Performing @ Underbelly

Introduction

Underbelly is one of the leading venues at the biggest arts festival in the world. We have one of the strongest reputations for programming and supporting the emergence of the best talent and new writing on the Fringe. Very often we will offer a slot to a show that other, more ‘safe’ venues disregard. Always we will look to programme shows that suit the venue and its spaces. We try to give our performers the best service we are able to, so that we can attract the best companies and performers and put together the very best programme on the Fringe.

Underbelly offers the full range of facilities to performers. Set out below are a list of what we provide to you and what we expect you to provide in return. We also set out the basic terms of the contract we would expect you to sign with us.

What we provide:

  • Fully equipped spaces with technical support
  • Ushers, front of house, box office, security and support staff
  • Press and marketing services, support and resources
  • Entry into our joint venue brochure with Gilded Balloon, distributed with the Scotlnd on Sunday around the end of June and around Edinburgh during the Fringe
  • Show listing on Underbelly website (example)
  • Computerised box office linked to the Fringe Office WTS System with links to other major Fringe venues
  • Dedicated telephone booking line (shared and operated with the Pleasance venues)
  • Secure online ticket sales in advance of the Fringe
  • Cross-selling of tickets between Underbelly, Pleasance, Assembly Rooms and other venues
  • Dressing and Storage facilities with coded entry for security
  • 4 hour technical rehearsal prior to your show opening in your space
  • Comp tickets for other shows in Underbelly, subject to availability
  • Company discounts at our five lively bars
  • Distribution team (extra charge) available to book for 7 or 10 days or your entire run to distribute flyers and promote your show
  • Technical operators for your show, if required (extra charge of £18 per show of up to 1hr 10min - longer shows may be more)
  • Sale of merchandise (commission payable)
  • Special lighting/sound equipment hire through Simon Kennedy Lighting (extra charge)

What you provide:

  • First and foremost, a great show
  • Fringe Programme entry
  • A Press and Marketing strategy
  • Publicity material (including flyers and posters for venue displays)
  • Prompt payment of all deposits and publicity fee by the deadlines given
  • Supply of any other show and publicity material/information by the deadlines given
  • A technician to operate your show. Should you not have one we can provide an operator at extra charge - see above
  • Company insurance policy. We take out a full public liability policy for the venue but ask that companies also take out their own third party liability insurance and insure against the loss/damage of their own equipment
  • Accommodation for your company
  • A link to our website from your website or any other websites publicising your show. Driving traffic to our site improves the profile of the site for the benefit of all performers and increases your ticket sales that are not subject to the Fringe Office commission (see below).

Underbelly's fees

Rental Fee

We will charge you a fee for the rent of the venue and our services which is the higher of either (i) a split of your box office monies; or (ii) a Guarantee. Our split tends to be 40% and will be calculated as a percentage of your gross box office if you are not VAT registered, and as a percentage of your net box office proceeds (ie: the gross less VAT) if you are VAT registered.
Our starting point for calculating the Guarantee is to calculate what our split of your box office proceeds would be if you sold at an average of 40% capacity across the Fringe (based on your average ticket price). We will ask you to pay a deposit against your Guarantee before the start of the Festival. We will deduct the Rental Fee owing to us from your gross box office proceeds and return the balance to you within 4 weeks of receiving the monies collected by the Fringe Office.

By way of example, if your average ticket price was £8 and you were performing in a 100 capacity space for 24 days (Underbelly’s run is 25 days, so allowing for 1 day off), then your maximum box office gross would be £19,200. Based on a box office split to Underbelly of 40%, our Rental Fee would therefore be £7,680. We would then ask you to guarantee 40% of that figure (ie: that you would sell at least 40% of your capacity) which would mean a Guarantee of £3,072.

What is included in the Rental Fee

Underbelly charges as few contras as possible. The Rental Fee described above therefore includes the hire of the venue rental, standard lighting and sound equipment, technical support, marketing support and box office facilities (including advance credit card sales on our website and by telephone).
Other services are charged in addition. For example, we can provide extra lighting and sound equipment through our nominated lighting/sound company (Simon Kennedy Lighting). We can also provide extra technical operators and other dedicated staff. Photocopying is charged at 10p per copy and a merchandise charge of 15% will be levied on any goods sold by you or us from Underbelly.

Other Costs

There is a publicity fee of £500 (subject to change). This covers entry into our joint venue brochure with the Gilded Balloon and a half page listing and all related distribution in London, Glasgow and Edinburgh. The brochure has a print run of 200,000 of which 95,000 copies were distributed by the Scotland on Sunday on one weekend in late June 2007. We expect to arrange a similar deal in 2008.

VAT

Please note that VAT is chargeable by us on all of our charges and services including the Rental Fee, the brochure entry fee and other contras.

Fringe Office and Performing Rights Fee

The Fringe Office will charge a commission of 6% (plus VAT) on all box office sales that they make on your behalf. (For budgetary purposes, please note that in the last 4 years, the Fringe Office has sold an average of 30% of all tickets for Underbelly shows). This proportion tends to be higher for shows with higher advance sales.

The Fringe Office will also deduct a Performing Rights Society (PRS) fee of 3% (plus VAT) which is charged on the box office sales they make on your behalf (but not on box office sales made by Underbelly or other box offices). All shows at the Fringe are required to fill in a form for the Fringe Office. If your show contains no music or only music which is not under copyright, then it is possible to apply on the form to have the fee waived. It is your responsibility to ensure that the form reaches the Fringe Office.

Foreign Entertainers Tax

Foreign Entertainers Tax is charged on performers who are not resident in the UK. This tax obliges Underbelly to withhold a percentage of the gross box office receipts if they exceed a certain amount as determined in writing by the FEU to us. You may ask for this tax to be waived or reduced by writing directly to: Foreign Entertainers Unit, St John’s House Unit 401, Merton Road, Bootle, Merseyside, L69 9BB. Ideally you should contact them before the Fringe and the Inland Revenue will then write to us with any reduction or waiver of the tax. See the HMRC website for more information.