Career development is primary motivation for Fringe performers

Published Tuesday 22 August 2006 at 13:30 by Jeremy Austin

Full coverage of the Edinburgh Festivals

More than 60% of Edinburgh Festival Fringe performers now take shows to the event in the hope of generating more work as a result, research has found.

Addressing the annual Festival Fringe Society meeting, director Paul Gudgin said the yearly end-of-festival survey undertaken by the organisation has revealed that career development has far outstripped all other motivations for performers attending the event.

Said Gudgin: “One of the most significant shifts in recent years is the primary motivation for coming to the fringe. On the whole it has always revolved around three motives, to have fun and just be part of it, to generate some profile and particularly press coverage, career development and creating touring opportunities.

“These used to be reasonably evenly split but now the last one - the possibility of generating work out of a fringe appearance - has easily become the primary motivation.”

Gudgin added that, in response to this, the society has created a year-round position of promoter development officer, based in the Edinburgh office and will also make its website available all year round.

Combined, these will enable production companies and performers to publicise any extra life their shows have beyond Edinburgh. It has been made possible by a £100,000 grant from the City of Edinburgh Council.

• Edinburgh Festival Fringe will make a profit this year, director Paul Gudgin has claimed. Last year it made a loss of £59,583 and the year before £16,836.

“We had a downturn in advertising and sponsorship revenue. Although we still have a week to go, it looks as if we have turned that around completely this year and we will be back in surplus again,” Gudgin commented.

• See this week’s print edition of The Stage for a special “After Edinburgh” edition of Dear John.