Artist training & development
Throughout the year we offer puppetry master-classes for adults and professional artists, led by talented designers and puppetry artists.
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE 2025
Applications are now open for our Artist in Residence Program, 2025.
The program offers a two-week residency at Spare Parts Puppet Theatre in Fremantle and includes use of our studio space, technical equipment, workshop/making facilities, and support from company artistic and technical staff.
We are excited by fearless and imaginative puppetry works that embrace exploration and experimentation in creative practice. Projects that captivate and stimulate audiences of any age are welcome, and projects may be in any stage of development.
The program is open to independent Australian artists working in puppetry, but priority will be given to Western Australian artists. Spare Parts Puppet Theatre will contribute to the costs of the project up to $3000.
The residency program is accessed by a two-stage application process:
Stage One – written application including your CV and an Expression of Interest (2 pages max.) outlining:
- the artistic vision for your project, particularly as it explores puppetry
- activities during the residency and outcomes
- evaluation processes
- a short statement or simple budget showing how you would use the financial contribution against costs, e.g. artist fees and/or materials
Stage Two – shortlisted artists will discuss their project with the selection panel.
Dates:
Stage One EOI closing date: 24 January 2025
Stage Two pitches: Early February 2025
The timing of the residency is flexible and can be negotiated between the artist and Spare Parts.
For more information and to discuss your proposal please contact: Michael Barlow asd@sppt.com.au
Tertiary partnerships
Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts offers Puppetry Training to Students
Since 2015, Spare Parts Puppet Theatre partnered with the Western Australian Performing Arts Academy (WAAPA) to offer a puppetry and visual theatre unit as part of the Bachelor of Performing Arts degree, giving students the opportunity to explore puppetry training as part of their course.
Dr Frances Barbe, previous Course Coordinator at Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts said that she was very excited to be incorporating puppetry into the training of the performance-making students.
“Puppetry is a great training tool to sensitise performers to the full potential of objects in performance and to develop the visual intelligence of our performance-makers,” she said.
“Through their work with Spare Parts, our students will become more visual storytellers who understand the power of the image and metaphor in performance as well as the power of the word. Puppetry is evolving in all kinds of interesting ways in contemporary theatre and performance. We are so lucky to have a company like Spare Parts here on our doorstep, and I look forward to building on this exciting partnership in the future”.
MasterClasses
Our 2024 Masterclass has now come to an end. Stay tuned for 2025!
Throughout the year we offer puppetry workshops for adults, led by talented designers and puppetry artists.
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Find out about more adult or professional workshops!
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