Comedian Dion Owen Cycles into Action, Offering Free Bikes to Fringe Artists

Comedian Dion Owen is bringing a unique brand of support to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year, offering free, refurbished bicycles to fellow artists. This initiative aims to ease the logistical challenges faced by performers during the bustling festival, enhancing their overall experience and well-being.

A Decade of Dedication

Dion Owen, a comedian with a passion for cycling, has been refurbishing and distributing bicycles for the past ten years as part of his stand-up tours. "I have been helping people with bikes for the last decade and have combined it into a core goal wherever I do stand-up tours," Owen shared. "Last year I got a handful of artists bikes and it was such a boon to their wellbeing and festival experience. For me, the end goal is that every artist who wants a bike for the Fringe would have access to one."

Supporting Fringe Artists

This year, Owen has significantly expanded his efforts, dedicating approximately 100 hours to fixing up 70 bicycles. This substantial undertaking has been made possible with support from the Fringe Society and the Pear Tree venue. At the conclusion of August, these bicycles will be donated to The Bike Station, a non-profit organization that will then make them available to individuals in need of transportation across Scotland.

Key Takeaways

• Dion Owen is providing free, refurbished bicycles to Edinburgh Fringe artists.

• This initiative aims to improve artists' well-being and festival experience.

• Owen has refurbished 70 bikes this year, a personal record.

• The bikes are donated to The Bike Station for redistribution to those in need.

• Owen hopes to expand the program in the future with more support.

Future Aspirations

Currently, Owen is the sole mechanic working on this project. He acknowledges the limitations this imposes, stating, "I am not the best capitalist so I am not setting my sights on securing sponsorship or backing in future. Just putting my energies and efforts into a space that feels like it makes the world a little bit better and hoping, with a bit of effort, it organically forms." He expresses a desire for the program to grow, ideally with more publicity, additional organizations to supply short-term bikes, and the recruitment of more mechanics to help with the workload.

Sources

• Dion Owen: providing free bikes for Fringe artists | Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe.