The SIT-UP Awards were first launched at the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe to recognise Social Impact Theatre.

Every year, there are fantastic plays that delicately and powerfully tell stories about important social issues.

At the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe there were 255 productions (26.4%) from a total of 965 productions that related to social issues, ranging from mental health, grief and death to abuse. See the survey results below.

But often the momentum ends once the audience leaves the auditorium. These are missed opportunities to harness empathy and make a difference. And when we surveyed production companies, we found that most did not provide their audiences with clear calls to action. For example, the programme or a separate flyer might indicate specific calls to action that audience members might make. Perhaps there might be a post show discussion. Maybe the production is working with or supporting a specific organisation or charity which might have educational materials.

So we decided to provide help and support to theatre makers to amplify and extend the reach of their work before, during, and after their productions.