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The Edinburgh Fringe has announced recipients of its 2026 Keep it Fringe fund, awarding bursaries to artists facing financial barriers to bringing work to this year’s festival.
A total of 16 shows will receive £2,500 each through the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society scheme, which was launched in 2023 by Fringe Society honorary president Phoebe Waller‑Bridge.
This year, the fund attracted 402 applications for an initial £30,000 of support. Additional donations have since increased the total funding pot to £40,000.
Donors include Miriam Margolyes, the Williamson family, theatre producer James Seabright, and Cheez‑It, which contributed through a fundraising partnership with Co‑op.
Edinburgh FringeThe funded shows span cabaret, comedy, musical theatre, spoken word and theatre, and explore themes ranging from PTSD, eating disorders and declining seaside towns to journalism, hypnosis and growing up under the British Empire.
The Fringe Society said 43% of successful applicants identify as disabled or having a health condition, while more than 30% come from a working‑class background.
Chief executive Tony Lankester said the demand for the fund highlighted the rising costs of taking part in the Fringe.
“Bringing work to Edinburgh comes at significant cost, and Keep it Fringe goes a long way to helping artists bridge the gap,” he said.
“We are extremely grateful to our donors and are working to ensure Keep It Fringe can continue in 2027 and beyond and would encourage anyone able to support this work to reach out to us.”
Keep it Fringe Fund recipients 2026
Abbie Edwards: Knee Touch
Crush
Ele McKenzie: Bringing It All Back Home
Fantasy World Adventures Mega Park! The Musical
Giraffe
Half‑Time
hame. teeth. CLUB
The Hypnotist & Mind Reader Live
Mothman: A Romance Musical
One Dog One Nutter – PTSD to Pleasure
paywall
The Poetical Life of Philomena McGuinness
A Simply Beastly Murder
SLAY
Target Audience
The Wreck
Further show details will be available at edfringe.com.
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