We continue to support Brighton Fringe artists and the local arts ecosystem through our bursaries and awards

The Pebble Trust Young People’s BURSARIES

Each winter we offer bursaries to young people who plan to put on an event at Brighton Fringe the following May. The event could be in any category including theatre, literature, visual arts, comedy, dance, cabaret, film or music. The awards are intended for artists at the beginning of their careers and applicants must be aged 25 or younger, live in Brighton and Hove and be bringing an event to the Fringe for the first time.

A panel of judges pick the winners who each receive £500 towards production costs. This money could be used for venue or equipment hire, marketing, props, tech support etc.

Bursary winners receive £500 plus:

• Up to three professional mentoring sessions with our judges. These sessions, which take place between January and May, have proved invaluable to previous bursary winners in the run-up to the Fringe.

• Brighton Fringe registration fees paid by The Pebble Trust. Once registered, the winners are part of the biggest arts festival in England and can access all the benefits offered by Brighton Fringe Participant Services.

Designated Fire Wardens

Sketches. Characters. Bit bonkers. Quick fire. Us? Funny. You? Laughing. Best Sketch Show Edinburgh Fringe ’25 (Derek Awards)

Join this up-and-coming comedy duo for an hour of riotous laughs, whacky characters, quick-fire sketches and some groovy tunes.

Waxen Wings - Refuge

A theatre show commenting on immigration. Through its powerful message, Refuge hopes to spread awareness and challenge viewpoints.. Xavi escapes her toxic household and is welcomed into a house in Prutland. While some of her new housemates are welcoming, a few others don't appreciate Xavi's presence. Is Xavi truly safe inside this new house?

Custard Club

Five women. Four decades. Twenty tins of custard. One delicious secret. Custard Club tells the story of Nancy, a young woman whose fraught search for queer community pushes her to the most sensible solution she can muster: summoning four women from across the twentieth century to her kitchen table for an unforgettable evening of passive aggression, genuine aggression, impromptu drag numbers and custard fights.

The Brighton Fringe International Touring AWARD in association with The Pebble Trust

Outgoing

The outgoing touring bursary enables the winner to tour their Fringe event to one or more international Fringe festivals. Previous winners have travelled to cities such as Amsterdam, Sydney and San Diego. Up to £3,000 is available to be put towards travel, accommodation and other related costs. Judges from The Pebble Trust and the World Fringe Alliance select the winning show, which is announced at the Awards Ceremony held on the final Sunday of Brighton Fringe. Entrants must be from Sussex.

2025’s winner was C’est Magnifique by Chocolate Box Theatre, an escapist heaven for any musical theatre fan set in an imagined cabaret haunt in 1930s Paris or Berlin and including ballads, torch songs, comedy numbers and musical theatre favourites.

Applications are made via the Brighton Fringe website.

Incoming

In addition to the outgoing touring award, The Pebble Trust offers up to £3,000 to a winner from an international Fringe to bring their event to Brighton.  This year’s winner is 2ShoulderPads: GALAXY TRAIN

A Japanese musical that sold out at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, winning two awards including the Spirit of the Fringe Award!

Based on classic Japanese literature, this poetic work uses an extreme minimal costume concept: male performers wear only “two shoulder pads.” There is nothing obscene—laughter at the wiggling bottoms soon gives way to imagination, and by the final scene many are moved to tears.

Exploring universal themes of life, death and parting, the show blends humour, live music and kabuki-inspired physicality into a joyful theatrical experience for audiences of all ages.