Are you looking to…

Virtual presence of top artists from Canada at reimagined Edinburgh Festival Fringe

August 7, 2020

Ottawa, August 7, 2020 – The Canada Council for the Arts, the Department of Canadian Heritage and the High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom are pleased to announce their support for Canada’s artistic presence at the reimagined virtual Edinburgh Fringe 2020, in collaboration with Selfconscious Productions.

Eight extraordinary productions are confirmed to be participating under the CanadaHub umbrella in this years’ 2020 virtual edition of Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

As a result of a call for submissions held last winter, eight contemporary performances and installation-based shows from Canada were curated by a jury of peers to be presented as part of Fringe 2020. Although the festival has shifted online, the CanadaHub artists will have a unique opportunity to virtually connect with arts industry professionals from around the globe.

Congratulations to the eight CanadaHub featured participants in the 2020 Fringe:

Contraries: a chamber requiem, by Unsettled Scores
Corey Payette Musical Songbook, by Raven Theatre & Urban Ink
Icône Pop, by MAYDAY
A Community Telling of Pawâkan Macbeth, by Akpik Theatre
Queer Songbook Orchestra
The Runner, by Human Cargo
Take d Milk, Nah?, by Rumble Theatre & Pandemic Theatre
VIOLETTE, by Joe Jack et John

The eight CanadaHub performances are among the many best-in-class representing Canada at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The CanadaHub artists will participate through two main activities: the Fringe Marketplace—an industry-focused virtual showcase platform accessible from August 7 to 31, 2020; and the CanadaHub Showcase and Pitch Event—an exclusive online event happening on Monday, 24th August 2020 at 11 am (EST)/4 pm (BST), for which registration is required.

Canadians provide such a unique voice on the world artistic stage and we are so proud to feature these amazing artists who represent our country’s diverse cultures. We are equally proud and committed to helping these performers and all creative industries to reach and expand their work, impact and collaborations with a multitude of global partners. Congratulations to all these talented artists!

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage

The Edinburgh Festivals are a highlight for so many lovers of performance arts from around the world, myself included. Although this year’s festival has had to adapt to the current circumstances, I am pleased to see Canada being represented on this year’s Fringe industry online platform. Canadian performers and artists are among the world’s best and participation in Fringe’s Marketplace and Exchange will give these performers a platform for international exposure like never before. Congratulations to the eight companies selected to be part of this year’s virtual CanadaHub!

Janice Charette, High Commissioner for Canada in the UK

While we’re disappointed to not be back in Edinburgh for a fourth year of CanadaHub, we’re very happy to be supporting this initiative and helping amplify a series of projects that will electrify international audiences. We remain grateful to the Canada Council for saying yes to this idea four years ago, and for their continued support of the CanadaHub project.

Michael Rubenfeld, Executive Artistic Producer, Selfconscious Productions

What better way is there for us to demonstrate our belief in the crucial and universal need for the arts than to enable these eight deserving performances from Canada to make their way onto a virtual world stage. In spite of our current, shared experience of the pandemic, and in many ways because of it, we have—as part of Fringe 2020—an opportunity and an obligation to explore alternate pathways for global connection, and in so doing to celebrate the evolving and exceptional diversity of Canada’s artistic expression.

Simon Brault, Director and CEO, Canada Council for the Arts

-30-

About CanadaHub

CanadaHub @ Edinburgh Fringe, presented by the Canada Council for the Arts, is an annual curated showcase of the best of Canada’s contemporary performance scene, that in 2020 will be featured on the Fringe Marketplace.

High Commission of Canada in the UK

The High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom is the country’s diplomatic mission to the UK. The High Commission works to enrich the Canada-UK bilateral relationship across cultural and creative industries through a range of activities including exhibitions hosted in our gallery space within Canada House on Trafalgar Square, events that showcase Canadian culture across the country, initiatives that support the commercial efforts of Canada’s creative entrepreneurs, our work with partners such as the British Council and Edinburgh Fringe and a Culture Canada website to build awareness of the Canadian cultural presence in the UK.

Canadian Heritage

Canadian Heritage and its portfolio organizations play a vital role in the cultural, civic and economic life of Canadians. Arts, culture and heritage represent more than $53 billion in the Canadian economy and close to 666,500 jobs in sectors such as film and video, broadcasting, music, publishing, archives, performing arts, heritage institutions, festivals and celebrations.

About Selfconscious Productions

Selfconscious Productions is an international production company that develops and produces work, books and manages tours and builds contexts for the presentation and representation of work nationally and internationally. We have a track record of success with building new and primarily international opportunities for Canadian work. Our focus is to find and work with exceptional Canadian performance makers, from across the country at all stages of their career, who we believe have the capacity to operate in world-class international contexts. These are uniquely Indigenous and Canadian voices who are pushing forms and dialogues forward and bringing them to a world stage.

About the Canada Council for the Arts

The Canada Council for the Arts is Canada’s public arts funder. The Council’s grants, services, initiatives, prizes, and payments contribute to the vibrancy of a creative and diverse arts and literary scene and support its presence across Canada and abroad. The Council’s investments foster greater engagement in the arts among Canadians and international audiences.