Love The Fringe and EdFest.com have announced a new zero-commission ticketing initiative for Edinburgh Fringe 2026, designed to support artists, producers and theatre companies by ensuring that more income from every ticket sold remains with the people creating and presenting the work.

The initiative comes at a time when many artists and arts organisations continue to face rising costs in the city, increasing financial pressures and significant challenges in bringing work to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. By removing commission fees on ticket sales through the platform, participating shows will be able to retain a greater share of their box office income, helping to support the creativity, ambition and risk-taking that have always been at the heart of the festival.

This year, the Love The Fringe and EdFest.com programme encompasses 1,273 productions across 110 venues, representing more than 3 million tickets on sale. The programme brings together thousands of artists, technicians, producers and venue staff from 24 countries, showcasing the extraordinary breadth of work that makes the Edinburgh Fringe the world’s most open and diverse arts festival.

From first-time performers taking their first steps onto a Fringe stage, to internationally acclaimed artists presenting major new work, the programme spans theatre, comedy, circus, dance, music, family shows and multidisciplinary performance. It reflects the remarkable range of voices, stories and perspectives that audiences can discover throughout the city each August.

Anthony Alderson, Director, Pleasance Theatre Trust says: “The Edinburgh Fringe exists because artists are willing to take creative and financial risks. This initiative is simply about supporting that creative community. By removing commission fees, we hope to ensure that more of the income generated by ticket sales reaches the artists who make the festival possible, helping them continue to create extraordinary work and keeping the Fringe vibrant, diverse and accessible for years to come.”

The programme features productions from many of the Fringe’s leading venues and includes a wide range of work from across the UK and around the world. Audiences can discover everything from internationally renowned comedians and large-scale theatrical productions to new writing, experimental performance, family entertainment and emerging artists making their Fringe debut.

The collective programme demonstrates the strength of a festival built on artistic freedom and diversity, where audiences are encouraged to explore, take chances and encounter new ideas. It is this spirit of discovery that has made the Edinburgh Fringe one of the world’s most important cultural events and continues to attract artists and audiences from every corner of the globe.

By working together through a zero-commission model, participating venues and producers are seeking to strengthen the wider Fringe ecosystem and help ensure that more of the value created by the festival remains with those creating the work.

Charlie Wood, Co-founder & Director, Underbelly says: “The Fringe thrives because of its artists. It is their creativity, imagination and willingness to take risks that make Edinburgh such an exciting place to be every August. Any initiative that helps support that creative community and allows more income to remain with artists and venues is something we are proud to support.”

The benefits extend to audiences too. EdFest.com is the cheapest place for the public to buy tickets to Fringe shows, with booking fees up to £4 lower than other ticketing sites. For audiences attending multiple shows across the festival as most Fringe-goers do the savings can be significant, making the platform the most cost-effective way to experience everything Edinburgh has to offer.

William Burdett-Coutts, Director, Assembly Festival says: “Assembly has been part of the Fringe for over four decades, and the one thing that has never changed is the extraordinary commitment of the artists who come here. The zero-commission initiative is a genuine statement of intent — a recognition that the festival’s future depends on making it financially viable for the people who create it. Alongside the Love The Fringe membership scheme, which gives audiences and businesses a direct way to invest in the Fringe community, this feels like exactly the kind of joined-up thinking the festival needs right now. As we look towards 2027 and the 80th year of the festival there needs to be a serious effort to keep this sustainable.”

Audiences looking to get even more from the festival can also sign up to Love The Fringe membership, a loyalty scheme designed to reward regular Fringe-goers with cheaper access to shows, exclusive member benefits and priority offers throughout the year. Membership is the most rewarding way to engage with the Fringe, whether you are a first-time visitor or a seasoned festival devotee returning year after year.

Love The Fringe is also encouraging businesses to purchase membership on behalf of their staff. Corporate membership offers companies a meaningful and tangible way to support the Fringe and the artists who make it possible, while giving employees access to discounts, offers and experiences that bring the festival to life. At a time when the cultural sector needs the support of the wider business community, corporate membership represents a simple but powerful way for organisations to invest in one of Scotland’s and the world’s most extraordinary cultural events.

The Edinburgh Fringe has always been a celebration of creativity, curiosity and discovery. Through this initiative, Love The Fringe and EdFest.com hope to play a small part in supporting the artists whose work continues to inspire audiences and define the festival’s unique character.

Tickets and full programme information are available via EdFest.com.

EdFest.Com venues are Assembly, C Arts, Gilded Balloon, Just the Tonic, Pleasance, Underbelly, and Zoo.

Tickets and full programme information are available via EdFest.com.

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