Skipton International Puppetry Symposium 2025: Devoted and Disgruntled - Open Space Conversation

Devoted & Disgruntled – Open Space conversation

An invitation from Liz Lempen, Artistic Director with Lempen Puppet Theatre Company and Skipton International Puppet Festival (2005 – 2021)

A stronger and healthier UK Puppet sector for everyone: How do we make it happen?

“When I started out as a puppeteer in the late 80’s, there was a clear dream that was easy to follow – life was simple – make puppet theatre shows – tour them to beautiful places – learn my craft and enjoy a beautiful life sharing things that I care about through puppetry.

38 years on and life seems way too complicated, we have acres of red tape and rules, we must wade through endless online applications, navigate marketing strategies through oceans of social media content, travel through ever changing Brex-shit barriers, and all of this time-consuming activity is set in a backdrop of a most challenging economic situation for culture. I think this has to be one of the most challenging times for finding your path and making your living as a puppeteer.

Many in the puppet world would identify with feeling isolated. Some will be able to reach out and find support, training, advice, mentoring, but others might struggle more or be simply more geographically isolated making it much harder or expensive to connect. We seem to have to navigate many problems alone and sometimes re-invent the wheel.

So how can we support each other better as a community?

There is infrastructure out there that supports the UK puppetry scene. Buildings, festivals, training opportunities and organisations exist that can join the dots of a stronger better future for the sector. However, UK puppetry organisations need better connection to the puppeteers. Some of the organisations are at a critical point and may even disappear if we don’t do something about it, and soon. We can’t solve these problems alone. Ultimately, we have to do this as a community, but then how can we strengthen this community to function more effectively and inclusively?

How do we keep these organisations flourishing, with new and fresh perspectives and more engagement from the wider puppet community, including younger artists?

Unlike Circus, dance or street arts, Puppetry has never had a National Review by Arts Council so there is no overview and strategy applied. Sadly, we have never been able to advocate for the sector as a whole.

How can we find a voice that can advocate for puppetry and shout about the importance and uniqueness of this art form?

You may have different experiences, views, questions and ideas.

You may be resonating with all or some of the above.

Please come and join in this conversation, share your concerns, ideas and let’s start to re-connect, re-vision and rebuild for a stronger future for puppetry in the UK.”

Liz Lempen

This conversation will be facilitated by Improbable, a theatre company who specialise in using a process called Open Space Technology (OST). OST is a simple way for groups of people to think, work and take action together around a shared concern. There is no set agenda, and you decide what to discuss. You are free to move between conversations in a single session depending on what interests you. You can read more about Improbable and Open Space www.improbable.co.uk/open-space

Booking onto the main Skipton International Puppetry Symposium 2025 event is required – https://skiptontownhall.co.uk/puppetsymposium/