Edinburgh Fringe chief executive issues major warning as 2024 event wraps up

The chief executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, Shona McCarthy, has issued an open letter reflecting on the successes and challenges of this year’s event.

Despite the announcement that 2.6 million tickets were issued during the 2024 Fringe (up from 2.45 million in 2023), McCarthy highlights the precarious state of the performing arts community in the UK.

In her letter, McCarthy acknowledges the “brilliance” of this year’s Fringe but warns that the festival’s outward success cannot hide the struggles faced by artists. McCarthy’s warning coming days after Creative Scotland’s decision to remove its open fund for individuals.

McCarthy stresses that “there is no Fringe without art, and there is no art without artists.” The letter highlights the ongoing impact of cuts to arts education and investment, warning that without intervention, the UK could face a future where the arts become inaccessible to all but the wealthy. McCarthy reflected: “It feels that now, more than ever, we must not take artists for granted; we would do so at our peril.”

She continues: “Artistic risk and ambition is hamstrung by an operating context that squeezes out emerging artists that have made the Fringe globally renowned, unique and joyful… If the UK continues on an upward trajectory of cuts to arts education, and Scotland continues to decimate  investment in the sector, breaking  promises of support;  then we are on a direct course to job losses, exclusion and boring art that is only the privilege of those who can afford to be part of it, as performers or as audiences.”

Over 1,800 accredited arts industry members from 64 countries and nearly 900 media professionals from 27 countries were involved in this year’s event.

The 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe saw 3,746 shows registered and represented artists from 60 countries. The Fringe Society also highlighted various initiatives, including the Fringe Days Out scheme and sensory resources for autistic children and adults, aimed at making the festival more accessible to diverse audiences.

Some venues taking part in this year’s Fringe saw bumper statistics – arts village Summerhall saw “record high ticket sales” (103,000, hitting sales targets by over 154%), well above that of pre-pandemic years.

Next year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe will run from 1 to 25 August 2025.