Photo credit: Chris Dudley
Scottish comedy venue Blackfriars of Bell Street has announced a second year of their debut Fringe fund, in conjunction with Brass Tacks Comedy, with Glasgow based comic Kate Hammer revealed as this year’s recipient.
Hailing from Canada, Kate Hammer has made Glasgow her home for the past five years, becoming a regular on the Scottish comedy circuit and is Shortlisted for Glasgow International Comedy Festival’s Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award this year. She will bring her debut hour ‘Government Approved Comedian’ to renowned comedy venue Monkey Barrel this August, as part of the world’s largest arts festival.
Kate Hammer’s ‘Government Approved Comedian’ will perform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 3rd – 30th August at Monkey Barrel Comedy’s Studio. Tickets on sale from 1st April via edfringe.com
A Glasgow comedy institution, Blackfriars have once again joined forces with Edinburgh comedy producers Brass Tacks Comedy, following last year’s hugely successful funded Fringe run for Cumbernauld comic Jack Traynor. Kate’s upfront costs for her month-long debut will be covered by the Blackfriars fund including: registration fees, marketing and PR spend, venue costs, producer support, street team and more.
Kate Hammer said, “Being chosen for this funding support is not only life changing as a debut act, but so validating as a comedian. The fact that the team at Blackfriars believe in me as an act, and want to help me go far makes me feel emotions I have been repressing since my goat farming days.This industry makes us juggle so much, and this funding means I have more people helping me, and more time to do the idea justice. I honestly cannot wait to do a full run and know that with this help, I’ll be able to do the show that I want to do and make it the best it can be.”
Chris Conway, owner and promoter of Blackfriars of Bell Street said, “The team at Blackfriars Basement are delighted to be working with Brass Tacks Comedy for the second year in a row to provide funding for a debut Fringe run for another outstanding comic. There was only one act in our mind to support this year – Kate Hammer is an incredible comic who we love having perform in the club and we cannot wait to see her take on the Fringe. We know she’ll make the absolute most of it!”
Blackfriars Basement is one of Scotland’s original comedy venues, with the country’s biggest comics including Kevin Bridges, Frankie Boyle and Susie McCabe gracing the stage in Merchant City over the past 30 years. Relaunching four years ago, the club introduced new initiatives to support the local comedy scene, with no hall hire fee and 100% of ticket sales going to comedians. Owner and promoter Chris Conway is also Shortlisted for this year’s Sir Billy Connolly Award, as part of the Glasgow International Comedy Festival.
The Blackfriars and Brass Tacks fund is now in its second year, after supporting Jack Traynor’s debut in 2025, where the young comedian performed sold out shows at Pleasance Courtyard. Racking up 4 star reviews from The Skinny, One4Review, The Recs and more, the West Coast comic has gone on to perform regularly at top comedy clubs across the country including Monkey Barrel, travel to America to compete in the world finals of the Roast Battle League, support Mark Black on tour and co-host a new podcast alongside Ray Bradshaw and Mark Nelson.
Originally from Ontario, Canada Kate Hammer made Scotland her home over five years ago and since then has become host and co-producer of All Mouth, one of the only professional monthly queer comedy shows, and was a finalist in the Funny Women Awards in 2025. Kate writes for TV and radio, including an episode of River City, and her debut Fringe show ‘Government Approved Comedian’ tells the tale of navigating the visa process and staying in the country, one joke at a time.
Brass Tacks Comedy, run by Edinburgh local Katie Palmer, spearheaded the funded debut Fringe idea after speaking to comics in the Scottish industry who felt the Festival was not a viable option for them to take part in due to exorbitant costs. Katie now works with Red Bull UK and Blackfriars to each fund one Scottish or Scotland-based comic to take their debut to the Fringe. Kate Hammer (funded by Blackfriars) and Eva Peroni (funded by Red Bull UK) are 2026’s funded debuts.
The fund will allow Kate Hammer to bring her debut to audiences from around the world supported by a team of comedy professionals from producers, technicians, PRs, programmers and more.
