Gay Edinburgh Fringe shows team up with LGBT Health and Wellbeing

Every August the Edinburgh Festival Fringe reconvenes the city as a global hive of performance; this year a trio of LGBTQ+ productions have chosen to use that platform for more than applause. A Drag Is Born, Small Town Boys [pictured] and ROSE + BUD are partnering with LGBT Health and Wellbeing across their Fringe runs, pledging time, profile and fundraising to a charity that supports queer people’s health and community services across Scotland.

The partnership is being run as a new fundraising initiative by LGBT Health and Wellbeing and, according to the organisation, is intended to do more than bolster the charity’s coffers. By foregrounding the charity during performances and publicity, the shows aim to open conversations about LGBTQ+ health and identity, bring new audiences into contact with vital services, and make the economic case for queer-led culture at one of the world’s largest arts festivals.

Each production brings a distinct tone and theatrical approach. A Drag Is Born, created and performed by Fulbright‑awarded artist Edu Díaz, is a non‑verbal clown‑and‑drag solo piece that charts late‑life self‑discovery through mime, dance and camp humour. The production has been recognised on the international fringe circuit—winning Best Solo Clown at New York’s FRIGID/Fringe and earning plaudits at Orlando Fringe—while the artist’s Fringe listing underscores the piece’s physical theatricality and accessibility provisions. The company’s run at this year’s Fringe concludes in late August.

Small Town Boys takes a different tack: a dance‑led ensemble that recreates the chaos and community of nightclub culture. The piece stages eight dancers alongside a community cast to evoke a legendary club atmosphere while also confronting a serious health crisis within its narrative. The production is a past recipient in the Proud Scotland Awards’ Creative Arts category and is part of the Made in Scotland showcase, marking it out as both locally rooted and nationally recognised. Audiences should note the show carries content warnings for adult themes and may include audience participation.

ROSE + BUD is a bittersweet coming‑of‑age comedy by trans artist Rose Coogan, set during Freshers’ Week in Derry. The play navigates secrecy, intoxicated misadventure and the small but seismic decisions of gender and identity; Fringe listings and early press responses in Ireland have been broadly positive, and the piece is presented in collaboration with several established producing partners.

Taken together, these partnerships are a reminder of how the arts and health sectors can amplify one another. LGBT Health and Wellbeing says the proceeds and visibility generated by the shows will help fund support services, peer groups and outreach across Scotland; in return, the charity acts as a cultural champion, promoting queer creativity on a global stage. The Festival itself remains, as the Fringe Society notes, an open‑access celebration that transforms Edinburgh each August—making it an especially potent moment to connect theatre audiences with community services.

For audiences wanting to see these shows, ticket and accessibility information is available through the Fringe box office and the productions’ listings; the charity also encourages Fringe artists and producers to consider similar collaborations in future seasons. LGBT Health and Wellbeing describes this year’s initiative as a pilot for 2025 and invites creative partners to get in touch with its Fundraising Officer to discuss 2026 and beyond.