Accessibility has become an increasingly important conversation at the Edinburgh Fringe, with venues, artists and producers taking new steps to make performances more inclusive for blind and visually impaired audiences. Among the organisations leading that change is Extant, the UK’s leading professional performing arts company of blind and visually impaired artists.
During the 2026 Edinburgh Fringe, Extant continued its work to expand access across the festival through performances, training initiatives and partnerships with major venues, helping to increase the number of accessible shows available to audiences.
As the Fringe draws to a close, Theatre Weekly speaks to Maria O’Shodi, Artistic Director of Extant, about the progress made this year, the challenges that remain, and what the future of accessibility at the world’s largest arts festival could look like.
Looking back on this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, what do you consider the most significant progress made in accessibility for blind and visually impaired audiences?
For me, the most significant progress has been major venues, led by Underbelly and ZOO, actively committing to increasing accessible performances.
When Extant first began thinking about access at the Fringe, provision for blind and visually impaired audiences was incredibly limited. Less than 1% of shows had audio description, and now 12% are accessible.
There is still a long way to go, but this year felt like it had real momentum, with a growing recognition that blind and visually impaired audiences should be considered from the outset.
Extant has been championing the idea that accessibility should be embedded within creative practice rather than added afterwards. How well do you feel the Fringe industry is embracing that approach?
There is definitely a growing understanding of this approach, although we are not there yet.
Too often, accessibility is only considered once a production is finished rather than being part of the creative process from the beginning. When blind and visually impaired artists and audiences are involved early, access can become something imaginative and integral to the work rather than a late bolt-on.
The Fringe is such a creative environment, so it is a brilliant place to explore that.
Several major venues committed to increasing accessible performances this year. What impact did those commitments have on artists, audiences and the wider festival?
We had a brilliant creative partnership with Underbelly this year, as well as other venues like ZOO committing long-term to access.
For blind and visually impaired audiences, it means more choice and more opportunity to experience the Fringe alongside everyone else.
For artists and the wider sector, these commitments demonstrate what is possible. When major venues take action, it encourages others to do the same.
The important thing now is that this momentum continues and accessibility becomes part of how the Fringe operates every year.
Were there any particular moments, conversations or productions during the Fringe that reinforced why this work remains so important?
Increasing the visibility and contribution of blind and visually impaired artists throughout the festival was particularly important.
Accessibility is often discussed in terms of audiences accessing work, but blind and visually impaired people are also artists, makers and creative leaders.
The conversations throughout the Fringe, particularly around Extant’s showcase for visually impaired artists, reinforced that there is a real appetite for change.
Another highlight was experiencing the Fempaths show and the commitment that company had made to Enhance their show which was a last-minute addition to our activity, but which was executed quietly in the background, and was very impactful.
The challenge now is making sure that good intentions translate into sustained action.
Despite the advances made in recent years, what barriers still exist for blind and visually impaired theatre-goers at the Fringe?
One of the biggest barriers is consistency.
An occasional accessible performance is positive, but it does not give blind and visually impaired audiences the same freedom of choice as everyone else. It takes commitment and an attitude shift from the industry year-round that goes beyond a single festival.
Extant worked alongside Fringe Society this year to support more artists than ever before to make their work accessible through workshops and artist surgeries, and we hope that, by increasing awareness and skills development for artists, we’ll help nudge a culture shift towards more work being created with accessibility embedded not only at Edinburgh Fringe but beyond.
As the industry reflects on this year’s festival and begins planning for next summer, what would you most like venues, producers and artists to prioritise when it comes to accessibility?
My biggest message would be to start early and involve disabled people from the beginning.
Don’t wait until a production is finished to think about access. Consider it when you are programming, producing and creating the work, and involve blind and visually impaired people in those conversations.
We have made progress, but I would like venues to build on this year’s commitments and make accessibility a standard part of good theatre and festival-making going forward.
