Every year, Brighton Fringe offer a number of bursaries to make the festival more accessible for those who otherwise wouldn't be able to take part. Since 2023 we have offered Brighton Fringe Staff Bursaries - a chance for our staff to offer a bursary around something they are passionate about.

• Duncan's Artist of the Global Majority Bursary
  • The applicant awarded this bursary will additionally benefit from £300 towards production costs, mentoring, or support to enable the artist to have the  adaptions necessary to perform.
  • Bursary Criteria for Artist of the Global Majority:
    • Artists/companies must be performing in Brighton Fringe 2026 and their event must include one or more artists of the Global Majority.
    • The event must be a work in progress (not shown before) where the development of which would benefit from the financial impact of the bursary.
    • The recipient must be willing to write to the Fringe briefly to explain the impact the bursary has had on the artist(s) and their work, and must consent to their words being used for our public messaging.

• Hannah's Sustainability Bursary 
  • The applicant awarded this bursary will additionally benefit from an hour of professional advice from theatre producer Hannah Turk.
  • Events applying for this bursary must try to include sustainability in their event in any of the following ways:
    
    • Connect with sustainability and environmental impacts/the climate crisis in their event
    • Educate an audience surrounding sustainability and climate crisis topics
    • Considers sustainability and evnironmental impact within their event operations (e.g travel, production etc.)

• Elin's Bursary for Neurodiverse Artists
  • Artists/companies must be performing in Brighton Fringe 2026 and their event must include a neurodiverse artist or artists.

• Sarah's Cabaret & Variety Bursary
  • Artists/companies must be performing in Brighton Fringe 2026 in the Cabaret & Variety genre

• Megan's LGBTQIA+ Comedy Bursary
  • Artists/companies must be performing in Brighton Fringe 2026 in the Comedy genre and their event must include an LGBTQIA+ artist or artists.

• Vicky's Musical Theatre Bursary
  • Artists/companies must be performing an event in Brighton Fringe 2026 which demonstrates the genre of Musical Theatre.

• Laura's Low Income Bursary
  • The applicant awarded this bursary will additionally benefit from an hour of professional producing advice from Laura Aiton. 
  • Artists/companies must be performing an event in Brighton Fringe 2026 and can apply for this bursary if one or more members of the company are on a low income.

Local legend and seasoned Fringe performer, Spirit of the Fringe winner 2025 Aiden Bex, is offering this bursary for a performer who might consider themselves an underdog. 

The inclusion criteria for this bursary is as follows:

• The artist must have their show registered with Brighton Fringe 2026
• The event must be comedy in any form - character, sketch, boy/burlesque, stand-up, clowning, etc.
• The artist has no formal training - one or two short courses are okay, but you won't be an industry professional with accredited qualifications.
• Maximum one previous Brighton Fringe registration as a solo performer or split show
• The artist has not previously performed in any shows produced by All That Bex.

Find out more about the criteria and bursary package in the application form below.

Applause Bursary at Brighton Fringe is for 2 x companies based in the Southeast,  producing or interested in producing and touring theatre and drama to rural and community settings (not family theatre).

Kent based NPO Applause, are the lead partners for Create Tour Connect (CTC)  a new innovative partnership project commissioning, developing and touring theatre and drama across the rural touring network in England. CTC supports the regional creation and touring of new work and connects this with a network of touring partners dedicated to small-scale touring.  As part of their ongoing commitment to artists development, Applause are offering 2 bursaries for South East based companies to support their showcase at Brighton Fringe.

Inclusion Criteria

• Based in the South East
• Producing or interested in producting and touring theatre and drama to rural and community settings (not family theatre)

Exclusion Criteria

• For this bursary Applause are only looking for theatre and drama for adult audiences that is relevant to rural and community audiences - not inclusive of family theatre.

Bursary Package

• Free Registration
• £75 towards marketing costs
• 2 x Mentoring sessions (In-Person or Online TBC)

Please apply via the form below:

For the 15th year running, The Pebble Trust is supporting Brighton Fringe artists by offering 3 bursaries to young people wishing to put on an event, in any category.

Bursary Package

The Pebble Trust will pick 3 winners who will each receive:

• Brighton Fringe Registration fees paid by The Pebble Trust.
• £500 towards production cost e.g venue/equipment hire, marketing, buying props etc.
• Up to 6 hours of mentoring, split across 3 x 2 hour sessions with an industry professional.

Bursary Inclusion Criteria:

• All involved in the event should be residents of Sussex and aged 25 or under at the time of application.
• The event should be conceived, initiated, developed and produced entirely by the applicant(s). For example, projects led by a teacher or equivalent individual are not eligible.
• This should be the applicants first time at Brighton Fringe.

Find out more and apply through the application form below:

Nik Coppin, winner of the 2024 Spirit of the Fringe Award, is delighted to announce that applications are open his Bursary for 2026, supported by Laughing Horse.

The recipient will receive:

• Free Brighton Fringe registration.
• A number of promotional slots at their line-up shows, including Pick of the Fringe, Best of Brighton Fringe Comedy, Shaggers, and Brighton Belles.
• A mentoring session with Nik Coppin.

Bursary Inclusion Criteria:

• Open to any comedian doing their first ever solo show, with a minimum of 3 performances at Brighton Fringe 2026.

Apply through the application form below:

Spark Arts Marketing & Project Management are offering this bursary for a theatre show with touring ambitions.

Bursary Package:

• A free event registration for Brighton Fringe 2026
• Marketing support for your Brighton Fringe 2026 show run
• Help towards creating a show marketing pack for a future tour

Inclusion Criteria:

• The event must be in the Theatre genre
• The event must have plans or ambitions to tour in the future 

Find out more and apply through the application form below: