Today at Out of the Blue Drill Hall in Leith Made in Scotland announced its programme of music, theatre and dance for this year’s Fringe. Now in its 9th year, Made in Scotland has funded 125 companies, ensembles and artists to showcase over 180 shows. This year looks to be another eclectic mix of world class talent that will go to some way to celebrate the 70th Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Following a moment’s silence for the recent tragic events in Manchester, Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs gave a positive message of love and hope for the future before saying, “Made in Scotland is an integral part of the Fringe Festival, showcasing excellent, bold and innovative work from Scotland to local, national and international audiences. We have contributed almost £5 million to Made in Scotland through the Scottish Government’s EXPO fund since it began, and it has enabled Scottish theatre, dance and music acts to perform around the world.”
This year's showcase will support 24 shows at the 2017 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, chosen by a panel of experts from the Scottish and international performing arts community. The programme represents a mix of established companies such as the National Theatre of Scotland, Stellar Quines, Dogstar Theatre Company and Scottish Dance Theatre with award winning Scottish theatre maker Gary McNair alongside vibrant emerging artists such as Tom Poulson and Joan Clevillé Dance, producing theatre, dance, children’s theatre from the likes of The Polar Bears, Andy Canon and Caroline Bowditch and Company and music from Modern Studies and Lomond Campbell and WHYTE.
Playwrights’ Studio Scotland's TalkFest 2017 explores what stimulates the artists behind this year’s Made in Scotland showcase and wider Edinburgh Festival Fringe in sessions led and chaired by some of our leading playwrights and theatre-makers including Rona Munro, Nicola McCartney, Philip Howard, Adura Onashile, Orla O'Loughlin, Pauline Goldsmith, Adam McNamara, Joe Douglas, Michael John McCarthy and Martin O'Connor.
Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society said, “This is an auspicious year for the Fringe as it celebrates its 70th anniversary. A festival which started because eight companies, six of whom were Scottish, simply wanted to present their work to audiences. Seventy years on, and the Made in Scotland showcase provides an incredible opportunity for Scottish based... to highlight their work at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, supporting them to take advantage of the opportunities presented by a festival of this scale and internationalism taking place in Scotland. As well as providing a platform to raise their profile and connect with local and international industry and media, Made in Scotland opens up opportunities for onward international touring giving shows a life beyond the Fringe...”
See the full programme online at www.madeinscotlandshowcase.com follow on Twitter @MadeinScotShows and connect on Facebook at Facebook.com/MadeInScotland