has grown to become so important to the whole Fringe ecology. It has helped the open access element of the Fringe stay open access.

“If the venue is not costing them any money and they get what is put in the hat, all they have to do is find the money for somewhere to live and to eat.”

An initial £100,000 worth of support for the Keep It Fringe fund was announced in March, with the money distributed to 50 successful applicants the following month.

At the time, Phoebe Waller-Bridge said: “The Fringe gave Fleabag a game-changing platform for everyone involved and we are thrilled that the show can continue to pay it forward to the creatives of tomorrow and contribute to those who might not otherwise have the opportunity to take their work to this amazing festival.”

The Fringe Society is hoping to expand the scheme further if it can secure more financial backing, as it received nearly 700 applications for the initial round of support.

Ms Burns added: "The Fringe has always shifted and changed organically."Phoebe Waller-Bridge has led the way in putting some money into the Fringe to help performers.

“I think a lot of other people who have benefited from the Fringe are thinking about what they can do to help those who are economically disadvantaged.

"I’ve love to see more performers do what Phoebe has done. Nobody is asking for a lot of money. It’s about getting small amounts of support and putting it all together, like a slighty larger version of a hat.

"If successful Fringe alumni could put in £1000 each it would really help grow the tree.

It's critical that it remains an open access festival as there is nothing else like this anywhere else.

“This is a self-funded festival. There’s never going to be a world where there’s going to be loads of money handed out to participate. All we can do is help our own.”

The plug was almost pulled on this year’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards after the loss of headline sponsor Dave at the end of last year.

However a rethink of how they should be financed in future was successful in attracting the backing of Sky for the main best comedy show prize, DLT entertainment for the best newcomer award and support for the special panel prize from a foundation created in honour of the late Victoria Wood.

Ms Burns said: "She worked really hard at learning how to do stand-up comedy. People forget that she was a massive breakthrough female comedian of her day. It’s really fitting to have an award named after her.

“We don’t know what this festival is yet. Sometimes there’s someone who is just different and original.“When Vic came to the Fringe with Lucky Bag she was utterly original. That’s the spirit we’re looking for – utter originality.

"There was definitely a moment when the awards might not have happened this year.

“Dave told us at the end of the year that they did not want to renew their sponsorship of the awards.

“When we started working with a sponsorship agency, it was clear that things had changed since Covid.

"I then realised that the time was over for big title sponsorships. There isn’t a major company out there that isn’t pulling back.

“Post-Covid, I couldn’t subsidise the awards myself, as it costs a lot of money to put them on now.

"Taking a step back this year to rethink the awards was a good thing to do. I had a meeting with a small group of people who are really invested in comedy to tell told them the awards were in real danger and asked them whether people want to have them.

“There was a huge response from people saying: ‘You’ve absolutely got to do them. We really need them.’

"The awards give the critics a kind of crescendo in the last week of the Fringe and create a huge buzz with the public.

"A whole bunch of comedians came out and said: ‘We’ve grown up with these awards. They’ve been here all of our performing lives.’

"It’s the one thing that really unites people in the comedy section of the Fringe – to speculate about, bitch about and get excited about.”