Amplifying Change Makers at The EdFringe 2026

Aim

Build a live podcast hub at Edinburgh Fringe 2026 to Amplify Artists, Change Makers and Creative Voices Worldwide.

Help build a live daily podcast hub at Edinburgh Fringe 2026

The Martin Talk Show is heading back to Edinburgh Fringe with one clear mission: to amplify changemakers, give artists space to be heard, and bring the energy of the world’s biggest arts festival to audiences everywhere.

We took the podcast to the streets of Edinburgh in 2024 and fell in love with the people, the place and the festival. We recorded conversations with performers, creatives and community voices in the middle of the Fringe’s glorious creative chaos.

In 2025, we returned with a bigger dream: to create our own live podcast stage. We didn’t raise enough money in time to secure a venue, but we turned that setback into something electric. We recorded over 60 Fringe episodes, captured the stories of independent artists, and reached hundreds of thousands of listeners and viewers through podcast episodes, video clips and social media.

We learned a lot. We started too late. We could not secure the dedicated venue we needed. We had to work around weather, street noise, limited kit and the pressure of doing everything on the move.

This time, we are doing it properly.

What we want to create in 2026

For Edinburgh Fringe 2026, we want to build a professional daily podcast hub: a dedicated live venue where artists, creatives and changemakers can come together for interviews, livestreams, audience conversations and digital promotion.

The Fringe is packed with incredible work, but many independent artists struggle to be seen. Shows open, close and disappear in a storm of posters, flyering and competition for attention. The Martin Talk Show can help cut through that noise by giving artists a high-quality platform to tell their story, share their purpose and reach audiences far beyond Edinburgh.

This project will create:

A dedicated live podcast venue during the Fringe.

Daily interviews with performers, artists, creatives and changemakers.

Professional livestreams and recordings.

Accessible captioned clips and podcast content.

A promotional platform for independent and emerging artists.

A festival hub rooted in community, creativity and conversation.

Why this matters: Creativity maybe the path to 'A Better World'?

The Edinburgh Fringe is one of the most exciting creative spaces in the world, but it is also expensive, busy and overwhelming. For many artists, especially independent, emerging and underrepresented creatives, getting noticed can be one of the biggest challenges.

The Martin Talk Show exists to amplify changemakers. We do not just ask guests what they are promoting. We ask who they are, what drives them, what they have overcome, what they are building, and why their creative work matters. Building to one important question which is asked of all our guests "How Whould You Make This a Better World".

This project will help artists reach new audiences, give listeners free access to the Fringe, and create a lasting digital archive of conversations from one of the most important cultural events in the world.

Not everyone can afford to travel to Edinburgh. Not everyone can buy dozens of tickets. Not every artist has a marketing team. This project helps bridge that gap.

Our track record

The Martin Talk Show has grown from a self-started creative project into a multi-platform podcast built around in-depth conversations with artists, creatives and changemakers.

Previous work includes:

Edinburgh Fringe street interviews in 2024: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGnZRd991NmpNSbZkVmbBo1XgWv-scQv2&si=-9Q6Pbhp4-RgtzwH

A major return to the Fringe in 2025, recording over 60 episodes. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGnZRd991NmqtEFKGXGIbu_Ez2FQtFYZ3&si=ZVCrxv4nVukxI0dz

The Podcast itself has had hundreds conversations with artists, performers, writers, community leaders and creative voices. Having just reached episode 500 at The Cannes Film Festival. This content is shared across YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, social media and The Martin Talk Show website. Reaching a commbined audience of 1 million worldwide. With around 100K social media views per month.

This growing audience has been built through consistency, trust, curiosity and community.

We have already proved that this idea works. Now we need the right resources to make it stronger, more professional and more sustainable.

Our plan for 2026

We will use the funding to prepare early, secure the right space and deliver a stronger project.

The amplification has already begun: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGnZRd991NmoilhuluZwsGrdB1nBLoiyB&si=Ey_22oO2Vo9EYWy2

Our plan is to:

Book a dedicated live venue now, giving the show a proper home during the Fringe.

Upgrade livestream, audio, lighting and recording equipment so every episode looks and sounds professional.

Hire a small production team to support live recordings, guest coordination, camera operation, livestreaming, editing, captioning and distribution.

Promote artists widely before, during and after the festival through podcast episodes, short clips, social posts and livestreams.

Create a professional, accessible and welcoming space where artists can share their stories with confidence.

How the money will be spent

Our target is £7,000. This includes public donations and potential Creative Scotland match funding.

Estimated budget breakdown:

Venue hire / live podcast hub booking: £1,200

Project lead / host / producer fee: £800

Livestream / audio technician: £1,000

Camera / production assistant: £750

Editing, captioning and distribution support: £700

Equipment hire / upgrades: £1,000

Marketing, design and promotion: £650

Travel, subsistence and local transport: £600

Contingency, access and insurance: £300

Total: £7,000

We are committed to fair pay. Freelancers, artists and staff will be paid at least the Real Living Wage and, where relevant, in line with appropriate sector guidance. Nobody will be asked to provide professional creative labour for free.

What your support will do

Your support helps us build the platform properly.

It helps us move from street-based survival mode to a professional daily podcast hub.

It helps artists get seen.

It helps audiences experience the Fringe for free online.

It helps independent creativity travel beyond Edinburgh.

A small donation fuels the journey. A larger donation helps build the stage. A share helps bring more people into the room.

Rewards

• Fuel the Quest: Buy Me a Coffee — £7

Every great Fringe adventure needs fuel. Your £7 support buys a coffee, keeps the wheels turning, and helps us take The Martin Talk Show back to Edinburgh to amplify artists, creatives and changemakers.

• Promote Your Show Before Fringe — £37

Before the Fringe begins, we’ll help raise your profile with a Martin Talk Show social media shout-out promoting your show, project or creative work. Let’s support each other and build momentum together.

• Jake’s Spotlight Boost — £57

Bring in Jake, the yellow bird with big energy. We’ll create a fun promotional shout-out featuring Jake to help draw attention to your show, project or campaign before Edinburgh Fringe 2026.

Example: https://youtu.be/zITHtup_aT0?si=2jgzaGG3FsN9TmyI

• Sponsor a Fringe Episode — £70

Sponsor one Fringe episode and receive a thank-you credit in the episode description and social promotion, plus a spoken mention where suitable. A simple way to support an artist-focused conversation and connect your name, show or business with the campaign.

• Full Fringe Sponsorship — £7,000

Become the headline supporter of The Martin Talk Show at Edinburgh Fringe 2026. Your brand will be credited across the campaign page, livestreams, daily episodes, social posts and selected promotional graphics, with thank-you mentions during the Fringe hub coverage. Subject to agreed wording and brand suitability.

Recent Sponsership examples for Chordal Green & The MO11 Art Gallery during The Cannes Film Festival: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGnZRd991NmpgIRH3B7PWlhiQL2Tv8iiW&si=OzcoPMtmsscitl2T

If we raise more than our target

If we exceed our £7,000 target, all additional funds will be used to increase the reach, quality and accessibility of the project.

Stretch funding could support extra livestreaming capacity, improved captioning, more editing support, additional short-form promotional clips for featured artists, extended venue time, travel support and stronger marketing before and during the Fringe.

Creative Scotland match funding only applies to the initial crowdfunding target, not to any stretch target, so any additional funding raised beyond the target would come from public support.

Timeline

June 2026: Finalise campaign page, campaign video, rewards, budget, venue options, artist outreach and promotional materials.

17 June 2026: Planned crowdfunding campaign launch.

17 June to 17 July 2026: Four-week fundraising campaign, including social media updates, clips, livestreams, email promotion, guest sharing, sponsor outreach and community engagement.

Mid to late July 2026: Confirm venue booking, production team, livestream/audio kit, artist schedule, marketing plan and access requirements.

7 to 31 August 2026: Project delivery at Edinburgh Fringe 2026, including daily live podcast recordings, livestreams, artist interviews, clips and audience engagement.

September 2026: Complete editing, captioning, publishing, supporter updates, evaluation and final reporting.

Regular donations

A single donation helps us deliver the immediate Fringe project. A monthly contribution helps keep The Martin Talk Show alive all year round.

Monthly support can help cover podcast hosting, website costs, livestream software, captions, editing support, storage, travel, equipment maintenance and regular promotional clips for featured artists.

Regular donations turn supporters into long-term partners in keeping independent creative voices visible.

Safeguarding and accessibility

This project may include occasional engagement with children, young people, disabled artists, neurodivergent creatives or adults with support needs. We will use consent forms, safeguarding procedures, responsible adult involvement where needed, appropriate release forms, careful editorial practice and accessible communication.

We will not put content ahead of care. Guests will be briefed before recording and will be able to pause, stop or withdraw if needed. We will handle sensitive stories with dignity and respect.

Join the journey

The Fringe is full of artists trying to be heard.

This project gives them another microphone, another stage and another chance to reach the audience their work deserves.

Help us build a live, daily podcast platform at Edinburgh Fringe 2026: professional, accessible, community-rooted and full of the conversations that make creativity matter.

Donate, choose a reward, share the campaign, or become a sponsor.

As always, with gratitude, thank you for being part of the journey.

Martin Colton
The Martin Talk Show

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 26th August 2026 at 12:00pm