Phoebe Waller-Bridge announces $120,000 fund for Fringe festival artists

Fleabag star Phoebe Waller-Bridge has announced a new £100,000 ($120,000) fund to help performers showcase work at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

The actress and writer rose to prominence at the Fringe Festival with her one-woman show Fleabag in 2013. The show was then made into an award-winning BBC comedy series.

The initiative intends to support artists at the Edinburgh Fringe festival. Waller-Bridge is the president of the Fringe Society. The fund, will dispense 50 grants of £2,000 to individual artists or companies bringing work to the Fringe this year.

The idea for Waller-Bridge is to help artists showcase their work at the festival.

Announcing the grants Waller-Bridge said: “For a creative, the festival is one of the most unique places on the planet to launch work, meet other artists and be discovered by audiences, agents, producers and the media.”

“For me, today’s announcement is incredibly personal. Edinburgh Fringe gave ‘Fleabag’ a game-changing platform for everyone involved and we are thrilled that the show can continue to pay it forward to the creatives of tomorrow and contribute to those who might not otherwise have the opportunity to take their work to this amazing festival.”