The Skipton International Puppetry Symposium 2025, funded by Arts Council England and led by North Yorkshire Council, is the first event of its kind in the UK.
Taking place on October 17 and 18 at Skipton Town Hall, the symposium will feature workshops, discussions, and public performances, with additional shows running throughout Sunday, October 19.
Cllr Simon Myers, executive member for arts and culture at North Yorkshire Council, said: “To stage the first ever symposium of its kind in North Yorkshire is a real coup.
‘It is a real coup’(Image: Supplied)
“Arts and culture are hugely important and have a big role to play in the county, both in terms of the local economy and people’s mental health and wellbeing.
“I’d like to welcome all of those involved in the symposium and encourage residents and visitors to attend the public performances.”
The symposium will explore the future of puppetry in a post-Brexit and post-pandemic world, under the theme ‘Reconnect – Revision – Re-set.’
It will address challenges and opportunities in touring, funding, training, and international collaboration through debates, workshops, and panel discussions.
Key organisations taking part include the British Puppet Guild, Puppeteers UK, the Curious School of Puppetry, Lempen Puppet Theatre, The Puppet Centre, British Unima, Theatre Rites, and the Punch and Judy Fellowship.
Liz Lempen of Lempen Puppet Theatre said: “As a former organiser of Skipton Puppet Festival and as a touring company for 38 years, we are very aware of the challenges and needs of the puppet sector.
“At this difficult time, where both funding support and work are thin on the ground, it is increasingly hard for early-stage career artists to find their way and make a living.
“It is so important that artists and people working in the sector have the chance to gather, network, and find strength and support within the puppet community.”
Among the public performances is the UK premiere of Lemba by Spanish company Ángeles de Trapo.
Wagner Gallo, director and co-founder of Ángeles de Trapo, said: “This is a big moment for the town, because puppet theatre has a way of drawing in both adults and children.
“There’s something uniquely charming about puppets – and in a world glued to screens, nothing gives you the same buzz as sitting in a theatre and seeing them come to life.”
