Fringe Friends is the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society’s membership scheme, which provides benefits – such as 2for1 tickets to participating shows – and vital funds for the Fringe Society’s charitable work. We have over 3.5k Friends now and expect this to rise to 6k by the end of August.

The Fringe Society has several opportunities for businesses that have strong environmental sustainability and fair work practices in place.

OPPORTUNITIES

1. Incentives for Friends

We are providing lanyards for all our Friends to visibly promote the scheme and strengthen the Friends’ connection with the festival. With the lanyards, we want to trial a new ‘members card’ for Friends in the higher tiers that gives them access to benefits with local businesses. This currently accounts for 642 Friends but will increase.

We hope that this will benefit businesses by increasing footfall, brand recognition and new customers you otherwise wouldn’t reach. It doesn’t cost anything for your business to join, but it is a trial this year, so places are limited. Partners will get their logo on the lanyard card and on our website. Corporate Friends will get priority.

In future, we would like to offer benefits throughout the year, helping businesses at quieter times, and partnering with businesses that can provide opportunities in other cities/countries.

2. Lanyard sponsor

We are expecting to have 6,000 lanyards for Friends this year. The sponsor will get their logo: on the front of the lanyards; on our website; at the box office; on a poster in the Fringe shop window, visible to crowds on the Royal Mile.

You will also be invited to attend exclusive Friends events where you can promote your business.

3. Host or sponsor an event

We hold three exclusive events for our Friends during August. They are an opportunity to network and see taster performances. We need space for around 100 people – mainly standing, with some seating for those who require it – and look for organisations to cover the food and drink costs.

There are opportunities to promote your business and invite your own guests to this exclusive Fringe party.

4. Corporate Friends

We are launching a Corporate Friends scheme that would allow you to provide benefits for your staff – such as 2for1 Fringe tickets on participating shows – and increase footfall to your business through the Friends lanyard offers.

Please get in touch with Westaly.Duignan@edfringe.com, Head of Fundraising & Development, if you are interested in any of these opportunities.