An alternative to the Edinburgh Comedy Awards is being planned for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this August.
The Edinburgh Comedy Awards, which has run for four decades, is currently looking for sponsorship. Another group has announced the (ISH) Edinburgh Comedy Awards. The ISH stands for Insert Sponsor Here as they are also looking for sponsorship.
Their announcement says that they will have the same categories, Best Show, Best Newcomer and Panel Prize, and if they get sponsorship the prize money will be the same – £10k for Best Show and £5k for Best Newcomer and Panel Prize*. There will be a panel of around 50 judges. If you are interested in judging register your interest at the link below.
The new awards are being co-ordinated by producer and comedian Sarah Bowles, who runs Laughs at the Louis Comedy Nights in Dover and is a producer on The Rat Pack Stand-up Comedy Shows, and was a finalist in this year’s Silver Standup Competition at the Leicester Comedy Festival, whose Awards was an inspiration for the way these will be run. Bowles says ‘We love the Edinburgh Comedy Awards and it’s been great to see so many people already getting on board to make sure they happen this year. We are going to do our best to see every eligible show – if you are asked for a comp for your show by the Judging Panel please help us out.
We will be doing everything we can to make these Awards as good and fair as possible, it’s about complete inclusivity and supporting the comedy community. If we miss something, or we don’t get it quite right, please be kind as we are all volunteers doing this for free and know we just have the best intentions of having an Edinburgh Comedy Award this year. We love the Awards, but of course it’s not the main thing about the Festival is it, and you know whether your show is great, you don’t need us to tell you!
All comedy shows that are there for pretty much a full run will be eligible (not compilation shows) and shows will be long-listed before the 14th August before being seen again by as many of the judging panel as possible before a list of nominees is announced on Monday August 21st and the winners announced at the Awards Ceremony on Saturday August 26th 10.30am at the Three Sisters. We are still looking for more Panel Judges (to end up with a Panel of around 50 people) so for more information on the Awards and to find out how you can be involved as a Panel Judge please go to www.edinburghcomedyawards.com"
If we don’t get a sponsor, well the prestige will be priceless. How are we judging the awards? – quite simply if a show makes the judge and audience laugh lots then you’re in with a great shot. Want to sponsor the Awards? – please go to www.edinburghcomedyawards.com/sponsor and contact us!"
Beyond The Joke has contacted the organisers of the annual Edinburgh Comedy Awards for comment.
*If they don't get a sponsor the prizes will be £10, £5 and £5 respectively.
