Summerhall congratulates Hope Mill Theatre, the winner of Fringe Theatre of the Year, sponsored by encoreinsure.com, at The Stage Awards.
Summerhall is delighted to have been nominated for Fringe Theatre of the Year, sponsored by encoreinsure.com, at The Stage Awards. Alongside fellow nominees Hope Mill Theatre and The Orange Tree Theatre, the award celebrates unfunded organisations based outside central London, recognizing them as a vital part of the UK theatre ecology.
2017 saw eleven Summerhall Fringe shows nominated at the Total Theatre Awards, six given Fringe First Awards, as well as several other wins and nominations in a range of categories, recognizing not only Summerhall’s own programme, but also the work of our partners and collaborators.
Speaking about Summerhall’s Fringe line-up, Programme Manager Verity Leigh said:
“We are honoured that so many brilliant artists and theatre-makers have chosen to be part of Summerhall’s programmes over the last few years. As well as presenting their work, our aim for the artists who visit us in August is that they become part of a pop-up, month-long creative community. One of our favourite things every festival is to see artists sitting and chatting together and making connections in our courtyard.”
On how Summerhall’s unique setup contributes to its artistic output:
“Like the other venues nominated in this category, Summerhall has a ‘mixed economy’. The building is owned by a private philanthropist and we generate earned income to keep it open to the public all year round. Alongside our year-round performance, live music and visual art programmes, we provide workspace for artists, innovators and community organisations. We have a pub, a café, a distillery and a brewery on site, and host all kinds of events, parties, workshops — even weddings. The financial model has its challenges, just as being publicly funded does; but there’s definitely something about the mix of activity that happens in the building that leads to an interesting and diverse
range of people using it — and means that most days have some kind of surprise in store…”
This year Summerhall is building upon its reputation as a leading venue for innovative, creative arts. Burns Unbroke celebrates Scotland’s Bard with a three-month contemporary multi-arts festival; Nothing Ever Happens Here… will bring the best in alternative and world music to the Dissection Room. Through initiatives like Summerhall Lab, Space and Scratch, the strands of our Creative Scotland funded artist development programme funded which supports artists living and working in Scotland, Summerhall aims to ensure that the sense of community and creativity that is so present during the Fringe exists all year round.