'One in a billion' Edinburgh Festival Fringe chief steps down after nine years at the helm

Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society chief executive Shona McCarthy has announced she is to leave the role after nearly nine years.

She will be stepping down in the spring after leading the recovery of the festival since it was completely closed down by the Covid pandemic in 2020.

Fleabag star Phoebe Waller-Bridge, one of several high-profile Fringe ambassadors appointed during Ms McCarthy’s tenure, said she had “held the Fringe together through its most challenging years” and described her as “one in a billion”.

More than 2.6 million tickets were sold for this year's event - which boasted the fourth highest attendance in the Fringe’s 77-year history and the second biggest programme after 2019’s record-breaking edition.

However the recruitment drive for a replacement will be getting underway within weeks at a time of huge uncertainty over the future of both the Fringe and Scottish culture.

She has announced her departure weeks after publishing an open letter raising concerns about emerging artists being "squeezed out" of the Fringe due to rising costs, cuts in public funding and "an unhelpful policy environment."

At the time, she warned that the "hard-won and fragile success of the Fringe was not met with "complacency," and raised concerns that artistic risk and ambition at the festival were being "hamstrung."

Performers staged on-stage protests at the final weekend of this year’s festival after it emerged that a Creative Scotland funding for individual artists would be closing due to uncertainty over its Scottish Government budget. Long-term funding decisions on hundreds of arts organisations, which were due to be announced this month, have been delayed until the year of January after the government refuse to confirm a budget for Creative Scotland’s three-year programme.

Ms McCarthy has regularly spoken out about the need for greater support for the Fringe from the Scottish Government, Creative Scotland and Edinburgh City Council, suggesting earlier this year that it had become "a national embarrassment.

However she has managed to secure crucial new backing for the event from the UK Government, which has agreed to fund the creation of a new headquarters and support a few Keep It Fringe Fund, which helps artists and companies meet some of the costs involved in putting on shows.

Announcing her departure, Ms McCarthy said: "It has been an enormous privilege to serve the Edinburgh Fringe, I love this phenomenal festival and will forever be an advocate and champion.

"I have worked with some of the best people in our sector, a committed and passionate team, and brilliant board members led by our chair, Benny Higgins, and his predecessor, Tim O’Shea."

“In my remaining time with the Fringe Society I will be relentless in continued work with all to ensure our charity is in its best shape to continue to support this globally exceptional festival and performing arts expo.

“I will work closely with the city, Scottish Government and UK Government to encourage more supportive conditions for this national and international cultural asset that is delivered every year in Scotland’s beautiful capital and is part of the fabric of Edinburgh.”

Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who was an unknown when she brought her stage show Fleabag to the event, actor Brian Cox and comedian Eddie Izzard, have all been appointed to official Fringe roles in recent years.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge said: “You could not imagine a more passionate, determined, ambitious, hilarious, fiercely optimistic leader of the Fringe.

“After years working to build and expand the Fringe in every way for everyone, facing unimaginable setbacks and challenges, Shona’s eyes never stopped shining with genuine excitement for every new show she told you about.

“She held the Fringe together through its most challenging years and guided it to its record-breaking peak. She is one in a billion.

“I am personally devastated that she is leaving, but equally thrilled that she can take a well-earned rest knowing that she has raised more money, staged more shows, convinced more people of the importance and vibrancy of the Fringe than should be humanly possible.”

Scottish culture secretary Angus Robertson said: “Shona McCarthy has done an excellent job as chief executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world's largest performance arts festival.

“She has been excellent to work with and is a passionate advocate for the continuing world-class success of the Fringe.”