The Stage

Equity polls members on Edinburgh festival pay and conditions

Published Thursday 25 August 2011 at 10:53 by Thom Dibdin

Equity is assessing backstage conditions and rates of pay at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as part of an online survey, open to all UK-based performers at this year’s festival.

The survey has been organised by the union’s Scottish National Committee as part of its low pay/no pay campaign. The two-part questionnaire asks about the performer’s production and its pay structure, with a second section about the venue and its facilities.

Scottish National Committee member Pab Roberts told The Stage: “It has been a while since we knew what the make-up of the fringe was, in terms of people who are professionals, who are students, who are amateur. These things are difficult to define as well, but we are looking at pay structures and funding and how people describe themselves.”

Roberts said that, while he had heard some complaints about conditions at venues around the fringe, he felt it was important to discover whether a small minorityis dissatisfied or if there is concern from large numbers who believe conditions are substandard.

He added: “Some people have said that conditions are appalling, but by the same token it is also possible that people come to the fringe expecting it to be a bit rough and ready. We want to know what people actually performing at the fringe think about this - whether it is something they expect and are happy to put up with for the experience of performing wherever they can.”

Roberts said the results of the survey could provide a benchmark for future years, whatever the findings. He said the Festival Fringe Society had supported the survey by sending a link to all UK-based performers.

The survey will remain open until early September and can be accessed at www.surveymonkey.com/s/fringe11