Puppets are about to take over the city 🎭
We’re pleased to spotlight the return of the Nottingham Puppet Festival, a vibrant, city-wide celebration of puppetry running from 27 June to 5 July 2026.
🌆 A City Transformed
Led by Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Nottingham and City Arts, the festival brings together local, national and international artists to fill Nottingham with puppetry of every kind—across theatres, streets, community spaces and unexpected corners of the city.
From large-scale outdoor work to intimate performances, alongside workshops, talks and screenings, it’s a chance to experience the full range of what puppetry can be.
🎭 Why Puppets?
Puppetry has a unique power to tell stories beyond the limits of reality—whether exploring big ideas, everyday experiences, or entirely imagined worlds. This festival celebrates that breadth, bringing audiences closer to both the craft and the imagination behind the work.
🤝 A Festival for Everyone
A core aim of the festival is accessibility and inclusion, with events programmed across a wide network of venues including libraries, schools, arts centres and public spaces. It’s a genuinely city-wide, community-focused celebration.
🌱 Sustainable Practice
The festival also champions environmentally conscious making, supporting artists who work with recycled materials and exploring ecological themes through puppetry.
Keep an eye on the Nottingham Puppet Festival website for programme announcements and upcoming events.
A brilliant addition to this summer’s puppetry calendar—and one to watch.
View past festival highlights below.