E2: OBJECT, UNIVERSE & LIFE IN PERFORMANCE
Merlin Puppet Theatre
SPACE SIX
Monday 8th - Tuesday 9th April 2019
10am - 5pm daily
Ages 18+ / adults
£120
An approach to all three basic elements that contribute to making a complete visual universe - Object, Universe and Life. OBJECT - puppet, mask, shadows; UNIVERSE - scenography, light and sound; LIFE - how these elements become animate. An exploratory laboratory, which examines through analysis, practice and experimentations, how a harmonious puppetry performance is created. Through improvisations and research on stage individually and in groups, participants will work on how to develop and realise an idea, all the way from scratch to the final desirable result. See here for Merlin Puppet Theatre's show at the festival, "Noone's Land".



Partners & Funders
Our work is only made possible through the generous support of a wide range of partners and funders.
A huge thank you to all of our supporters for allowing us to continue improving the wellbeing of North East of England residents through increasing access to creativity.

“This experience gave my child a chance to shine.”
– Community project parent, 2021

Current Partners & Funders


Community Foundation
The Community Foundation grows giving and philanthropy, matching generous people with important regional community causes. They are the largest community foundation in the UK. Established in 1988 as the Tyne & Wear Foundation, they later expanded to include Northumberland, with work now increasingly taking in the wider North East of England.
Moving Parts Arts is currently funded by NCIF during 2022-2024 through a contribution to our day-to-day running costs, allowing for our work to grow and develop. We are also funded by the Fogo Fund managed by the Community Foundation to support Teeny Tiny Toon during 2022.
The Newcastle Culture Investment Fund (NCIF) celebrates the power of arts and culture to have a direct impact on the health and well-being of Newcastle residents. While achieving that, grants develop Newcastle’s rich, diverse and accessible independent cultural sector. This fund would not be possible without the partnership and support from Newcastle City Council.


Arts Council England
Arts Council England champions, develops and invests in artistic and cultural experiences that enrich people’s lives. They support activities across the arts, museums and libraries – from theatre to digital art, reading to dance, music to literature, and crafts to collections. By 2030 and through their Let’s Create strategy, Arts Council England wants England to be a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish.
Moving Parts Arts is currently funded by Arts Council England to deliver ‘Expanding Horizons’ - an organisational development project to allow us to make the transfer from Company Limited by Guarantee to Charitable Incorporated Organisation, including the development of this website.


Community Fund
The Community Fund distributes over £600m a year of National Lottery funding to organisations in the UK to help improve their communities. They fund good ideas that bring people together, improve places and spaces and help more people to reach their potential.
Moving Parts Arts is currently funded by the Community Fund’s ‘Awards for All’ scheme to support the delivery of Teeny Tiny Toon during 2022.


Arnold Clark
In March 2020, Arnold Clark - the UK’s leading independently owned car retailer - launched their first ever Community Fund to provide financial help to community groups and charities that had been significantly affected by the coronavirus pandemic. After a successful Winter Edition they opened up eligibility to a wide range of organisations to give financial aid to even more communities in the UK.
Moving Parts Arts is currently funded by the Arnold Clark Community Fund to support the delivery of Teeny Tiny Toon during 2022.


Sir James Knott logo
The Sir James Knott Trust supports charitable activity in Tyne and Wear, Northumberland, County Durham and Hartlepool, by making grants to organisations. The aim of Sir James Knott Trust is to help improve the conditions of people living and working in the North East of England.
Moving Parts Arts is currently funded by the Sir James Knott Trust to support the delivery of Teeny Tiny Toon during 2022.


Hadrian Trust
The Hadrian Trust is a registered charitable trust allocating grants to charities and groups working for the benefit of the people and the environment of Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and Durham, including Hartlepool. Their main donations are in the fields of social welfare, youth, disability, the elderly, women, ethnic minorities, education, arts and the environment.
Moving Parts Arts is currently funded by the Hadrian Trust to support the delivery of Teeny Tiny Toon during 2022.


Life and Limb
Life and Limb Puppets is a puppetry performance and education company based in Gateshead. From their studio in Bensham they design and build a constantly evolving team of bizarre creatures to provide schools and other learning organisations a custom programme of workshop sessions designed to enhance creativity and confidence with education. Life and Limb Puppets also create bespoke puppets for theatre productions, including Circus Central’s ‘The Vampire Rabbit’ and Theatre Space NE’s ‘A Christmas Carol at the Castle’. In 2019 they began creating their first professional puppet show ‘Dragon’, made possible through Arts Council England funding.
Moving Parts Arts partners with Life and Limb Puppets to deliver our annual Puppet School, as well as other outreach workshops and programmes in Newcastle.


Puppets in Beverley
Puppets in Beverley creates unforgettable arts experiences that transform and celebrate the town of Beverley, East Yorkshire. Their flagship event is Beverley Puppet Festival since 2005, which takes place once every two years across a weekend in July to over 10,000 people. Puppets in Beverley also delivers outreach projects in the region introducing puppetry into schools, care homes and community centres.
Moving Parts Arts partners with Puppets in Beverley to share knowledge and resources to deliver our respected puppet festivals. We also deliver the Scratch Space at Beverley Puppet Festival once every two years.