Assembly Festival Secures Future At Assembly Rooms Until 2032 As 44th Festival Closes On A High
The 44th Festival closed on August 25 with more than 470,000 tickets issued and award wins across theatre and comedy.
By: A.A. Cristi Aug. 26, 2025
Assembly Festival has confirmed that it will continue running the historic Assembly Rooms during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe until 2032, following the company’s successful bid to renew its contract with the City of Edinburgh Council. The news arrives as Assembly celebrates the close of its 44th Festival, which ended on August 25 on a triumphant high.
Assembly Festival takes its name from the Assembly Rooms, the iconic building where it all began in 1981. Shortly out of university, Artistic Director and founder William Burdett-Coutts approached the Council about hiring a single room and instead was offered the entire building. That first year saw 57 shows staged across five rooms, establishing the first multi-hub model of the Fringe. Since then, Assembly has grown into a powerhouse of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, launching the careers of performers such as Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Griff Rhys Jones, Emma Thompson, Lenny Henry, and Rick Mayall, and presenting international hits like Freestyle Love Supreme, spearheaded by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Reflecting on the renewed contract, Burdett-Coutts said: “The Assembly Rooms is where our story started, and to know we will continue here until 2032 is hugely exciting. It gives us the opportunity to reinvigorate Assembly’s presence in the New Town, and to look forward with confidence as we plan the future.”
Cllr Margaret Graham, the City of Edinburgh Council’s Culture and Communities Convener, added: “As the festivals draw to a close and we reflect on another successful year as a venue, we’re thrilled to confirm the continuation of our partnership with Assembly Festival. This renewed agreement will see the Assembly Rooms animated each August for the next seven years, building on an already successful collaboration that has brought outstanding performances, global talent, and thousands of visitors to the heart of Edinburgh’s New Town.”
Assembly Festival 2025
Running for 27 days between July 30 and August 25, Assembly’s 2025 programme presented 240 shows and 4,326 performances across its Edinburgh venues, welcoming more than 1,890 artists from 27 countries. Over 470,000 tickets were issued during the Festival, which received more than 3,400 stars from reviews and was celebrated with award wins and nominations across theatre and comedy.
Highlights included Ohio, which received a coveted Fringe First Award from The Scotsman, Copla: A Spanish Cabaret, which won the IC Personal Achievement Award, and Refuse, which was honoured with both the Outstanding Theatre Award from Edinburgh Fringe Review and an Edinburgh Fringe Festival Theatre Award. Comedy Club 4 Kids won the Victoria Wood Award at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, while Sanjay Lago won the Asian Art Award for Highly Commended Male Performer for his show Love Me Like a Chai Tea Latte. Jessie Nixon also took Best Debut at the WoW Awards, with additional comedy award nominations for Jordan Gray, Kate Dolan, Kit Loyd, and The Mayor and His Daughter.
At The Skinny’s Besties Awards, Kate Dolan received the Breakthrough Award, The Listies: Make Some Noise won The Kids Award, and Rosa Garland took home The Radgie Award for her show Primal Bog.
Managing Director Dani Rae said: “This year’s Festival has been an incredible showcase of creativity, and we’re thrilled that so many of our artists have been recognised with prestigious awards and nominations. From Fringe Firsts to comedy accolades, it’s been wonderful to see the breadth of talent across our programme celebrated by critics and audiences alike. We are looking forward to building on this momentum with the renewal of our contract with the Assembly Rooms and supporting our future artists in making the most of this world-celebrated cultural event."
Get Broadway News on WhatsApp
Receive the latest updates, breaking news, and exclusive coverage from Broadway directly in WhatsApp.
Videos