With over 100 artists performing, 50 live performances including world premieres and a heap of free events and activities, the Festival of Puppetry (Wed 26 Aug – Sun 6 Sept), a key event in Bristol's cultural diary, is visiting Watershed for the very first time.

The international biennial Bristol Festival of Puppetry welcomes artists from all over the world, running workshops in everything from stop-frame animation to object theatre and process giant puppets through the street in a Community Carnival. The Puppet Place team are dedicated to bringing the best of puppetry from around the world to Bristol and showcasing the wealth of talent in the UK.

Working in partnership with multiple venues, as well as Watershed the festival venues include Tobacco Factory Theatres, Brunel’s ss Great Britain, Arnolfini and M Shed, all of which will be presenting a rich and diverse programme of live performance, films, installations, workshops, talks and more for all ages.

Watershed’s programme includes screenings and ‘in conversation’ events with artists including the Quay Brothers, iconic artists working in independent cinema, who talk about their rich portfolio of work that spans contemporary filmmaking, plus special events on award winning Barry Purves and the legendary Ivor Wood, a pioneer of stop-motion animation who created iconic characters such as Postman Pat and The Wombles.

Other free events across the city include an intriguing installation by the Quay Brothers on Redcliffe Bridge, a game of MASSIVE Battleships on Brunel Square, and a delightful show at M Shed and Arnolfini where unwanted domestic appliances are transformed into mechanical animals.

For full programme details see bristolfestivalofpuppetry.org

Tickets: free - £9.00

---