Mon 04 Jun 2007

For the first time in 2007, the Edinburgh International Festival Award will be presented to a company appearing at the Fringe. The award takes the form of an invitation to present a work in progress as part of its Behind the Scenes programme at Festival 2008.

The award allows the chosen company or artist to develop a work and present it as a work in progress in front of an audience at the Edinburgh International Festival 2008. Some of the projects which form part of Behind the Scenes may be developed into full productions at future Festivals.

The Award is worth £5,000 and has been donated to the Edinburgh International Festival by Ewan Brown, a long term supporter of EIF and recently appointed Vice Chair of the Festival Board.

Jonathan Mills, Festival Director will select the artist or company following recommendations made by a panel charged with scouring the 2007 Fringe.

Jonathan Mills said: “I am really excited to be announcing this new Festival award. August in Edinburgh brings us the opportunity to tap into the energy of the seven summer festivals as the city becomes one of the biggest showcases of companies and artists in the world. I am looking forward to collaborating to discover some of the great creativity and imagination out there which we can award an opportunity to develop through the International Festival’s Behind the Scenes programme in 2008 and beyond.”

Paul Gudgin, director of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, said: "Fringe companies come to Edinburgh from all over the world in search of recognition and to showcase their artistic work. What better endorsement than to be able to develop and present a piece of work at the Edinburgh International Festival."

ENDS

For further information please contact Susie Burnet, Edinburgh International Festival press office 0131 473 2020, press@eif.co.uk, or Leroy Harris, Edinburgh Festival Fringe press office 0131 240 1919, press@edfringe.com

Behind the Scenes is a new strand of the Edinburgh International Festival introduced this year. It provides a platform for companies developing new work with an opportunity for feedback from an audience and support in development as well as offering insights in to the creative processes behind Festival events.