"WE shouldn't have to feel like we're visiting someone else's festival."
Award-winning Glasgow comedian Amanda Dwyer, who is longlisted for a new prize celebrating Scottish talent at the Edinburgh Fringe, has warned that soaring costs are making the festival inaccessible to working-class performers.
With the world's biggest comedy festival drawing to a close on Sunday, concerns are growing that the cost of taking part is narrowing the range of Scottish voices represented on stage.
Dwyer was crowned the winner of the Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award at this year's Glasgow International Comedy Festival.
Her Fringe run was sponsored by The Stand Comedy Club, which she said meant she hasn't "had to worry about the costs this year", giving her an entirely different experience to previous runs.
The stand-up agreed there are "barriers" to performing at the Fringe as a working-class comedian, adding that "you can very quickly find yourself spending money to potentially make money, which is a fairly terrifying business model when you're not coming from a wealthy background".
"You're very aware of how much money, time and energy it takes just to be here, never mind actually do well," Dwyer, who took her show Better Than Revenge to the festival, told the Sunday National.
"If you're not selling out every night, you're looking at that bank balance going down while you're trying to convince yourself that exposure is a form of currency.
"I think working-class performers are often expected to just absorb those costs because we love comedy and want to be here."
Dwyer, who is also co-host of Material, Girl – a monthly comedy showcase and podcast dedicated to platforming female and non-binary talent in Scotland – called for more financial support and greater transparency around the cost of participating in the festival.
While bursaries and grants exist for performance fees, Dwyer said support should also take into account accommodation, travel support, subsidised venues and "clearer routes into the festival".
"Comedy is about perspective," Dwyer continued.
"Working-class people have stories, experiences and ways of looking at the world that deserve to be heard.
"Scottish comedians bring another particular perspective – culturally, politically and socially, we've got plenty to say.
She added: "The Fringe should be a place where audiences can discover voices they wouldn't necessarily encounter elsewhere. If the same kinds of people are the only ones who can afford to perform, you're going to end up with a much narrower festival.
"We shouldn't have to feel like we're visiting someone else's festival when it's happening on our doorstep."
Dwyer is one of 10 comedians to be longlisted for The Stand's inaugural McTavish Award, established in memory of the late comedian Paul Sneddon, better known as Vladimir McTavish, who passed away last month.
The award recognises the most outstanding Edinburgh Fringe show by a Scottish or Scottish-based act, and is believed to be the first of its kind at the festival.
"Being longlisted is lovely and I'm absolutely delighted, but the bigger thing is what the award represents," Dwyer said.
"Awards can have a massive impact on comedians, particularly if you're someone who doesn't already have loads of industry attention behind you.
"Having an award that specifically celebrates Scottish comedy and Scottish voices is brilliant because there is so much talent here – we've got comedians who are absolutely smashing it, and plenty of people coming through who deserve that recognition.
"Scottish comedians should absolutely be part of the conversation when we're talking about the best comedy at the Fringe."
Meanwhile, Glasgow comic James Gardner, who sold out his run of Good Afternoon at the Fringe, said his experience at this year’s festival had been “mixed”.
“There’s a real joy in being able to perform at the biggest arts festival in the world,” he told the Sunday National.
“But there’s also a huge degree of frustration and angst at how difficult it is for Scottish acts – particularly from working-class backgrounds – to gain access.”
Gardner recalled how he had recently been told by a top promoter that to do a "proper Fringe run" costs at least £30,000, taking into account costs around the venue, accommodation, promoter, agent and production fees, PR coverage, flyering, and food and drink.
"These runs are essentially seen as a down-payment or internship for industry success that most people simply can't afford," Gardner said.
"This is a systemic inequality facing Scottish working-class comedians straight away and is highlighted by the fact only five Scottish comedians living in Scotland have ever been nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Awards in over 40 years."
Gardner said he was left approaching the Fringe from a "commercial" aspect, rather than thinking about the "art".
"I’m fortunate that I have a large social media presence and people are happy to come and find my venue but a lot of comedians don’t have that luxury," he said.
"They have to do smaller rooms in shabbier buildings further off the beaten-path with less footfall – they’re working harder straight away.
"I’m going to be okay, but I like to speak out about these things because I want the barrier to entry to be lower for the next group of people after me.
"I want to see more working-class Scottish acts and in particular Glasgow voices. We’re only an hour away but it might as well be another world – I never went to the Fringe until I was performing in my late 30s."
Gardner added: "I had a father and daughter from Yorkshire come to see my show.
"When I asked them why they had come to see me, they said they were really keen to see a Scottish comedian at the Fringe.
"I think that speaks volumes for the representation we have at the moment."
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe was approached for comment.
