Doing a Fringe Show: Rule 1

Before you go on this journey, please consider Rule 1:

Fringe cannot be approached like a traditional business venture. It is one of the most intense and exciting experiences that an independent artist can ever partake in. It can break your heart; it can fuel you with adrenaline until 5 in the morning. However, it is not a sturdy enterprise to pursue whatsoever.

You are participating to showcase a piece of work that you really care about and want people to see, rather than leading with the sole intention to make profit. If that’s what you want from the get-go, then best of luck. It’s not impossible, but you almost certainly won’t get there in the first year.

This blog will cover how you – as an artist – can approach your marketing tactically, but it is not a concrete solution to eliminating the financial risks involved. I will advise you on how to best manage and navigate those risks, but they are nonetheless risks. If you want a guaranteed profit that absolutely dwarfs your budget, then do not do this festival.

Go with the passion and belief that you can achieve all these things, but do not base an entire business model on the reliance that you will. 

The starting point for any successful show is one where all the people involved care about what they are doing. With Edinburgh Fringe, the more you nurture your creative outcomes, the better your financial ones will be.