The article presents a strategic investment by the Scottish Government, framed as safeguarding a “signature event” and maximizing its economic and cultural impact. However, the deliberate exclusion of the “Keep it Fringe Fund” reveals a fundamental tension within the narrative – a celebration of the Fringe’s success simultaneously underpinned by a recognition of its inherent fragility. This pattern of “motte-and-bailey” is evident: the Scottish Government highlights the Fringe’s grand scale and ...