The Festival will consider all types of presentation, but are particularly interested in work that explores:

•  the relationship between live and animated bodies

•  the relationship between body and text within puppet theatre and other related forms

•  the animation of matter

•  puppetry in conjunction with other art forms (such as painting, circus, digital media, and/or interdisciplinary collaboration)

The festival will take place at The Central School of Speech and Drama with further venues in the Camden area and the Little Angel Theatre. This year, they are hosting international groups from schools across Europe to show their work as well as selecting groups that apply from across the UK. The work of those in the Puppet Centre Graduate Residencies and members of the Incubate programme (run by the Little Angel Theatre with CSSD) will also be shown. Additionally, professionals will be offering workshops and talks on a range of subjects. Applications can be made to present experimental work, scratch work, work-in-progress, work for all ages, fully developed performances, films, talks or other presentations. Both the work of non-puppetry groups and of puppetry courses or modules is welcome. Companies presenting work-in-progress or scratch work will be invited to open a dialogue regarding their work with the audiences that see it.

The festival is supported and will be documented by the Centre for Excellence in Training for Theatre as a part of its ongoing commitment to innovative practice in theatre. Applications to the festival are now open for current students, graduates and emergent practitioners.

Proposals should be sent to studentpuppetfestival@cssd.ac.uk, no later than 31st January 2009. For further information, contact julia.barnett@cssd.ac.uk or cariad.astles@cssd.ac.uk