Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society: Emerging Producers Development Programme

The Emerging Producers Development Programme (EPDP) is a creative and professional development programme for 15 emerging UK-based producers interested in using the Fringe as a platform for their ongoing career development.

The programme is run by the Fringe Society and aims to support emerging UK producers to expand their professional networks and develop their learning and creative insight at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Who is it for?

The programme is open to UK-based emerging producers, working across all disciplines and genres of the performing arts, who would not qualify for Arts Industry accreditation through the Fringe Society’s Arts Industry Office.

Participant selection

Participants will be selected by open application (see below). The Fringe Society is committed to maintaining the open-access policy of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, so they welcome applications from all sectors of the arts community.

The Fringe Society is also committed to a policy of equal opportunity. Places on the programme will be prioritised for producers who identify as disabled, working class and / or part of the global majority. These will be promoted through select partner organisations across the UK best placed to identify and nominate promising emerging producers from within their networks, as well as via the open call process. Please make it clear in your application if you are applying for the EPDP via open call or on recommendation from a partner organisation.

What’s included in the programme?

The programme consists of:

a £100 ticket voucher to help you see a wider breadth of work at the Fringe than your own budget would allow
a bursary of £700 to contribute to accommodation, travel and food costs throughout the five-day programme in Edinburgh
accreditation and access to all resources provided by the Arts Industry Office during August (excluding the complimentary ticketing service)
a tailored programme of workshops, discussions and events addressing the shared development needs of you and your fellow producers on the programme
an invitation to the EPDP Welcome Reception to meet fellow participants and the Fringe Society team
invitations to key Fringe Central events
a meeting with the Artist Development Manager or the Arts Industry Manager to discuss professional development opportunities at the Fringe and beyond
bespoke advice and help navigating the Fringe programme to find artists / shows of interest
access to Fringe Central and all the services and resources within
access to the Fringe Central Events Programme, an extensive programme of professional development workshops, discussions and networking events.

Access adjustments

To make the programme more accessible to those who have additional support needs, a fee of up to £150 per day is available to cover the cost of a personal assistant over the five days of the programme, plus a travel bursary equal to that of the participants’, should it be needed.

If you require access adjustments or support to enable your participation in this programme please specify this in your application so that they can ensure these are included in our planning.

Eligibility

Applicants should be able to demonstrate existing professional partnerships, producing credits or affiliations within their chosen field and clearly identify how this programme will further the work they are already doing and / or further develop their creative practice. This opportunity is suitable for those early in their career of producing in the performing arts.

Essential criteria

Applicants must be working in a professional producing capacity in the performing arts; this need not be full time.
Applicants must be over the age of 18 (there is no upper age limit).
Applicants must be UK-based.
Applicants must be working independently / freelance in their producing practice. Applications will not be considered from organisations on behalf of candidates or those established in an organisational role which would make them eligible for Arts Industry accreditation.
Applicants must be able to be in Edinburgh during the EPDP focus dates, 21 – 25 August 2023.
Applications will not be considered if the applicant has participated in the programme previously.

You are not eligible if:

you are an established producer with five or more years’ experience of producing independently or within an organisation
you are working in an established organisational role which would make you eligible for Arts Industry accreditation
you are not working towards a producing career and have no partnerships, producing credits or affiliations within your chosen producing field.

Further guidance

Applicants don’t need to be presenting work at this year’s Fringe, or to have done so in the past. Please note that participants will be expected to prioritise and fully commit to the EPDP between 21 – 25 August 2023. This will include attending events, workshops and meetings at various times. They therefore recommend that you aren’t producing work at this year’s Fringe.

Applications will be accepted from those in higher education as long as they meet the other essential criteria.

The programme is not designed to help you bring a show to the Fringe.

How to apply

Please send your CV and a personal statement (no more than one page) detailing relevant experience and eligibility to emergingproducers@edfringe.com with the email subject, ‘Emerging Producers application,’ by 10am, Fri 5 May 2023.

In your cover letter, please include:

how you heard about this programme
how this programme will further the work you are already doing and/or further develop your creative practice
confirmation that you are able to fully commit to and prioritise the programme between 21 – 25 August 2023. Please highlight any barriers to you doing this.

They welcome applicants who wish to submit an application in an alternative format (eg video application, voice recording, etc). Please contact emergingproducers@edfringe.com to discuss options.

If you are an organisation who works with emerging producers who identify as disabled, part of the global majority and / or working class, and would like to enquire about nominating an individual, please contact them at emergingproducers@edfringe.com.

If you have any questions about an existing application or the programme in general, the Artist Development Service is open year-round and can be contacted on emergingproducers@edfringe.com.