Liftshare Festival Fringe Award: Judging panel revealed!

This year, Liftshare has been running a brand new comedy award for acts participating in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. It’s not just about laughs, as we’re encouraging comedians and performers to say something green – be it their views on car sharing, why Edinburgh is a beautiful city, and why we need to be thinking about sustainability.

In short, we want to help people laugh while they think about green issues. If you want to reduce your CO2 impact on the capital this year, why not book or offer a liftshare on our Fringe site.

We’ve had a steady stream of great entries so far from comedians Moj Taylor, Abbie Murphy, Nick Revell, Hilary Fox, Jonny Fluffypunk and Daphna Barma – with more to follow! Check out the main Liftshare blog page to see their entry videos.

But today, we have a special judges announcement. We can finally reveal the team that will be looking through all entries after our August 21st close date, and ultimately, crown our 2015 winner.

Jonny Awsum – Jonny (above) is the critically-acclaimed, guitar wielding comedian who is currently performing in his second year at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. His hit shows Sexy Noises and Jonny Awsum’s To Do List were sell-outs in 2014, and you may have also seen him presenting on Sky Sports, appearing in Cravendale’s ‘Cats with Thumbs’ ad, and much more. His new show Everything is Awsum at the Gilded Balloon from 7th – 30th August.

Richard Skinner – Richard is Operations Director at Responsible Travel, the travel site which connects people looking for real and authentic holidays with the world’s best small tour operators. The site shares Liftshare’s passion for keeping Britain clean, improving air quality and lowering CO2 in Edinburgh during the Fringe. With over 8,000 responsible holiday options to choose from, all benefiting communities and conservation, the site is worth checking out.

Colin Gilchrist – Colin is Creative and Content Director, Project Manager at Social Tailor, a leading creative agency in Scotland. His firm prides itself on smart creative marketing, and has worked with organisations in biosciences, charities and fashion retail. With 15 years of industry experience, Colin is a respected name in the Scottish sector.

Janine Matheson – Janine is Executive Director at Creative Edinburgh, a network of creatives in Edinburgh, with over 10 years’ experience working in and supporting those within the creative and culture industries. Janine and the network are committed to advancing the value and impact of creativity in Scotland and internationally.

Joe Tree – Joe is the Edinburgh-based Founder of Polaroid Blipfoto, a board member of Creative Edinburgh and is currently a member of the Digital Media Industry Leadership Group at Scottish Enterprise. The group prides itself on the advancement of Scotland’s economic ambition and has done so since 1975.

We hope you’ll agree that we have a great judging panel, helmed by Jonny Awsum, and made up some truly inspiring people in the Scottish and UK industries – both creative and environmental.

Stay tuned for more award entry spotlights soon, and be sure to check out the Edinburgh Fringe this year!