FEMME NATALE @ EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL 2023

Femme Natale is made up of four core members - including founder Fingal Pollock and actors April Phillips, Jeremy Nelson and Tracey Savage - who have worked together since the launch at BATS in 2018. Since then this comedy sketch show on parenthood has gone from strength to strength, now five years later - an invite to perform at Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2023.

We've accepted with the blind faith that we will get there and raise support funds to help offset the rather large outlay to participate. Hauling four of us away from other potential projects and work, from our families and commitments is a big deal. We are travelling to a festival on the other side of the world, which happens to be one of the top five comedy festivals worldwide, how could we NOT attend!

We have a list of 'absolute' costs we need to cover - largely marketing, PR, advertising, printing, technician, guest performer expenses, theatre costs, insurances etc. It's well documented that artists performing in Ed Fringe are lucky to cover costs.

We have faith that this is a door opener for us as professional actors and comedians, we're taking this extraordinary leap and paying our way there for this chance of a lifetime.

On top of 'absolute' costs are fares, accommodation, childcare, etc. The full budget is upwards of $45kNZD. We are largely funding this ourselves but aim to raise around a third of the overall budget. We have sought avenues available to artists via various funding bodies without success - there are simply so many talented artists in this country and not enough to go around. We need to be inventive - we have written to over 140 potential sponsors but due to funds being diverted to sustain businesses hit by the pandemic, recent natural disaster relief funds etc we are yet to achieve success with this avenue - but continue to try to do so.

We have had a lot of kind hearted support and encouragement and have raised a small portion of the overall budget via a GAL page to friends and family. We now seek help from philanthropists via Boosted who may have the means to do so too. The arts, now more than ever, are an important part of society, for what is a world without art? We thank you in advance.