Your Guide to Working at the Edinburgh Festival

Every August, Edinburgh transforms into the world's largest arts festival. With thousands of shows across hundreds of venues, the city needs a massive temporary workforce to make it all happen. Whether you're a student looking for summer work, a local wanting to get involved, or someone relocating for the season, there's a festival job out there for you.

What kinds of jobs are available?

Festival work spans a huge range of roles:

• Front of House — Box office staff, ushers, ticket scanners, and venue managers keep audiences flowing smoothly from door to seat.
• Bar & Hospitality — Venues like Assembly, Pleasance, Underbelly, and Gilded Balloon all run busy bars and food outlets throughout August.
• Technical — Lighting, sound, and stage management roles are in high demand, especially if you have experience.
• Marketing & Flyering — Show companies need street teams to hand out flyers on the Royal Mile and beyond.
• Administration — Festival organisations need office support, data entry, and coordination help.
• Volunteering — Many festivals offer volunteer programmes that provide free access to shows in exchange for your time.

When should I start looking?

Most festival employers begin recruiting in April and May, with a second wave in June and July as shows confirm their Edinburgh runs. The earlier you apply, the better your chances — especially for technical and management roles.

Set up job alerts on Edinburgh Festival Jobs so you're notified the moment new positions are posted.

What's the pay like?

Pay varies by role and employer:

• Bar and front of house roles at the major venues typically start at £13–£15/hour. The Fringe Society and several venues pay the real Living Wage as a minimum. Tips can add to this at busier bars.
• Technical roles often pay £14–£20/hour depending on experience, the venue, and the complexity of the show.
• Flyering is often commission-based or paid per shift, usually around £10–£12/hour.
• Volunteer roles are unpaid but often include free show tickets and meals.

Tips for a strong application

1. Tailor your cover message — Mention the specific venue or company and why you want to work there.
2. Highlight relevant experience — Even if it's not festival-specific, customer service, hospitality, or event experience counts.
3. Be flexible on dates — The Fringe runs for roughly three weeks, but setup starts earlier and teardown runs later. Offering availability for the full period makes you more attractive.
4. Include your availability clearly — Employers need to know exactly when you can work.
5. Apply to multiple roles — Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Apply broadly and follow up.

Where will I live?

Accommodation is the biggest challenge for festival workers coming from outside Edinburgh. Start looking early — by May, affordable options are already going fast. Consider:

• Spare room listings on SpareRoom or Gumtree
• University halls — Some universities rent out student accommodation over summer
• Hostels — Some offer long-stay discounts for festival workers
• Shared flats — Festival workers often band together to share short-term lets

More festival guides

• Edinburgh Fringe Volunteering — What You Actually Get — a detailed look at what volunteer programmes offer and what's expected.
• Edinburgh Festival Accommodation — A Guide for Seasonal Workers — how to find somewhere to live in August.
• Every Edinburgh Festival Explained — And When They Hire — the full calendar of eleven festivals, with hiring timelines.

Ready to find your festival job?

Browse the latest listings on Edinburgh Festival Jobs and start your festival adventure today.