Edinburgh Fringe 2026 Jobs

Everything you need to know about finding and posting festival work this August.

1–25 Aug
Festival dates
300+
Venues
3,000+
Shows expected
Free
To post a job

The Fringe doesn't have one central hiring portal — every venue, festival organisation, and show company recruits independently. We keep every Fringe venue currently hiring on a single page so you can see who's open and apply directly. The rest of this page covers when to apply, what to expect, and where to look.

Hiring timeline

When to look and when to apply — the Fringe hiring cycle runs from early spring through to the start of August.

March–April

Major venues open recruitment. Assembly, Underbelly, Pleasance, and the Fringe Society advertise seasonal roles. The best positions fill first — apply early.

May–June

Second wave of hiring. Show companies confirm their Edinburgh runs and recruit production staff, flyerers, and front of house. Volunteer programme applications close.

July

Last-minute roles appear as venues finalise teams. Competition for remaining positions is high. Accommodation becomes scarce and expensive.

August

The festival runs. Some dropout replacement roles appear during the first week. Setup starts late July; teardown runs into early September.

Who's hiring

The major Fringe venue operators — between them they hire thousands of seasonal staff every year.

View all venues | All recruitment pages

What does Fringe work pay?

Paid roles
Bar & Front of House
£13–£15/hr
Technical (sound, lighting, stage)
£14–£20/hr
Box Office
£12–£14/hr
Flyering & Marketing
£10–£13/hr
Security (SIA)
£13–£16/hr
Volunteer programmes

Several venues offer structured volunteer programmes in exchange for:

  • Free accommodation (Pleasance, ZOO Venues)
  • Free show access
  • Training and skills development
  • References and CV experience
  • Meals during shifts

Read our volunteering guide

Where you'll be working

The Fringe spreads across Edinburgh, but most jobs cluster in these areas.

Frequently asked questions

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe runs from 31 July to 25 August 2026. Most venues begin site setup in mid-to-late July and finish teardown in the days after the festival closes.

Major venues (Underbelly, Pleasance, Assembly, Gilded Balloon, ZOO) typically open recruitment in February to April 2026. Smaller venues and show companies hire later — May, June, and into July. Apply as early as possible for the most choice.

From 1 April 2026 the UK National Living Wage is £12.71/hour for workers aged 21 and over. Most paid Fringe roles pay between £12.71 and £15 per hour. Real Living Wage employers (Assembly, the Fringe Society, and others) pay above this floor.

Most paid Fringe roles do not include accommodation. The main exceptions are volunteer programmes at Pleasance, ZOO Venues, and C Arts, which house their volunteer teams in shared university accommodation. See our jobs-with-accommodation guide for the full picture.

You need the right to work in the UK to be paid for Fringe roles — this means a valid work visa, settled or pre-settled status, or in some cases a student visa with work permission. You'll also need a National Insurance number and a UK bank account before your first paid shift.

Coming from outside the UK?

Visa, NI, and eligibility →

Guides & advice

Looking for work?

Browse current festival job listings.

Browse Jobs

Hiring for the Fringe?

Post your role for free. Goes live immediately.

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