The Fringe comes to an end today after selling 2.4 million tickets to audiences who come from 170 countries.
- 2,445,609 tickets
- 288 venues
- 67 countries represented
- 17 countries presented showcases
- 500 street performers, buskers and street artists
- 1,400 accredited producers, programmers, bookers, talent agencies and festivals from 49 countries
- 840 members of the media received accreditation
- 10% more reviewers than last year
- 25% more reviews than last year
- 3,553 shows
- 80,000 downloads of the Fringe app
- 400,000 tickets sold through the app
- 1,500 artists hosted at the Artist Hub at Fringe Central with more than 40 events
- 56% Fringe shows accessible for wheelchair users
- 800 schoolchildren attended as part of the Fringe Society’s schools’ outreach work
Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “This year’s Fringe has been one that’s felt fresh, brave and energetic, and has sparked joy, discussion and provocation in equal measure, tackling the prevalent issues of our times and looking at them afresh through the creative lens and ingenuity of the performing artists.
“People come from all over the world to perform here, to see shows and to commission work. This festival remains a beacon for people to share and discuss ideas – I want to express my heartfelt thanks and admiration to everyone who makes it happen. Congratulations to the whole Fringe community of Fringe 2023; we will be relentless in our ongoing work to ensure that the Edinburgh Fringe lives up to its mantra – to give anyone a stage and everyone a seat.”
Benny Higgins, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society Chair, added: “The discussions and debates held at this year’s festival have made it one of the most vital and memorable – and one of the loudest conversations was the one around affordability. Certainly artists are facing some of the most severe challenges ever, and while the Fringe Society will continue to do everything in its collective power to support artists, this will become harder and harder without finding support commensurate with its contribution to the economy. We will continue to make the case for funding, to protect what the Fringe represents – an unrivalled outpouring of creative expression.”
By Monday afternoon, with hundreds of performances still to take place, the Fringe Society can confirm that just under a quarter of a million people attended Fringe shows this year. 33% of attendees came from Edinburgh, 15% from the rest of Scotland and 10% from overseas, highlighting the continued appeal of the Fringe for locals and visitors alike. Over 800,000 tickets were issued to ticket-buyers with EH postcodes, and 611 shows came from Edinburgh and the Lothians.
Some key initiatives included a long term commitment to community engagement and access with 320 sensory resources handed out for autistic children and adults, BSL interpretation of street events and a dedicated Changing Places toilet near George Square. Access bookings increased by 35% on last year.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe will run from 2 to 26 August 2024.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
