Shedload-of-Future Fund Announces 2026 Edinburgh Fringe Bursary Recipients
Recipients include TOAST, PINK RABBIT, and TRANS PEOPLE ARE AWFUL, supported by Joe Lycett and Nish Kumar.
Francesca Moody Productions and Shedinburgh have announced Diagnostic Trouble Code (The Terribly Credible Definitely Edible Tale of the Town of Cropshire), Evaldas Karosas (A Very Capable Man), Jude Green (Toast), NAZAR ARTS (Pink Rabbit) and Ros Watt (Trans People Are Awful) as the recipients of the 2026 Shedload-of-Future Fund.
The recipients were announced this morning at the Shedinburgh 2026 programme launch at London's Young Vic. The event also saw a host of incredible shows and artists announced for Shedinburgh 2026, including Sara Pascoe, Rosie Jones, Lucy McCormick, Jessie Cave, Sam Nicoresti, Deborah Frances-White, Stuart Laws & Nish Kumar, Inua Ellams, Tim Crouch, Jade Franks, Bryony Kimmings, Damien Warren-Smith, Josh Sharp and more.
Following the announcement, recipient Eleanor Bett from Diagnostic Trouble Code said: “I think it really has been life changing for us, we simply wouldn't have been able to afford to go to Edinburgh without this award. We're such a big company, the idea of affording accommodation without any help, let alone then you've got the venue and marketing costs, its made it a possibility for us. And with the backing of Shedinburgh is gonna help set us up for the best debut we could possibly have”
Farah Ashraf founder of NAZAR ARTS said: “Having a support system like Shedinburgh behind you makes you believe that the work is important”
Evaldas Karosas added: “Okay so this definitely has to happen now! I cannot back out, so I'm committing to Edinburgh for sure. But also I am so so grateful, make sure to add at least 4 exclamation marks to show I'm grateful!!!”
The Shedload-of-Future Fund is a bursary programme designed to support early-career artists and companies bringing work to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for the first time. This years' fund has expanded from three awards in 2025 to five in 2026, thanks to the generous support of Multitude Media, Joe Lycett, Plosive, Nish Kumar and Mick Perrin Worldwide.
Recipients can use the bursary towards any costs involved in taking a show to the Fringe in 2026 - such as travel, accommodation, marketing and publicity, set, or artists' fees. This flexibility allows artists to allocate funds according to their individual production needs and creative plans.
As the cost of taking a show to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe continues to rise and financial support declines, Fringe-affiliated companies and individuals have stepped in to boost the 2026 Fund, helping ensure more artists - especially those from low-income backgrounds - can access support this August.
Francesca Moody, founder of FMP said: "We're thrilled to announce this year's five Shedload-of-Future Fund recipients. Taking your first show to the Edinburgh Fringe can be a life-changing experience, it's often that crucial first step on the ladder, where careers are launched, life-long collaborations made, and industry networks established (sometimes late night in the venue bar). We received over 200 applications and choosing just five was incredibly hard. We're delighted to support such a brilliant cohort of emerging artists bringing their shows to the Edinburgh Fringe for the very first time, reflecting the incredible range of work that the Fringe has to offer. We hope that the Shedload-of-Future Fund provides them with the opportunity to focus on making work and making the most out of their first Edinburgh Fringe.”
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe has long been a launchpad for new talent, with many of today's celebrated performers and landmark shows beginning in small venues across the city. Artists including Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Suzy Eddie Izzard, Trevor Noah, Richard Gadd, Robin Williams and Stephen Fry first performed at the Fringe, while productions such as Fleabag, The Mighty Boosh, Six, Operation Mincemeat, The Play That Goes Wrong, Taskmaster and Baby Reindeer all trace their origins to the festival. Yet rising production costs and an increasingly crowded programme mean access to the Fringe is more challenging than ever, disproportionately affecting those from low-income backgrounds. The Shedload-of-Future Fund has been established to help break down these barriers, ensuring that early-career artists, performers and companies can continue to develop and present ambitious new work on one of the world's most important cultural stages.
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