Niantic makes $10,000 social impact donation and partners with Edinburgh Festival Fringe to support global arts industries

Niantic, Inc, creator of Pokémon GO, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite and Ingress, is partnering with Edinburgh Fringe, the largest arts and culture festival in the world, by making a $10,000 social impact donation to support their digital channels and stabilize the charity following the impact of COVID-19.

Edinburgh Fringe and its sister festivals will not take place this summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the charity’s partnership with Niantic will help find new ways of uniting people under a Fringe umbrella. A $10,000 social impact donation will go towards providing support, advice and encouragement to all the amazing artists, producers and venues who help create the Fringe each year.

Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “Niantic’s support will have a material impact on our ability to deliver key digital projects that benefit the thousands of artists and community members that the Fringe Society exists to serve. From a digital programme of artists events to a dedicated video showcase platform for Fringe shows, Niantic are helping keep the spirit of the Fringe alive in a year where a physical festival has proved impossible.”

In recent months, Niantic has been engaging with theatre-makers at the edge of immersive technology, such as Punchdrunk, to expand the bounds of their Real World Platform. Niantic is therefore driven to support organizations like the Fringe Society, which provide a global venue for performers.

Niantic will continue to work closely with local communities in various countries and regions, finding new ways to support those impacted by COVID-19.