City Arts - Nottingham

22/06/2026

Wonderful photos from the Nottingham Puppet Festival community tour of Bori Mezo’s ‘The Giant Who Slept for Ten Thousand Years’, brought to Nottingham City Libraries and community venues across Nottingham by City Arts.

⛰️🏘️🎭🧌

Over four free performances, families joined us at Strelley, Central Library, Clifton and St Ann’s for a story inspired by Swedish folklore. Audiences then got creative in hands-on workshops led by Bori herself.

Thank you to everyone who came along and helped make the tour such a success.

The festival continues on 27 June 2026, when the puppet festival fills Nottingham city centre with free family shows, giant puppets and outdoor performances. Check out the festival listings for the full line-up.

📸 Lamar Francois Imaging and Photography

14/06/2026

Nottingham Puppet Festival X Lakeside Arts Family Day 🎉

Join us on Sunday 5 July, for a range of family-friendly Puppet Festival events here at Lakeside, including:

🟠 Free Firebird Walkabout - 11am, 1pm & 3pm
🟡 The River - designed specifically for children with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) - 11.30am, 2pm & 3.30pm
🟢 Family Sensory Picnic - designed specifically for children with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) and their families - 12.30-2pm
🔵 At Sea - an uplifting, non-verbal puppetry adventure for ages 6+ - 2.30pm

🔗 lakesidearts.org.uk/PuppetFestival

10/06/2026

Great photos and feedback from the Nottingham Puppet Festival tour of Swallows Wings Puppetry’s ‘Anansi and the Lost Sun’, brought to Nottingham community centres by City Arts - Nottingham!

☀️🕷️🐒🦅

Inspired by West African folk tales, the show tells the story of animals working together to bring back a missing sun. It visited Hyson Green, Bulwell, Bilborough and St Ann’s. These photos are from the performance at The Renewal Trust’s Brendon Lawrence Sports Centre.

The show was followed by creative workshops and play led by artist Bryony Mccombie Smith and Anansi Theatre Company.

Nottingham Puppet Festival kicks off properly on the 27 June 2026, with a full day of puppetry taking over the city centre. Check out the full festival listings for more family friendly shows and activities.

📸 Lamar Francois Imaging and Photography

06/06/2026

04/06/2026

Fans of our Puppet Cabaret events will enjoy 'The S*x Lives of Puppets' at Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall as part of Nottingham Puppet Festival.

Funny, shocking and often surprisingly tender, the show pulls back the covers on puppet s*x in contemporary Britain.

GET TICKETS 🎟️

29 June: https://nottinghampuppetfestival.co.uk/event/14167/the-s*x-lives-of-puppets/
30 June: https://nottinghampuppetfestival.co.uk/event/14175/the-s*x-lives-of-puppets-2/

29/05/2026

26/05/2026

🎭 Volunteer at Nottingham Puppet Festival 2026 🐇

We’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help bring a day of puppets, performances and city centre surprises to life on Saturday 27 June.

Roles include:
✨ Supporting giant puppet walkabouts
✨ Welcoming audiences
✨ Helping at festival hubs
✨ Gathering public feedback
✨ Supporting social media and photography

All volunteers need to attend one briefing session at the Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Nottingham:
📅 Wed 17 June, 2.30pm–4pm
📅 Thu 18 June, 6.30pm–8pm

Volunteer shifts are available across the festival day, from set-up in the morning to pack-down in the evening.

Interested? Register your interest via 🔗 https://city-arts.org.uk/volunteer-at-the-nottingham-puppet-festival-city-centre-day/

Please note volunteers must be aged 18+.

The city centre takeover is supported by It's in Nottingham.

12/05/2026

'Un Ocean d’Amour' is a fantastic show that we are also inviting local primary school pupils to experience as part of Nottingham Puppet Festival. 🚢 🇫🇷

Your chance to see it is at 7:30pm, 1 July 2026 at Squire Performing Arts Centre, Nottingham.

Tickets 🎟️ https://nottinghampuppetfestival.co.uk/event/14123/un-ocean-damour/

11/05/2026

'Tales from the Wheelbarrow' is the last of our three free puppet shows and workshopa coming to neighbourhood venues across Nottingham as part of Nottingham Puppet Festival, and it's now fully booked!

📅 Various dates in June 2026
📍 Wollaton, Bulwell, Meadows + City Centre

Olive the park-keeper is mission to tidy up, with her friend Teaspoon, a mischievous bird made from discarded materials.

With puppets, objects and live music, everyday things turn into creatures, tools and surprising new forms.

After the show, there will be a hands-on workshop where children can make their own puppet to take home.

Presented by Wayward Objects.