Edinburgh Fringe
Psychotherapist questions the Fringe's support for creatives
Rafaela Nunes, a not-for-profit founder and psychotherapist with her own practice specialising in creatives - threadUp in Manchester - is collaborating with The Free Festival to run therapeutic drop-in sessions.
The sessions will take place in Bar 50 on Cowgate, which is designated as The Free Festival's performer led disability and neurodiversity friendly space.
Nunes says that despite this and other initiatives, the Fringe as a whole could be doing much more to support creatives.
"The Free Festival's tremendous initiatives at Bar 50 this year are a great example of how we can better support creatives at the Edinburgh Fringe, because, as we know - some could do more. Actually I'll go further, we all could do more."
A visitor to the Fringe for many years and a therapist to those who have performed there, Rafaela says she is concerned that the challenges of the Fringe - creative, financial and the mental health toll - are not being adequately addressed to support the artists.
"What I have witnessed, when visiting the festival, are levels of stress that are completely unsustainable and harmful. And this is why The Free Festival's undertaking is so important this year - which I hope creatives don't ignore, with many initiatives happening in one place, even just the discussion that will generate is so beneficial to the way all creatives, not just neurodiverse ones, feel at the Fringe. The challenges are big, and the only way for real change, is first and foremost coming from a perspective of valuing creatives, being inspired by these valuable wellbeing initiatives on offer, and to take a more holistic approach for us all to embrace change, and it is achievable."
Rafaela continues and makes a final plea to everyone at the Fringe: "All I'm asking you to do as a visitor, critic, producer, technician, venue owner, PR or audience member at the Fringe is to ask yourself one question when you're at the Festival - do I value creatives? Do I really value them? Then I'll seek to support them differently - if I'm an audience member I'll be more supportive when I feel I can be, if I am a venue or a landlord I won't charge so much next time, I'll be more encouraging when a creative at my venue needs support, if I'm a critic I'll be honest but kinder, I will actively support initiatives that don't add to the financial burden of creatives. And so on. I'm a firm believer of yes, big changes start with small actions, but the real change can only happen if we all change, every single one of us, and it's a fairly easy change to make - let's all value the creative more."
Nunes will be hosting the drop-in sessions at Bar 50 on 12th August from 10am and 13th August from 1pm. She will also be around during the Fringe having informal conversations and gathering questionnaire feedback to build on the support needed for next year and beyond.