Study to examine economic and social impact of Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Academics at the University of Glasgow have been commissioned to carry out the research, examining how the Fringe supports jobs and businesses and contributes to Scotland’s wider cultural economy.

While there have been previous studies of Edinburgh’s major festivals, this is the first time in many years the Fringe - the world’s biggest arts’ festival - will be looked at on its own.

The study, supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, will look at how the cultural impact of the festival connects to economic outcomes, including tourism, job creation and the longer-term value of careers that start at the festival.

Launched in 1947 alongside the Edinburgh International Festival, when eight uninvited theatre troupes staged performances on the periphery of the main event, the Fringe has inspired more than 300 other “fringe” events around the world.

It has also been responsible for launching the careers of a large number of well-known actors and performers, including John Byrne, Susan Calman, Sir Billy Connolly, Alan Cumming, Karen Dunbar, Franz Ferdinand, Idlewild and Snowpatrol.

Other well-known names who became famous after performing hit shows at the Fringe which were later developed into television adaptations include Baby Reindeer star Richard Gadd and Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

Professor Murray Pittock, pro-vice-principal at the university, who previously led a major study on the economic impact of Robert Burns which continues to inform policy around the promotion of the poet, is to lead the research.

The Fringe issued over 2.6 million tickets last year, attracts around 750,000 attendees a year and supports an estimated 3,000 jobs. In 2025, more than 3,800 shows were performed, with artists travelling from Scotland, across the UK and overseas.

Prof Pittock said: “This study will be an important opportunity to articulate the extent of the Fringe’s value to Edinburgh and Scotland as a distinctive global offer and core brand, and it is great news to have the support of the Arts and Humanities Research Council in carrying out this work.”

Tony Lankester, chief executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, which operates the festival, said: “The Fringe is a remarkable example of what can happen when artists are given the freedom to create and audiences the freedom to discover.

“Its impact reaches far beyond the performances themselves, supporting artistic careers and shaping how people connect with culture and new ideas.”

He added: “Work like this is vital in helping us better understand and articulate that value, ensuring the Fringe continues to thrive as an open and accessible space for creativity.”

Last year, the Fringe Society claimed that £6.5 million would be generated by the festival for the city’s new visitor levy.

The study estimated the figure from the amount it said would be generated from the tax on accommodation from audiences, artists, arts industry and media visiting the city.