The organisers of the Edinburgh Fringe have announced their plans to host the festival in 2021.
The annual event, which is renowned as being the world’s largest arts festival, was cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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Edinburgh Festival Fringe is set to return in 2021 and take place from August 6-30, though organisers say they are mindful of potential coronavirus-enforced restrictions and are therefore preparing for “a range of scenarios, from socially distanced live events to digital offerings”.
Registration for the 2021 Fringe is set to open on May 5 and will be available to all artists and venues to register their shows for the festival.
The festival’s brand new online ‘Fringe Player’ platform will also launch this year, which is aiming to bring “some festival magic into homes across the world, while providing a secure platform for artists, companies and venues to host their show”.
Any live performance that is registered as part of the 2021 Fringe will be expected to adhere to public health guidance from the Scottish Government.
“We’re delighted to be able to open registration for 2021,” Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Fringe Society, said in a statement. “Of course, we’re still very much in planning mode as we await further updates from the Scottish Government, but this feels like a hugely positive step in the right direction.
“Through the work being created across the various digital platforms, including the Fringe Player, artists have a brilliant opportunity to reach audiences and communities all over the world. I look forward to seeing how our Fringe creatives use these platforms in 2021 and beyond.”
You can find out more information about the 2021 Edinburgh Festival Fringe here.
It’s hoped that live events will be able to resume in Scotland from May 17, with socially distanced audiences of up to 400 people for indoor shows and 2,000 for outdoor seated performances set to be permitted by the end of June.
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