Two stars, three stars, four stars – every other tweet in my media feed this week has been a fringe review of yet another great, god-awful or just plain crazy performance from Edinburgh. It's festivals like the fringe that can really make or break a career, but there's more to it than just being a funny comedian or a talented theatre troupe; you have to a be a keen marketer, business brain and PR machine as well, especially if you're on a tight budget.
Remember that for all the fun and games that go with a festival like Edinburgh (or FringeNYC which is also in full swing) – you're there to trade, sell and show face. So what advice is there for surviving and thriving in the madhouse? Veterans of the Edinburgh fringe have countless tales and tips (take risks, sleep well and don't drink, they say) but what about venues, funding or the little things like where to stay and how to spend your free time?
Then there's advertising and marketing – is plastering your face on every street corner the key to a sell-out crowd, or does doing it softly-softly at Brookes Bar work better? However much you rate your own performance or show, you've wasted quality time if no one has turned up to see it. And what about an online presence: how important is that to a festival performer?
So many questions but such little time and money. That's why we're calling on you to help us and your fellow arts practitioners to survive and thrive the fringe festival scene. Please do leave your tips, tales, insights, questions and answers below the line.
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