2023 Edinburgh Fringe
Edinburgh Comedy Awards seek new funding
- The Edinburgh Comedy Awards may not run in 2023, having failed to secure funding
- The awards are being moved into a charitable trust in order to seek more diverse financial backing in future
- More than £200,000 is required each year to cover the prestigious awards' varied costs
Edinburgh Comedy Awards secures multiple sponsorship deal
The Edinburgh Comedy Awards face an uncertain future after the end of its two-year title sponsorship deal with UKTV channel Dave.
Established and overseen by West End producer Nica Burns, the awards have failed to secure a new sponsor for 2023 and may not be able to run.
The awards are now being moved into ownership by a new charitable trust, and will for future years seek multiple, smaller sponsorship deals, covering individual prizes and activities, from both companies and individuals - raising the prospect of public-donated crowd-funded pots.
Between its various events, prize funds for winners, administrative costs, and judging and scouting teams, the awards - with Best Show, Best Newcomer and the special Panel Prize - cost more than £200,000 to run each year, with further overheads covered from Director Burns's own pocket.
The organisers explain: "As everyone across the arts knows, post-covid the commercial landscape has changed significantly: marketing and sponsorship budgets are under huge pressure and the pool of ethically appropriate sponsors diminished.
"Sadly, in this environment, we have been unable to secure a new title sponsor for 2023. It has become clear that we need to change the funding model, to think beyond one large title sponsor, to raise money from a mix of sources. To support this new structure, we are in the process of placing the Awards into a charitable trust. This will enable us to put syndicates together, thereby raising smaller amounts of money and accessing different budgets from companies and individuals. The core principles at the heart of the Awards will remain: they will continue to operate an open-access, independent, thorough, inclusive and fair judging process comprising senior members of the comedy industry, comedy critics and comedy fans representing the public.
"That is our future: however, for the Awards to take place this year, we need some help. We are calling out for potential heroes asking them to step forward with support so we do not have to pause the awards for 2023 and we can continue to find and spotlight the next generation of talent at this year's Festival."
Nica Burns (pictured) says: "I am a passionate advocate of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the vital role it plays in acting as a springboard for many careers, including my own. I remain committed to the Awards which I have fought for and grown over the last four decades and I am proud of their role in spotlighting outstanding comedy talent.
"As the Comedy section [of the Fringe Society's annual programme] has expanded to become such a significant genre of the Fringe, so have the costs of running the Awards. Having stepped in and personally sponsored them twice over the years, I will be the first to put money on the table for 2023, but post-covid can no longer do it on my own. I am therefore inviting the comedy industry and all potential partners to get in touch immediately to help make the Awards happen this year. There are a number of possibilities including contributing to sponsoring each Award and/or the Presentation. You can get in touch at support@comedyawards.co.uk."
The awards are still often colloquially referred to as the "Perriers", after the French mineral water brand that was the awards' first and longest-lasting sponsor, for 25 years (1991 - 2005 inclusive). Other title sponsors have been Foster's beer (6 years, 2010 - 2015), Intelligent Finance's if.com (3 years, 2006 - 2008), Lastminute.com (2 years, 2016 & 2017), and most recently Dave, in 2019 and 2022.