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Scotland is the Place to... work in the Arts
Summer festivals in Scotland aren't simply great places to see theatre, comedy and opera, they’re also great opportunities for temporary employment.
We talk to Edinburgh Festival Fringe Press and Marketing Officer, Miriam Attwood about what goes on in the press office to make the Fringe happen each year.
August 2008 will be the second year Miriam has worked at the Fringe Festival. "I work for four months each year as a press officer," she says.
Apart from Miriam, there are two other press officers. "The team grows in the summer months to cope with our workload. During our busiest times in August there will be nine people. The rest of the year, there will be two or three people running the press office," says Miriam.
"My job is to liaise with the performers and press (the people reviewing shows for their newspaper or magazine).
"But we don’t recommend particular shows," says Miriam. "The Fringe is an open arts festival, which means anyone can come and put on a show. It would be unfair to tell visitors what they should see. That would go against the efforts of an open arts festival. Everyone who performs in the Fringe is equal!"
This year there are more than 2,200 different shows taking place at more than 350 venues. Performers come from all over the world, from Spain to Korea to name a few.
This makes the Fringe the biggest arts festival in the world. For Miriam, this is the best thing about working for the Fringe. "You never know what's going to happen," she says.
"It gets very busy just before the festival begins. But it doesn’t mean we don't want people to come into the Fringe office!
"By the end of August I am shattered! The end of August is always the end of something big and exciting. All of a sudden, everything is quiet. It’s a feeling of, 'Wow, it’s done!'"
Miriam wanted to work in the arts so the Fringe was ideal for her. "It's a great place to work because it’s thrilling and I work with a great team of people. There are always new ideas for the festival and it just gets better every year," she says.
"It’s a fantastic place to spend your summer months in Scotland."
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe runs from 3-25 August 2008.
Related Links
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
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