Edinburgh’s Gilded Balloon has launched a fund to help comedians who struggle to afford the cost of performing at the Fringe, with the first donation coming from Tim Minchin.
The Show Support Fund aims to raise money from commercial, public and charitable sources to support artists playing there each August.
In its first year, £10,000 has been raised, split equally between five shows: Jamie Kilstein’s Can’t Tie Knots, Madeleine Brettingham’s Legend, Lois-Amber Toole’s Slay Alan Jay’s Hell Hath No Humour Like A Gayboy Scorned, and Kathleen Hughes’s Twig. They will get help with travel, accommodation, marketing and more.
Minchin, whose career was transformed by a run at Gilded Balloon in 2005, pictured, has a particular interest in supporting artists who have experienced mental health difficulties. He and Sarah are the fund’s founding donors.
He said: ‘Late one night in March, 21 years ago, a furiously passionate woman with a strong Scottish accent called me up and demanded I go to the Gilded Balloon. I didn’t know what the fuck a Gilded Balloon was, and I was deeply cautious, because I’d spent ten years grafting away, and didn’t really believe in big breaks.
‘But a big break is exactly what that phone call was. Karen Koren – and now her daughter Katy – have remained loyal friends and passionate supporters for two decades, and it’s a huge privilege to be able to support them a bit as they head into their 41st Fringe.’
In a statement, the Korens, who are joint artistic directors of the venue, said: ‘For over 40 years, Gilded Balloon has been a home for artists at every stage of their careers, from first-timers to global stars.
‘But the reality now is that the financial barriers to getting to the Fringe are higher than ever. We are delighted to finally launch this fund which has been a long time coming and is about protecting what makes the Fringe special, taking risks on new voices and giving artists the chance to be seen.
‘It’s practical, targeted support that can genuinely change the trajectory of someone’s career and we are eternally grateful to our pal, Tim Minchin, for being the first to support the Show Support Fund.’
The Show Support Fund will be run through Gilded Balloon Futures, the venue's charitable arm. The same organisation will also support the So You Think You’re Funny? new act competition, helping cover travel and accommodation costs for selected performers.
• Click here to make Chortle a 'preferred source' on Google, which means results from this site will appear higher in your search results.
