The Edinburgh Festival Fringe should be treated with the same level of importance as major sporting events like the Olympics or the Commonwealth Games, according to the event’s outgoing chief executive, Shona McCarthy. Despite being the world’s largest arts festival, the Fringe faces significant challenges as public authorities often overlook its needs, leading to difficulties in securing affordable accommodation for artists and crew, unreliable mobile phone signals, and inadequate public transport infrastructure.

McCarthy backed the Scottish government’s decision to invest £200 million over three years in Scottish artists and culture but pointed out that this funding does not directly support the Fringe itself. She emphasized the importance of providing the necessary infrastructure and facilities to accommodate the scale and global significance of the festival, drawing comparisons with the specialized support given to major sports events.

McCarthy calls for the city and government to help unlock all available capacity in Edinburgh to house performers and crew and expressed concerns about the lack of late-running train services and mobile phone signal boosters. Despite these challenges, she is hopeful that strategic planning and additional funding might improve the situation in the future, following the announcement of a new festivals partnership group by the Scottish culture secretary. Describing the Fringe as an event “about freedom of expression,” “cultural democracy,” and “inclusion and access,” McCarthy believes that its unique value should not be overshadowed by economic considerations.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2025/mar/05/edinburgh-festival-fringe-olympics-shona-mccarthy-chief-executive