Inside the World’s Largest Arts Marketplace: Notes from Edinburgh Fringe

3,893 shows. Over 2.6 million tickets sold. 53,942 performances across 301 venues. And 56,000+ artists from around the world. Imagine a city filled with this many artists! Edinburgh in August becomes the largest arts marketplace in the world and this year I was incredibly lucky to be there as both artist and punter.  

What follows are a handful of my reflections, a mix of fresh first impressions, insights drawn from my conversations with seasoned producers, artists, and industry leaders, and the lessons I took away from being in the thick of it. I share them as part of my ongoing commitment to not be a gatekeeper but to pass on what I’ve learned so far, because I know so many don’t get the opportunity to be in these rooms, to see what I’ve seen, and to gather this kind of intel. Of course, Fringe is vast, varied, and unpredictable, and every artist’s circumstances and experience will be unique. These thoughts are just a small glimpse into this mammoth festival and my hope is that they might be useful for independent artists and producers considering a future Fringe presentation, programmers looking for new work, or anyone curious about how Edinburgh Fringe works.  

Stepping into the city during Fringe is like diving headfirst into an alternate universe that never sleeps, every street corner, alley, and pub buzzes with festivities and creativity. Cobblestone streets wind between centuries-old buildings, pretty festoons flutter overhead, and flyers plaster every surface. Crowds line up at every corner, spilling into theaters, pubs, and pop-up performance spaces. The city is gritty and enchanting, majestic and overflowing with possibility and of course THE PERFORMING ARTS (I was in heaven). Being there was surreal and humbling. I never took for granted the privilege of having the passport, the support, the personal freedom, the time, and the financial backing to attend. I thought often of those who don’t get this opportunity but are just as deserving.

And in the midst of this, I was in conversation about art, theatre, music, the state of the world, future collaborations, partnerships and about my own work. Here are some of my insights I am carrying home:

• Bigger is not always better. It is often more powerful to sell out a small venue than to struggle to fill a large one. Sold out status can draw attention faster than four- and five-star reviews and there are literally thousands of those.

  
  

• Venue, location, and time slot are critical. Do the research, speak to venues, the Artist Fringe office and find out where your show could be best positioned and timed. The right slot will shape your audience and your ticket sales. For us, with The Hen House being a musical, an early evening slot between 5 - 8pm is looking ideal.

  
  

• Audiences need repetition. People often need to encounter your show three times before they decide to buy a ticket. Marketing and publicity are not extras, they are essential.

  
  

• Flyering is an artform. The right person in the right place at the right time can make or break your house. Good teams do not just hand out paper, they sell your story and hang close to the venue for those crucial last minute ticket buyers. I bought quite a few tickets myself 10 minutes before shows started.

  
  

• Marketing images really matter. There are literally thousands of posters and flyers everywhere. Your hero image must communicate very quickly the experience the audience will have, not just what the show is about.

  
  

• Unsurprisingly diversity remains a significant challenge in Fringe programming. From the conversations I had and the work I saw firsthand, Fringe programming continues to reflect a predominantly white, British sensibility. For global majority and migrant artists, the way work is framed from a marketing/publicity perspective matters to your potential punter and language is powerful. Yet, in my opinion if we are ever going to break the status quo leaning unapologetically into identity, without compromise, is incredibly important and powerful. One brilliant tool for programmers that I came across is Edinburgh Fringe with Spice set up by artist LULA XYZ in partnership with Fringe of Colour database, a resource specifically designed to highlight global majority talent for programmers. Initiatives like this are vital. They not only showcase underrepresented voices but also help challenge entrenched programming norms. Many artists from these communities simply do not have the big marketing/publicity budgets, so it can be incredibly difficult for audiences and programmers to discover their work. Tools like Fringe with Spice provides a much-needed platform to bridge that gap. To truly reflect the world, we live in and foster equity, we need more intentional interventions of this kind to be supported and platformed.  Representation isn’t just about inclusion though; it’s about reshaping narratives, creating visibility, and enabling artists to tell their stories on their own terms.

  
  

• Ticket sales can be wildly unpredictable. I heard stories of shows going from 20% sold to 95% half hour before show time. Stressful I know but it’s part of the chaos and the magic of Fringe.

  
  

• Touring work from Australia is EXPENSIVE.  Marketing/Publicity and accommodation are some of the biggest costs…more on this later.  

  
  

• Artists, presenters, audiences, and tourists must acknowledge the environmental impact on the city. I couldn’t get over how much paper alone was being discarded on a daily basis. I did read online that flyers and posters at Fringe could generate up to 87 tonnes of paper waste, 75 tonnes in flyers alone. From what I learnt Fringe Society has made progress, halving printed programme volumes, reducing flyer reliance, promoting e-tickets, and targeting net zero by 2030, but the issue remains huge and unresolved. Beyond paper, the environmental toll stretches further: overflowing bins, single-use plastics from food and drink stalls, energy use across countless venues, and the sheer carbon footprint of increased travel and tourism all add to the pressure on the city’s infrastructure and environment.

  
  

• If onward touring or pivoting into TV is part of your bigger goal, then this is a market to seriously consider. International eyes are on you. The biggest talent scouts from TV, theatre, and major companies across the world are EVERYWHERE. They are all looking for the next Fleabag or Baby Reindeer. As one producer reflected to me, “Bringing a show here could fail, do okay, or be life changing.” And here’s the thing: sometimes they’re not even looking for the show itself. They’re looking for you. Your voice. Your perspective. Your ability to craft stories that land with an audience. More and more, TV producers are recognising that playwrights and live performers are some of the best storytellers out there - we know how to grab attention, build worlds quickly, and hold a room. So even if your show isn’t what they need, don’t underestimate how valuable your writing talent and storytelling instincts are to industries beyond the theatre.

  
  

• And finally, I think this one is really important: Define success on your own terms before you arrive. The goal may be audience development, touring, funding, testing your work, or breaking even (if you are lucky), whatever it is, just own it. Our team are really taking the time to consider this for our presentation next year and beyond.

Conversations That Stayed With Me:

I attended a handful of industry events, but one forum truly stayed with me, and interestingly it was the first event I attended when I arrived, and it framed my time in Edinburgh. The ISPA series Sustaining International Collaboration in the Arts brought together artists, producers, and thinkers to reflect on international collaboration, justice, ethics, and the role of art in society. The panel included:

• Ahmed El Attar, Artistic Director and General Manager of Arab Arts Focus (Egypt)

• Victor Rodger, playwright, producer, actor, and journalist from Aotearoa New Zealand

• Tzu-Yin Hsu, international booking agent at Aurora Nova (Germany)

• Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, Vice President for Cultural Affairs at Arizona State University and Executive Director of ASU Gammage (United States)

The conversation explored difficult questions: Whom do we serve? How do we maintain integrity when navigating strategic partnerships? How do we balance moral responsibility with artistic survival in a complex global landscape? There were reflections on historical and ongoing injustices, including Gaza, in the US, the lack of reparations for Black women and First Nations peoples, and on the power of art to open dialogue, to be a vehicle for cultural empathy, build community, and effect change.

I really appreciated how Ahmed El Attar described justice he said “it’s not just a concept but a feeling being safe, heard, and free and that actions and reparations matter”. A moment that landed strongly for me came when Colleen Jennings-Roggensack quoted Dr. King: “The moral arc of the universe bends toward justice.” I would take this a step further and argue that people and culture bend towards justice. History shows us that movements for equity, freedom, and recognition are often driven from the ground up, through shifts in culture, art, and collective values as much as through policy. And in the world we are living in now, we can see this happening all around us, whether in the way marginalised voices are demanding and gaining space, how communities are holding institutions accountable, or how artists are reframing narratives to centre truth and inclusivity. These cultural shifts may feel slow, uneven, and sometimes fragile, but they are tangible evidence of a deeper bend toward justice taking place in our lifetime. Being in that room, full of artists and changemakers, it reminded me that the stories we tell, the platforms we create, and the integrity we uphold contribute to that slow but vital shift.

What about the shows?!

One thing that struck me was how variable the standard of work can be. Some shows with glowing five-star reviews didn’t quite land for me, which really surprised me at first. But I had to remind myself that this is the beauty of Fringe. It’s a place where artists take risks, experiment, and push boundaries, and not everything will resonate with everyone. Everyone’s taste, including my own of course, is relative. As an Australian artist especially knowing the huge financial investment it takes to get there, I instinctively think the work needs to be “bulletproof.” For artists without deep pockets or proximity to the UK, the financial barriers are very real. Which is why for me, being in Edinburgh means playing the long game, choosing carefully, learning, being strategic, and making sure what I bring is truly worth that leap and risk.

I saw as many shows as my poor, jet-lagged self could manage! And while there was so much on offer, the one that really surprised me and stole my heart was the children’s show The Listies. Honestly, I laughed harder than I have in years. The theatre was full of kids laughing their little heads off, and the joy was pure, simple, and utterly contagious. It reminded me why I love making live performance, why I use comedy as a vehicle for catharsis and connection, and why safeguarding our right to perform and create for future generations matters so deeply.

Another quick note, the shows that really stayed with me that I saw like The Listies and others like How to Win Against History, The Other Mozart, Pussy Riot, 27 Club have been refined, toured, and worked on for years. A good reminder that Fringe isn’t just about the buzz of one festival it’s also about honing your voice and committing to the long arc of your work. Also, something else to note the Aussie contingent in Edinburgh is STRONG. The Listies and 27 Club are one of many Australian’s works on offer in Edinburgh presenting world class performance. Our work cuts through a very competitive and noisy market.

Ok, so What’s Next?

As I mentioned before touring shows from Australia is enormously expensive. The logistics, travel, freight, accommodation, and marketing pose a major barrier (to tour a show like ours will cost anywhere between $120 - 170k which is a lot of money for independent artists like myself). Yet Australian storytelling, craft, and ambition are world class. The obstacle is not talent, it is cost.

At Edinburgh, we felt incredible interest and momentum building around Hen House. The conversations we seeded, the relationships we grew, and the curiosity from presenters and peers confirmed what we’ve always known - our story from Western Sydney has the power to resonate on international stages. A 2026 Fringe run and a London circuit are firmly now part of our vision.

But to truly unlock our potential and the many others, we need to rethink how we support Australian work in global markets like Edinburgh Fringe:

• Can funding bodies, philanthropists, and investors recognise Fringe as what it truly is - the BIGGEST arts market in the world, where investment translates into touring, visibility, and longevity? If Netflix, the BBC, Channel 4, and other majors are sending scouts to Edinburgh to discover the next Fleabag or Baby Reindeer, then surely this demonstrates the scale and seriousness of the opportunity. This isn’t “just” a festival, it’s one of the most important global testing grounds for new talent. For artists, the stakes are enormous. For funders, philanthropists, and investors, this is a chance to ensure Australian voices are on the global stage, shaping the cultural conversation not only at home, but worldwide.

• Can we build more strategic international partnerships to share financial risk and create opportunities, e.g companies like House of Oz?

• Can governments, philanthropy, and sponsors collaborate to ensure opportunities aren’t limited only to those who can self-fund?

The appetite is there. The work is ready. Our work is ready. What’s needed now is a system that supports Australian artists to step onto these global stages and thrive.

I return home filled with immense gratitude, vision, and resolve to share what I’ve learned, to play the long game, and to keep telling stories that matter.

And finally, none of this would have been possible without our producing partner PYT Fairfield. They have been by our side from the very beginning, championing Western Sydney stories and artists, and backing our ambition to take this work onto international stages. Their commitment to nurturing diverse voices and pushing ambitious new work is second to none. PYT’s belief in The Hen House, has been steadying and inspiring through every stage of this journey. Their belief in our work has given us the courage to keep aiming higher.

Josipa

Artistic Director, In Wild Company