The Edinburgh Interfaith Association (EIFA) spearheads a programme called Fringe Cares Fest, which brings performers from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to care homes for those residents who are unable to attend in person. Initiated in 2022, the Fringe Care Fest has expanded. In 2025 it took place in 16 care homes where over 1,000 residents, along with their friends and families, benefitted from this uplifting experience.1
Now the EIFA has produced Life Goes On! A Training Film for Care Homes to Bring the Joy of Festivals to Your Residents. This joyous film documents how Fringe Cares Fest events are not only highly entertaining, but also how they promote wellbeing and connection, as well as improved mental and physical health. It also serves as an educational tool with clear, step-by-step instructions on how to bring live entertainment to care homes to enrich residents’ lives.2
Sources
1. “A Film Celebrating Creativity and Care,” https://creationeditor.co.uk/f/fringe-care-fest, accessed 22 January 2026.
2. “Fringe Cares Fest, Edinburgh Interfaith Association, https://www.edinburghinterfaith.com/what-we-do/fringe-cares-fest, accessed 22 January 2026.to act decisively when it matters.
