13th August 2026 • My Family Our Needs

Deaf festivalgoers will be able to request British Sign Language interpreters for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe performances through a new feature in a mobile app.

Building on the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society’s ongoing commitment to accessibility, the update to Deaf Action’s SignPort technology gives Deaf audiences another way to discover performances and request BSL interpretation where eligible, extending choice beyond shows that have already arranged BSL interpretation.

The new feature in the app, which brings show information together in one searchable catalogue, has been developed specifically for this year’s festival, with the Fringe Society providing a £5,000 grant to cover the costs of BSL interpretation services.

Users can browse performances, search by venue or type of show and request an interpreter for up to two performances per person. They can also see a list of shows where an interpreter has already been requested or confirmed, allowing more Deaf audience members to register their interest in attending.

Whilst the number of BSL-interpreted shows has increased year on year, of the more than 3,000 shows at this year’s Fringe, around 2.4% are set to feature BSL interpretation.

This new scheme is another step forward in opening up more performances to Deaf audiences, giving them greater choice and flexibility when planning their Fringe experience.

36-year-old Nathan Rollinson, a photographer and tastemaker from Edinburgh, has been deaf since birth. He has a love of the performing arts but has found it tough to access live performances.

“It has been very frustrating and disappointing at times, especially when you want to enjoy the same cultural experiences as everyone else but cannot easily find information about BSL-interpreted performances,” he said. “There are so many shows, but without clear access information, it can feel overwhelming and discouraging.

“SignPort has helped so much already. It makes the process much smoother, clearer and more effective. Having an easy way to find BSL-interpreted performances and book interpreters will make a real difference for Deaf audiences. It removes a lot of barriers and makes the performing arts feel much more accessible.”

Once a request has been submitted through the app, Deaf Action’s bookings team works with the performer, venue and available interpreters to establish whether the performance can be made accessible.

Users can follow the progress of their request and receive a notification as soon as an interpreter has been confirmed. They can also communicate with those arranging the booking, view details of the interpreter and follow a direct link to purchase their ticket.

The feature replaces a process seen by many users as complicated and time consuming.

Mercy Cherono, SignPort’s Manager, said, “SignPort was developed to make finding and managing interpreters simpler, but this new feature demonstrates just how versatile the technology can be.

“The Edinburgh Festival Fringe involves thousands of performances as well as audiences, interpreters, artists and venues. For Deaf people, it also opens the door to cultural experiences that have traditionally been difficult to access. By making it easier to request interpretation, we’re helping Deaf audiences discover more performances, while shining a spotlight on Deaf artists, Deaf-led productions and inclusive theatre.

“If the technology can help coordinate access across a programme of this scale, it can be adapted for many other settings. That could include hospital appointments, council services, workplaces, conferences and major events.”

The new system will also help build a clearer picture of the performances Deaf audiences want to attend and the demand for British Sign Language interpretation across the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

This evidence could support future discussions with funders, festival organisers and cultural organisations about increasing accessibility budgets and expanding the scheme across Edinburgh’s wider festival programme.

Deaf Action has welcomed the Fringe Society’s support for the pilot, but its CEO Phillip Gerrard has warned that its long-term impact will remain limited without greater and more consistent funding.

“We’re incredibly grateful to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society for supporting this pilot. It demonstrates a genuine commitment to improving accessibility and gives us the opportunity to test an innovative approach that puts more choice into the hands of Deaf audiences.

“Our hope is that this is only the beginning. If similar investment could be secured from across Edinburgh’s festivals and cultural organisations, we could build on this success and create a city-wide Interpreter Request Scheme that helps make Edinburgh one of the world’s most accessible festival cities for Deaf people.”

Westaly Duigan, Head of Fundraising and Strategic Relationships at the Fringe, said, “The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society has worked with Deaf Action for three years to offer the BSL on Request scheme, enabling 16 shows to offer BSL interpretation.

“We are delighted Deaf Action has developed a new way to expand the offering for BSL users to quickly and easily request an interpreter at the Fringe for a show of their choice.

“The Society is pleased that the whole Fringe community, including artists, producers and venues are making the festival a more accessible and inclusive event. We look forward to continuing our support for Deaf Action in future years.”

With the help of SignPort’s new feature, Nathan has booked an interpreter to see two shows, ‘The Devil Wears Primark’ and ‘The Boiler Room: A Titanic Story’.

“I’d appeal to potential funders to recognise how important equal access to culture is for Deaf people. More funding would mean more availability, better access and more opportunities for Deaf audiences to fully participate in the arts.”

The SignPort app connects Deaf people with British Sign Language and English interpreters. It allows users to make and manage bookings, communicate through an in-app chat service and receive notifications about the progress of their arrangements.

The app also enables interpreters to share their availability and location, allowing professionals who may be visiting Edinburgh during the festival to make themselves available and increase the pool of interpreters to support performances.

Fringe requests should be made at least seven days before the performance. While Deaf Action will make every effort to fulfil each request, interpretation cannot be guaranteed and will depend on interpreter availability, the requirements of the performance and the funding available.

SignPort can be downloaded through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. www.signport.com