The final edition of the new digital fundraiser - AJ Bell Fringe on a Friday - is airing on Friday 28 August at 9pm, with drag queen, pop singer and entertainer Courtney Act set to host the 60-minute variety show.
Every penny raised from ticket sales will go towards Fringe artists and venues as part of a dedicated FringeMakers fundraising campaign, delivered in partnership with Crowdfunder.
At time of writing, FringeMakers has raised over £181k, and it is hoped that this final show will help the campaign to reach its initial target of £200k. The money will be used to help creatives return to the Fringe in 2021, and to negate some of the devastating impact that covid-19 has had on the festival and the wider arts sector.
The show features exciting new performances from Briefs, Le Gateau Chocolat, Stiff & Kitsch (pictured), Megan Shandley, Kid X, Farr Out, Craig Hill (pictured in blue kilt), Helen Duff and Alfie Ordinary.
Throughout the show, Courtney will be taking over the @edfringe Twitter account – interacting with viewers, Fringe fans and commenting on the show.
Speaking about the fundraiser, Courtney Act said: “It’s incredible that we’ve managed to raise over £181k for artists and venues. Help us smash the £200k target by buying a ticket for AJ Bell Fringe on Friday, which is helping keep the arts going, as well as providing some much-needed fun.
“We can’t wait to share the final week with you. Join in and watch nine incredible Fringe acts and support artists along the way.”
Shona McCarthy, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society Chief Executive, said: “It’s been genuinely incredible to see how much support there is out there for Fringe venues and artists. If we can raise £200k to help creatives return in 2021, it would be such a boost to the sector, to the festival, and collectively, to our spirits.
“As we approach the final AJ Bell Fringe on Friday, I’d like to say a massive thanks to everyone who has pulled this show together. Thanks also to the audiences watching at home, who have donated to the campaign and who have shared some Fringe memories with us in this difficult year. We’re incredibly grateful also to AJ Bell for making this possible, and for offering us their generous support in these strange times.”
About FringeMakers
The FringeMakers campaign is a Fringe-wide fundraising initiative that has been developed in partnership with Crowdfunder.
This new, zero-fee platform is designed to help Fringe artists and venues raise vital funds in the absence of a physical festival in 2020. Artists and venues keep 100% of the proceeds from tickets they sell, plus any donations made to their own campaigns.
Venues such as Just the Tonic are fundraising to be able to plan for, programme and deliver a full season of shows in 2021. Rewards include a personal thank you from Johnny Vegas. So far, they’ve raised over £3,100. Find out more at https://crowdfund.edfringe.com/keep-just-the-tonic-edinburgh-alive.
Underbelly are crowdfunding to support their artists, with rewards including a personalised signed cabaret photo from Eddie Redmayne, a Danny MacAskill and Duncan Shaw signed t-shirt and a cocktail party in the Abattoir bar. At time of writing, over £5,600 has been raised. Find out more and donate at https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/support-our-artists.
Projects such as SHEDINBURGH are also fundraising through the platform. SHEDINBURGH is a new online festival and fundraiser presenting the Fringe theatre, music and comedy, all performed live from sheds across the country and streamed into people’s homes. Over £17,900 has been raised so far via https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/shedinburgh. The festival is running until 5 September.
You can find more detail about all of the above and more by visiting the FringeMakers website here.
