A Note from the Chair – Cariad Astles
The world puppet festival in Charleville-Mézières, northern France, continues to be a magnet for the global puppetry community to gather, celebrate and showcase the wonderful art of puppet theatre. Taking place every two years across the city and surrounding region, it brings performances, companies, puppeteers and enthusiasts together for an eclectic and mind-blowing experience of puppet shows of all varieties, techniques and styles.
For 9 days, the streets and squares of Charleville are packed with street shows, exhibitions, theatre performances, talks, discussions and gatherings to view, ponder, celebrate and question puppetry and its place in the complex world we live in. This time, as I was only able to be there for two full days, I saw five theatre shows, from Lithuania, Chile, Germany, Taiwan and France. The standout for me was Ariel Doron’s magnificent Le paradoxe du chat (Schrödinger’s Cat) — an intelligent, funny, technically brilliant and poignant show that questions the nature of being, dual realities, ethics and autonomy through comedy, puppetry and dialogue. If you get the chance to see it, do.
Alongside the performances, UNIMA International hosted meetings and gatherings, including a symposium on women, autobiography and puppetry, exploring themes such as personal stories, body integrity and sexuality. This project, launched last year in Ravenna, continues to grow and inspire, and recordings will soon be available on the UNIMA International website.
Looking ahead, we are already preparing for World Puppetry Day 2026 (21 March). British UNIMA will launch an online showcase of puppet photos in unusual places, and we encourage members to also consider offering a free local puppet workshop to mark the day. Please send us your photos so we can display them on our website and social media!
Warm greetings,
Cariad Astles, Chair of British UNIMA
A quick update: our much-anticipated Herds event has been postponed — but don’t worry, a new date will be announced very soon, so stay tuned! In the meantime, October is overflowing with puppetry activity here in the UK. From Curious Puppetry workshops in Cornwall’s Kneehigh Barns (7–8 & 14 Oct), to the Skipton International Puppet Festival and Symposium (16–19 Oct), the energetic Puppet Place 48 Finale in Bristol (19 Oct), and the exclusive online screening of Mark Crane’s new film (23 Oct), there’s plenty to mark in your diaries. We round the month off with the much-loved Ards Puppet Festival (26–27 Oct) — a truly magical family weekend.
We’re also excited to share that applications are now open for Theatre-Rites’ Puppetry & … Conversations, a series of intimate online discussions co-hosted by Sue Buckmaster and special guests, returning this autumn. With just six places available per session, these offer a rare chance for professionals to explore puppetry’s intersections with disability, ritual performance, and artificial intelligence. (Full details below under Training & Workshops — apply by 13 October!)
And finally, a big thank you to all of you in our growing community. Since April, our newsletter list has grown to over 400 subscribers, and our Instagram following has passed 2,500 — an incredible boost to the work we’re doing. A special thank you to those who go the extra mile with a paid membership; your support makes initiatives like our upcoming Member Spotlight series possible. We’ll be launching this feature soon, so if you’d like to be showcased, please fill in the form here.
👉 Read on for the full listings of events, training opportunities, funding calls, and international highlights for October.
On the Stage
We’re delighted to share that Roald Dahl’s mischievous reptile is on the move! The Enormous Crocodile The Musical — originally created in the UK by Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, Leeds Playhouse and the Roald Dahl Story Company — has just made its U.S. premiere at the Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis (1 Oct – 23 Nov 2025).
We’re especially thrilled that Toby will be offering British UNIMA members an exclusive Q&A feature in the upcoming Notebook, where he shares insights into his creative process and approach to puppetry in this production. More info
✨ Support Curious School of Puppetry – A New Home at Colvestone
Curious School of Puppetry is part of a consortium bidding to re-open the former Colvestone Primary School in Hackney as a community educational, cultural, and social hub.
This historic Grade II building, closed in 2024, has now been recognised as an Asset of Community Value. The consortium’s vision is to create a vibrant centre for education, creativity, and collaboration — including a permanent base for Curious School of Puppetry.
💡 How you can help: It takes just a few minutes to add your name in support — no money required, just a simple form to show the Council the strength of community backing.
📖 More details about the bid can be found at Colvestone.org.
Upcoming Events
Curious Puppetry Workshops – Cornwall
📍 Kneehigh Barns, Gorran Haven, Cornwall
Two-day Workshop with Sarah Wright & Rachel Leonard | 7–8 Oct, 10am–5pm | £220 (lunch included)
Taster Day with Sarah Wright | 14 Oct, 10am–5pm | £100
Skipton International Puppet Festival & Symposium 2025
📍 Skipton | 16–19 Oct
A celebration of puppetry, cabaret, storytelling & performance. Includes the British UNIMA Symposium.
D&D Satellite: A Stronger and Healthier UK Puppet Sector?
📍 Part of the Symposium, Skipton | Sat 18 Oct
Puppet Place 48 – Live Finale!
📍 The Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol | Sun 19 Oct, 6pm
Screening of the weird & wonderful results of this year’s 48-hour puppet film challenge. Tickets £5–10.
Online Premiere: Mark Crane’s New Film
📍 Online (Members only) | Thu 23 Oct, 8pm BST
Join us for the exclusive first screening together in real time.
Ards Puppet Festival 2025
📍 Ards, N. Ireland | 26–27 Oct
A magical weekend of performances, workshops, exhibitions & family fun.
🎓 Training & Workshops
Puppetry & … Conversations (Autumn 2025)
Hosted by Theatre-Rites Artistic Director Sue Buckmaster with guest co-hosts, these small-group online discussions return for a second year. Each session focuses on puppetry’s intersections with other disciplines, ideas, and lived experiences.
📅 Upcoming sessions (all 19:00–21:00 on Zoom):
Puppetry & Disability → with Daryl Beeton | Wed 12 Nov
Puppetry & Ritual Performance → with Miguel Altunaga | Wed 19 Nov
Puppetry & Artificial Intelligence → with Liam Jarvis | Fri 28 Nov
🔎 Only 6 places per session | Open to professionals working with puppetry.
👉 Apply here by Mon 13 Oct, 9:00am
🌍 International Highlights & Opportunities
Erasmus+ Exchange at ESNAM (France)
📅 Info session: 14 Oct, 12:30–13:30 (Paris time)
🕰️ Apply by: 30 Oct for Spring 2026 semester (Feb–Jun).
Chicago Puppet Lab Residency
📍 Chicago, USA
🕰️ Apply by: 15 OctJoin the UNIMA Futures Commission
📅 27 October 2025
⏰ 12:00 CET (online)Novi Sad Theatre Festival 2026
📍 Serbia
🕰️ Deadline: 15 NovCatapult Artist Intensive
📍 Chicago International Puppet Theatre Festival 2026
🕰️ Apply by: 1 Dec
Funding & Calls
European Festivals Fund for Emerging Artists (EFFEA) – 4th Call
Supports ~50 residencies across Europe & neighbouring regions.
Must involve at least 3 festivals from 3 different countries.
Grants: €8,000 (Discovery) | €15,000 (Springboard)
Deadline: 3 Nov 2025 (23:59 CEST)
British UNIMA Notebook – Call for Articles
📝 Theme: Giant and Miniature
📅 Submission deadline: 30 Nov 2025
Training & Workshops
Puppets in Prague – Free Workshops & New Courses
View full list of October Training events here
Stay Connected
British UNIMA is thrilled to support and share these events, opportunities & inspirations from across the UK and the international puppetry community. Please share widely, apply, and most importantly — join us at the many gatherings happening this month.
✨ Wishing you all a vibrant October, full of creativity and connection!
Warmly,
The British UNIMA Committee