People’s fest to challenge ‘elite’ FringeAN alternative to the Fringe Festival is to be launched next month amid accusations that the world-famous event has become elitist and turned its back on the city’s ordinary population.
The Edinburgh People’s Festival, which ran for just one night last year, is to be expanded to a week by organisers as part of a drive to reclaim the Festival by taking theatre, poetry, comedy and music to the outskirts of the city.
With prices for some Fringe shows reaching an unprecedented £15 this year, those behind the alternative event – to run from August 10-16 – say the need for the People’s Festival has never been greater. They are confident that their festival can expand further next year and become an annual part of the Edinburgh Festival calendar.
Scottish Socialist MSP Colin Fox, who is organising the event, accused Edinburgh Festival bosses of running “nothing more than a tourist attraction” with no cultural benefit to the working people of the city.
He said: “The Festival has become too commercial and expensive. It’s no longer aimed at the Edinburgh people and it can’t pretend it is an event for the people of the city. It’s become nothing more than a tourist attraction. Nothing takes place outside of about three streets.
“It’s actually quite ironic because the Fringe was born out of criticism that the Edinburgh Festival was elitist and now it faces the same charge. Our event puts the Edinburgh Festivals in context. What Edinburgh has now is a multi-million pound tourist extravaganza which leaves the city cold.” Sunday HeraldPeople's Festival to challenge 'corporate' Edinburgh Fringe Colin Fox, who is organising the People's Festival, said it would give a platform for new performers in areas such as Wester Hailes, Portobello and Gilmerton. 'The same thing is happening to culture that happened to football,' he said. 'It is being taken over by brewers and multi-nationals and prices have shot up.
'The festivals make millions for the hotel chains and big pubs in the heart of town, but does little for the people who live in the parts of Edinburgh not being shown off to the rest of the world.'
A one-night prototype People's Festival was held last year at the Jack Kane centre in the Craigmillar area. Its success encouraged Fox, who is also a Member of the Scottish Parliament, to organise a full week of events this year. Tickets costing just £2 will sell for performances of theatre, music and art. The ObserverFor more information see the
Edinburgh People's Festival Website
