The 6th edition of Newcastle Puppetry Festival ran 19th - 27th April 2025. Spanning 9 days at indoor and outdoor venues across the city, the 2025 programme presented shows, workshops, talks and films for adults, kids, teens and families. The festival included 2 weeks of community workshops resulting in the Toon Underground parade at Exhibition Park and a two week exhibition at the Great North Museum: Hancock. Shows at Northern Stage included the UK premieres of 'Cantos Animata' and 'Panta Rhei II by t'Magisch Theatertje.

2025 Festival

Taking part in the puppetry festival was a very rewarding experience, I had fun from start to finish, and I got to make a giant turnip, I couldn't've asked for anything more."

– Parade Participant, 2025

2025 Festival Gallery

Artists

Bean Pig Puppets, Bell & Bullock, Bryony McCombie-Smith, Chloe Rodham, Freddie Hayes, Gavin Glover, Grandly Strange Puppet Theatre, Jo Feijo / Moving Parts Arts, Judith Hope Puppet Maker, Kain Penny Playground, Keep Drawing Charlie!, Headstrung Puppets, Lempen Puppet Theatre, Life & Limb Puppets, Matthew Robins, Pui Lee, Rag & Bone, Red Thing Creations, Rosie Bristow, Stephen Mottram, t'Magisch Theatertje, Tatwood Puppets, The OBJECT Project, William Steele

Funders

Made possible through funding from Arts Council England, Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland, National Lottery Community Fund 'Awards for All', Nexus, The Barbour Trust, Hadrian Trust, StreetGames Newcastle.

Partners and Venues

Northern Stage, Great North Museum: Hancock, Von Fox Promotions, Illumination Theatre Services, Life & Limb Puppets.

Toon Underground Parade

Artistic Director / Concept: Kerrin Tatman

Engagement Lead: Tamsin Rees

Moving Parts Producer: Izaak Gledhill

Assistant Producer: JonJoe Clennell

Lead Parade Artists: Chloe Rodham, Judith Hope, Rosie Bristow, William Steele

Assistant Artists: Ellie Hand-McCready, Mark Rogerson, Pui Lee, Rose Richardson, Tom Saunders

Other Parade Performers: Bell & Bullock, Dan Brown, Dave Silk, Ladies of the Midnight Blue, Matt Wood, Ryan Barker, The Bangshees

Illustration: Becky Musgrove

Technical Manager: Louise Gregory

Videography and Photography: Von Fox Promotions

Parade community groups: 92 Beats Theatre Company, Children NE: FAB Group, Lemington Scouts, Moving Parts Ambassadors, Newcastle Youth Circus, Ngage NE Ltd, The Bangshees, The Bostey Project, The Elders Council and The Varnish Women. A huge thank you to all individual residents, families and festival volunteers who made the project possible!

Take a look at the 2025 brochure

Crucial to our aims and objectives, the festival includes a series of bespoke projects that get community groups and students creative and interacting with puppetry or provide free access to high quality puppet theatre. We are passionate about participant-led work and build avenues into the festival programme that allow local residents to get directly involved. We want to incubate a community for puppetry in the North East of England and our festival is a big part of that narrative. Check out Toon Underground Parade below...