Artist Development Assistant (fixed term)

Closing date: 10:00 on Friday 29 May 2026

Interview date: Wednesday 10 June 2026

Start date: Monday 13 July 2026

End date: Monday 31 August 2026

Location: Office based, central Edinburgh

The idea at the heart of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is simple: anyone with a desire to perform and a venue willing to host them is welcome. No individual or committee determines who can or cannot perform at the Fringe.

It all began in 1947 with eight companies – six of them from Scotland – taking a risk, turning up uninvited and performing on the ‘fringe’ of the inaugural Edinburgh International Festival. Over 75 years later, the Fringe has grown to become one of the greatest platforms for creative freedom in the world.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society was founded by artists to nurture and uphold the Fringe's values of inclusivity, experimentation and imagination. We exist to support, advise and encourage everyone who wants to participate in the Fringe, provide information and assistance to audiences, and celebrate the Fringe and what it stands for all over the world.

The Artist Development Assistant reports to the Artist Development Manager, as part of the wider Artist Services Team. The Artist Development team focuses on the delivery of events and the administration of the Artist Development Office. Successful candidates will be assigned to a role covering either events, administration, or a combination of both, based on skills and experience.

The Artist Services team provides a comprehensive support service for Fringe participants. Leading up to and during the Fringe this includes support and advice in relation to the professional and creative development of all those who take part in the Fringe. The Artist Development Service works closely with the Arts Industry Office, it is open to all registered Fringe participants and is designed to help them maximise their Fringe experience by providing:

• One to one help and advice to Fringe participants regarding their professional development at the festival before August and in person at Fringe Central, the participants’ hub run by the Fringe Society, during the Fringe
• Resources, in the form of guides, templates and information on subjects such as touring, budgeting, fundraising and networking
• Events and networking opportunities, through the development and delivery of the Fringe Central Events Programme, to aid their professional and/or creative development
• Running events throughout August, including managing the logistics
• A development programme specifically designed for Emerging Producers who want to use the Fringe as a career enhancing opportunity
• Targeted lists and information on accredited Industry professionals/organisations who are attending the Fringe
• Support toward the Made in Scotland showcase programme.

Role and responsibilities

The successful candidates will assist the Artist Development team to deliver the Fringe Central programme offered to Fringe artists and industry professionals. They will perform a wide range of duties, including but not limited to:

• Providing a welcoming experience to all attendees at Fringe Central, including greeting, answering queries, and providing general customer service support.
• Supporting the writing and distribution of communications to Fringe participants, and helping artists identify events and resources relevant to their development
• Ensuring the smooth running of the Artist Development team and events programme by providing administrative and hands-on support where required
• Managing a team inbox and responding to enquiries both in-person and online in a timely and professional manner
• Providing advice and guidance to Fringe participants, both in-person and via email
• Collecting statistical data and supporting the evaluation of the Artist Development service
• Ensuring the success and smooth running of the in-person Fringe Central Events programme, including the practical delivery, logistics, and providing administrative support.

Person specification

Essential

• Strong public-facing communication skills and a friendly and professional manner
• A clear understanding of the work of the Fringe Society and the ability to give objective, fair and consistent information and advice.
• Proactive and creative in response to problem solving
• Demonstrable ability to work under pressure and as part of a team
• Excellent organisational and time management skills and ability to prioritise conflicting demands across a varied workload
• Excellent computer and admin skills, particularly with spreadsheets and Outlook
• Demonstrable experience of providing hands-on support for an in-person events programme.

Desirable

• An understanding of the UK Arts Industry sector.
• Experience of working within the cultural industries; theatre, festivals, venues, cultural agencies.
• Experience of putting on a show at the Fringe.
• Ability to speak a foreign language.

Rate of pay and hours of work

The rate of pay for this post is £13.45 per hour.

Normal working hours are from 10:00 to 18:00, worked over five days between Monday and Friday. During the festival, your working hours will change to be five days worked over seven, typically between 09:30 and 17:30. Your working hours will be organised according to a rota system which the Society will notify you of in advance of the Fringe. This role will be based from our offices and Fringe Central.

We are unable to offer remote working for this position. Outside of the festival, working hours are from 10:00 – 18:00 in the office. During August, the role will be worked on a rota basis over five days a week between the hours 09:30 – 17:30 typically, though this may differ depending on demands of the work. Advance notice will be given.

We use positive action under section 159 of the Equality Act in relation to disability or race. This means that if we have two candidates of equal merit in our process, we will seek to take forward the D/deaf, disabled, Black, Asian or ethnically diverse candidate in order to diversify our staff team.

The Fringe are active members of the Festivals Edinburgh Sustainability Working group and include climate action as one of the headline targets in the Fringe development goals. As part of the commitments of this work, all Fringe staff members are expected to assist with the Fringe Society’s environmental goals and consider these in all elements of your work.

We are also committed to maintaining the open-access policy of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all sectors of the community. We are also proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and aim to successfully employ and retain disabled people and those with health conditions. We expect employees to support these commitments and to assist in their realisation.