The British Council’s biennial Edinburgh Showcase is the single biggest opportunity for contemporary UK artists and companies to introduce their work to international promoters.
Since its inception in 1997, the Showcase as part of the wider Edinburgh Festivals including the International Festival and the larger Fringe has given 350 theatre and dance companies the opportunity to tour overseas, building new relationships and opening up new markets for the UK’s performing arts.
Fourteen leading festival directors and theatre producers from Australia travelled to Scotland to attend 20th anniversary Edinburgh Showcase in August 2017.
The special anniversary Showcase programme included 30 extraordinary productions that represent the very best of contemporary theatre and dance and reflect the breadth and diversity of British performing arts. Love and tragedy, cabaret and hip hop, pop culture and global politics all featured in the programme.
The delegates were:
- Alison Nadebaum, Head of Operations, SOH Presents at Sydney Opera House
- Daniel Clarke, Programmer, Performing Arts at Arts Centre Melbourne
- Heather Croall, CEO & Director at Adelaide Fringe
- Joanne Kee, Artistic Director at National Theatre of Parramatta, Riverside Theatres
- Kath M Mainland, Executive Director at Melbourne Festival
- Kerri Glasscock, CEO & Director at Sydney Fringe
- Kip Williams, Artistic Director at Sydney Theatre Company
- Kirsten Siddle, Associate Director - Arts Programming at Queensland Performing Arts Centre
- Kris Stewart, Artistic Director at Brisbane Powerhouse
- Rachel Healy, Co-Artistic Director at Adelaide Festival
- Sarah Neal, Executive Producer at Malthouse Theatre
- Simon Abrahams, Creative Director & CEO at Melbourne Fringe
- Wesley Enoch, Artistic Director at Sydney Festival
- Yaron Lifschitz, Creative Lead at Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games
Artists who appeared in the last Edinburgh Showcase in 2015 have been touring the world and building new international partnerships. Tours include Claire Cunningham in Australia, Japan, Germany and Spain; Kaleider travelling to Italy, Portugal, China, USA, Australia and Nigeria; and Igor and Moreno performing across mainland China, Taiwan, Italy, France and Ukraine.
View the full 20th anniversary programme on the Edinburgh Showcase blog.