After 53,232 performances of 3,398 shows in 300 venues across Edinburgh, the curtain falls on the 2017 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
The 2017 Fringe included performances in a swimming pool, a boat, a bathroom, a football ground, a tunnel and a racecourse, and featured shows that addressed themes of belonging, identity, grief, Brexit, Trump, fake news, the Syrian conflict, gender and activism.
Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said:
“This has been a very special year for the Fringe as we celebrated 70 years of defying the norm, 70 years of the greatest melting pot of arts and culture anywhere on the planet, and 70 years of Edinburgh as an internationally renowned festival city. The Fringe continues to play an essential role in the worldwide arts community, enabling artists to showcase their work, reach new audiences and make new connections.
“I hope that everyone that has attended a show, watched a street performance, or spent time in one of the hundreds of venues around the city has enjoyed their Fringe experience.
“In the current climate of global uncertainty, we were delighted to see an increase of 29% in the number of countries represented in this year’s Fringe Programme. We will continue to work to support global engagement and international participation in the Fringe over the coming years.
“As the 2017 Edinburgh Festival Fringe draws to a close, we look forward to another 70 years of championing the world’s largest platform for creative freedom.”
Sir Tim O’Shea, Fringe Society Chair added:
“After 70 great years, the 2017 Fringe has been the most spectacular success. On behalf of the of the audiences from home and abroad that have enjoyed the Fringe this year, I would like to thank the thousands of participants that have entertained and inspired us. The Fringe would not be possible without the courage, creativity and sheer hard work of the festival’s participants, and for that we are very grateful.”
Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs said:
“In its 70th anniversary year the Edinburgh Festival Fringe has again attracted artists and audiences from across the world to enjoy a breath-taking array of performance art against the spectacular backdrop of our capital city.
“The Fringe contributes strongly to Scotland’s culture and economy and is key to the growth of our tourism and creative industries. I am proud to support its continued growth through the Expo Fund, the additional funding we provided for the inaugural World Fringe Day this year, and the extra £5 million we will invest in Edinburgh’s major festivals over the next five years.”
By Monday afternoon, with hundreds of performances still to take place, we can confirm that more people than ever attended shows at the Fringe with an estimated 2,696,884 tickets issued for shows across Scotland’s capital. The number of tickets issued reflects a 9% increase compared to tickets issued by the same point last year.
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe will run from 3 – 27 August 2018 with the Fringe World Congress taking place in Edinburgh from 16 – 20 August.
