Mark Nelson And Zara Janjua To Host The List Magazine's Major New Awards For Edinburgh Festivals 2024

The List's new Edinburgh Festival awards will shine a light on the rich array of Art, Book, Film, Fringe and International festivals this summer.

Designed to fully take in the breadth of what is happening during the most exciting festival month of the arts calendar, The List wants to pay tribute to the artists who make this very special landmark an actuality.

Comedian Mark Nelson will host the ceremony with Zara Janjua.  Since winning Scottish Comedian of the Year in 2006, barely a year after having made his debut, Mark is now known as one of the UK's biggest hitting comedy powerhouses with his dark humour, cutting observations and superb one-liners.  On stage with Mark will be renaissance woman extraordinaire, Zara Janjua – an award-winning Scottish Pakistani presenter, actor, comedian, writer and filmmaker.  Highly Commended by the Women of the Future Award, and a finalist for the recent United Nations Women Awards, Zara's impressive career spans many of the genres these new awards celebrate.

The List Festival Awards are in partnership with Johnnie Walker Princes Street and each winner will receive a cash award of at least £500.  Plus two winners will be heading to the SoHo Playhouse in New York to perform their show. Supporters include Lothian Buses, Citizen Ticket, Ghost Light Global, LNER, Adelaide Fringe, SoHo Playhouse, Sit-Up Theatre, Edinburgh Marriott Hotel Holyrood and Johnnie Walker Princess Street.

The categories for The List Awards are:

• ART - Best rising Scottish artist

• BOOKS - Best rising Scottish author

• FILM - Best Scottish film

• FRINGE - Best show 

• FRINGE - International Fringe Encore Series Edinburgh Prize 

• FRINGE - Sit-Up Award for best production with a social impact 

• FRINGE - Best show from Adelaide

• FRINGE - Spirit of The Fringe Award

• INTERNATIONAL - Best show

Brian Donaldson, Editor of The List comments: For our inaugural Festival Awards, we wanted hosts who would bring wit, presence and verve to the event, and both Zara and Mark have all of that by the bucketload. August is a long and exhausting month but these awards will provide a real energy boost in that last week from the shortlists being announced on the Monday to the ceremony itself on the Friday. Then we can all have a good sleep in September.

With a year-round monthly magazine (weekly during the Festival) and an extensive digital platform, The List publishes and distributes information on events and entertainment and is a must-read for finding out what's on.  The List reviews approximately 400 shows across the summer festivals offering some of the most engaging and extensive content for audiences.

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