Francesca Moody's Shedload-Of-Future Fund Returns in 2026 with New Bursaries

Francesca Moody Productions and Shedinburgh have announced that applications for the 2026 Shedload-of-Future Fund will open on Wednesday 11th March 2026. The fund is available to all applicable performers and companies spanning theatre, comedy, music and the performing arts, increasing support available to first-time Edinburgh Fringe performers. For more information and to apply, visit shedinburgh.com/fund/. 

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 year, supported by additional funding provided by Multitude Media, Joe Lycett, Plosive, Nish Kumar and Mick Perrin Worldwide, the Shedload-of-Future Fund has expanded to a total of five bursaries of £5,000 each. Recipients spanning all genres of performance at the Edinburgh Fringe including theatre and comedy 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.

The fund has expanded its bursary programme from three awards in 2025 to five in 2026, thanks to the generous support of contributors from across the entertainment industry who are committed to championing up-and-coming artists at the start of their careers and ensure the Fringe is open to all. 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.

Individuals or companies interested in supporting the Shedload-of-Future Fund are still able to do so, with any additional funds raised going directly into the Fund for 2026 and beyond.

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.

Francesca Moody said: “Taking a show to the Edinburgh Fringe is no mean feat, especially your first. But it couldn't be more important - careers are launched, new stories are told, life long collaborations begin. And what's more worthy of support than that? At a time where arts funding is in decline, the Edinburgh Fringe is getting more expensive and the opportunities to make new work are seriously dwindling, we risk losing the next generation of British talent. The next Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Jack Rooke, Richard Gadd, Sophie Duker - all of whom began their extraordinary careers at the Edinburgh Fringe. I hope that this fund is a vital lifeline for artists, and a statement of intent that we are here to champion the new. Along with the generous support of Multitude, Plosive, Joe Lycett, Nish Kumar and Mick Perrin Worldwide, the Shedload-of-Future Fund is about putting our money where our mouth is. And I challenge every production company, streamer, and commercial producer in the country who relies on this talent pipeline to do the same. This isn't philanthropy. These grants are a direct investment in the future of one of the most dynamic and fast-growing creative markets in the world.”

Multitude Media CEO Will Wood said: “The Edinburgh Fringe faces huge challenges in terms of access for all and the sheer costs associated, but it remains unique in the platform it offers new performers and companies to have their work seen by audiences and industry alike. I remember my first experience of visiting the Fringe and my mind was blown, and I've since built a company that stands on the early foundations of our work at the Festival. I'm delighted to support the Shedload of Future Fund alongside others who are putting their own money in to support the next generation of Fringe success stories and open the Festival up to those who have to overcome major barriers to be there, including those from lower income backgrounds.”   

Joe Lycett said: “Edinburgh is a huge opportunity to develop and grow as a performer, but increasingly the costs are completely prohibitive. I wouldn't be where I am today without the training ground of the Fringe and initiatives that made it affordable for me, so I am very very happy to support this brilliant cause”

Nish Kumar said “The Edinburgh Fringe is one of the most vital spaces we have for new voices and properly bold work – but the financial barriers to getting there are higher than ever. Initiatives like this make a real difference, giving early-career artists the breathing space to take creative risks. If we want the next generation of brilliant performers and storytellers to thrive, we have to back them in tangible ways, and I'm proud to play a small part in that.”

The fund is open to UK-based artists or companies presenting new live work at the Fringe for the first time. Full eligibility criteria can be found on the Shedinburgh website. The Fund particularly seeks to support artists, performers and companies without an existing high profile, and those facing barriers to funding and access within the arts.

The most recent recipients of the Shedload of Future Fund were the 2025 winners, whose shows achieved critical and commercial success:

• Cara & Kelly are Best Friends Forever For Life by Mojola Akinyemi, produced by Tigers, Not Daughters at Pleasance Bunker Three, completed a sold-out run at Soho Theatre (Upstairs) as part of Soho Rising, was shortlisted for the BBC Popcorn Award, featured in Mervyn Stutter's Pick of the Fringe, and sold out multiple Fringe performances.

• House Party by Chakira Alin, produced by Quite the Cowboy at Pleasance Attic, is transferring to Pleasance London before returning to the Fringe in 2026 and received coverage from The Guardian, The Times, and Rolling Stone.

• This Blighted Star by Alfie Jones, produced by Coggia Productions at Underbelly George Square, whose new production was recently shortlisted for the Charlie Hartill Prize. 

The application process consists of four short stages: eligibility, applicant information, project information, and an equal opportunities form. Applicants will also answer three short questions (maximum 300 words each) about their show, their creative journey, and how the fund will support their work. Francesca Moody Productions and Shedinburgh are committed to accessibility throughout the process. Applicants who would prefer to apply via video or require additional support are encouraged to contact info@shedinburgh.com.

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