News

This year there are more obstacles to togetherness than usual, and if you’re feeling disconnected from a wider creative community, read for some opportunities to chat, think together and socialise during MANIPULATE week.

MANIPULATE #14 will see the return of our animated film programme, featuring diverse and award-winning animated shorts from Scotland and around the world over two evenings in our Digital Festival.

The International Emerging* Critics Programme will offer 5-10 aspiring or emerging writers/bloggers based in Scotland the opportunity to develop their critical skills in writing about and discussing live performance over a 2-year programme.

In an exciting new venture for MANIPULATE Festival #14, we have commissioned eight kinetic artworks in a new live promenade project called RESTLESS WORLDS. Through the project, audiences in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow can enjoy a live, artistic, outdoor experience in their city during this particularly challenging coronavirus winter.

The 14th edition of MANIPULATE Festival features lots of opportunities to develop practice and sharpen skills through a series of workshops, delivered for the first time entirely online, and spanning puppetry, object theatre and animation.

We are thrilled to announce the launch of the programme for MANIPULATE 2021, our innovative festival of international, award-winning visual theatre, puppetry and animated film.

New Artistic Director and CEO Dawn Taylor has just completed her first 2 weeks in post with the organisation – here she shares a welcome message and discusses her approach in the first few months, and the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.

Ailie Finlay and her puppet, Little Mouse, are here to teach us some easy to remember rhymes which children can say to themselves to give them comfort if they feel worried or anxious about going back to school.

We are proud to introduce Puppet Animation Scotland’s first puppeteer in residence, Alex Bird.

We are delighted to announce that in the recently released Creative Europe 2019-2020 awards,  Puppet Animation Scotland and partners Ljubljana Puppet Theatre (Slovenia), Lele Theatre (Lithuania) and the Academy of Arts & Culture (Croatia) received significant funding to support the development of a contemporary puppetry critical platform.

We are very pleased to announce the appointment of Dawn Taylor as Puppet Animation Scotland’s new artistic director and CEO.

At first glance, one might not think that the aesthetic and techniques of the animated film lend themselves easily to a documentary format. Have a watch and see if they work for you!

A selection of vibrant, brilliantly original and thought-provoking films, full of joy and passion for the craft of animation.

Starting on the 30th of April, Puppet Animation Scotland is excited to be collaborating with puppeteers across Scotland to bring you unique Puppetry at Home tutorial videos every Thursday up until the 4th of June. The videos will include step by step instructions on how you can craft your own puppets and crankie theatres using materials you can find in and around the house, or you can simply order online.

We have been in touch with companies who have been toured with us for several years and presented unforgettable events. We would like to take a walk down memory lane with you and share some of these memories.

During a lockdown, one can be faced with a plethora of films to select from each day across streaming websites. For puppeteers or those interested in puppetry, to help narrow down the search, our Artistic Director has collated a list of brilliant puppet films, and provided links to access them!

After a great deal of thought and discussion, it is with much sadness that we announce the cancellation of this year’s Puppet Animation Festival.

Today we have some sad news from Puppet Animation Scotland’s wonderful Artistic Director, Simon Hart, who has been with us for the past 25 years.

This September, we are heading to Charleville-Mezieres, in the north of France, for the 20th edition of the Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes, where we will be presenting the showcase Scottish Caravan Theatre with Swallow the Sea Caravan Theatre. Our artistic director, Simon Hart, tells us more about the project.

After a successful run at Summerhall during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2019, we are taking the Swallow The Sea Caravan Theatre to Charleville-Mezieres, France, for the Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes. // Aprés notre résidence à Summerhall en Août, Puppet Animation Scotland et l’équipe de Swallow the Sea Caravan Theatre arrivent au Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes en Septembre.

Puppet Animation Scotland and Swallow The Sea Caravan Theatre present: Swallow The Sea Caravan Theatre at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2019. The performances will take place inside the Caravan Theatre, in the Summerhall Courtyard (Fringe venue 26) from 11am to 5:15pm every day between August 2 and August 25, with each show running for 20 minutes.

This year, Puppet Animation Scotland worked with the British Council Scotland on an exchange programme between Scotland and Pakistan. Scottish-based puppeteer Emma Brierley tells us about her experience of the exchange, and the work she developed with award-winning young Pakistani puppeteer Yamina Peerzada.

In September 2018, we had the chance to work with Marta Maluva, as part of a Santander Placement at Queen Margaret University. We caught up with her this month to talk about her highlights of the month, and what she learnt during her month with her.

As part of our Open-Door policy we are starting Free Cake Friday. Join us in the Summerhall Café, Edinburgh, every last Friday of the month, between 9am and 12pm, meet the team and tell us about your practice and projects, and …. get a free slice of cake!

We are delighted that Heidi has joined the team and we look forward to delivering our next batch of festivals and projects with her. 

Where does all of the time go?! We’re delighted that on our 35th year we are presenting 165 events in over 90 venues across Scotland and the North of England.