Richard Tyrone Jones has been Director of spoken word at PBH’s Free Fringe from 2009-2012. This is a large part of the Edinburgh Festival which runs every August.

Acts in 2012 included Cat Brogan, Ben Mellor, Rob Auton, Harry Baker and Tea Fuelled Art, as well as Mixy from Dead Poets.

In 2013 Fay Roberts of Allographic.co.uk, Richard’s publisher, is Head of Spoken Word, and all queries should go to her.

To find out more, stay in the loop and vote for your favourite show in the Free Fringe Spoken Word awards, join the facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freefringespokenword

If you are interested in doing a spoken word show yourself, first visit the Free fringe website www.freefringe.org.uk and read the ‘about’ sections, FAQs, terms & conditions, and old show reports on the forum to find out if it is for you before you contact us. Much of what you need to know is on there.

Do not confuse PBH’s Free Fringe with the Laughing Horse Free Festival, which has nicked the url freefringe.com.

Advantages to doing the Free Fringe:

• You do not have to pay for venue hire and so save a lot of money.
• Much less admin hassle. All the money you make is on bucket collections.
• You are part of a community.
• You go in the PBH’s Free Fringe brochure for free. About 100,000 of these are given out every August.
• You do not have to pay to go in the main Fringe brochure (although this is often still highly advisable).
• You are much less likely to end up playing to tiny audiences.
• You have less chance of losing a large amount of money.

Disadvantages are:

• You are less likely to get reviewed.
• You have less chance of making a large amount of money.

If you would like to do a show, email a show proposal and samples of your work.

Current spoken word venues (2012) are the Banshee Labyrinth Banqueting Hall, Niddry Street, the Royal Oak (downstairs) and the Fiddler’s elbow, New Town although spoken word shows are also on at other venues.