Phoebe Waller-Bridge helps Edinburgh company Underbelly raise funds for Fringe artists

Edinburgh Fringe company Underbelly has today launched a campaign to help support artists who were expected to appear at the festival this month.

Earlier this year the Fringe was cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic, though a variety of online initiatives do still exist to help provide creative outlets and opportunities for companies.

The new fund encourages Fringe supporters to donate the cost of a ticket (around £12) to help out, with a variety of special rewards and prizes available for those who donate more – for more than £70 you can win ten tickets to ten shows in next year's programme, while for £400 you could win a signed Fleabag poster, courtesy of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, from the show's original Edinburgh run. For £1000, you can win free tickets to any Underbelly shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for the next two years.

One hundred per cent of all proceeds will go directly to artists.

Ed Bartlam and Charlie Wood, directors of Underbelly said: "Edinburgh is where it all started, in a dingy cave, twenty years ago. It's our life blood, our home, a place where genuinely anything can happen and incredible memories have been made. To not be there this year is heart-breakingly devastating but it is also a time for reflection and understanding that for this year, we must step back and put the safety of others first.

"We would love to support and help everyone but what we feel we should do at this time is to support those artists that were due to perform at the Underbelly this year. We are asking you to help us support these artists to get through this most difficult of all times and more importantly keep them working in an industry that needs and values them. Without them there is no Underbelly, there is no Edinburgh Festival Fringe."

You can donate here.