Object Movement PUPPETRY RESIDENCY & FESTIVAL
2025-26 APPLICATIONS
ARE NOW OPEN!

APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2025-26 RESIDENCY AND FESTIVAL ARE NOW OPEN!
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW DUE BY 11:59PM ON SUNDAY AUGUST 17
APPLICANTS WILL BE NOTIFIED BY SATURDAY, AUGUST 30

Object Movement Puppetry Festival (OMPF) is a residency program for artists developing new works of puppet theater, culminating in an annual festival of short performances, curated by Rowan Magee, Marcella Murray, and Justin Perkins.

ABOUT THE RESIDENCY

For twelve weeks in Fall and twelve weeks in Spring, a cohort of eight artists or teams meet on Tuesdays evenings at the Center at West Park (in residence at St. Paul & St. Andrew UMC) to share their progress with artists in the cohort and the program curators. The goal of these meetings is to provide conscientious feedback for the artists and a flexible structure for sharing work in progress. The residency concludes in two weekends of performances in which the works-in-progress are shared with the public.

OMPF does not provide a building workshop, housing opportunities, and is not an educational institution; it is a process-oriented residency whose primary focus is to create a space for participants to refine their ability to give and receive supportive language. Through the residency, artists discover ways to expand their puppetry practice and strengthen their creative communities beyond the festival.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

The 2026 Object Movement Puppetry Festival will take place over two weeks from April 13-26, 2026 Each week features a different program of four original 10-20 minute-long works-in-progress and excerpts of longer works developed during the residency, with technical support provided by the Center at West Park. Each week will include a dedicated tech day for each of the four pieces, a dress rehearsal, and three performances. Festival working days will be Monday—Saturday, 1pm to 10pm with a meal break 5-6pm.

The festival will provide a stage manager and technical director, a rep lighting plot, sound system, and marketing and box office services. Each lead artist or team will be paid an artist fee of $500 at the end of the festival. Our dedicated technical consultant Jim Freeman will be available for advice throughout the residency and a limited amount of fabrication time before the festival.

IMPORTANT DATES

  • Applications open: July 22, 2025

  • Applications due: Sunday, August 17, 2025 at 11:59pm

  • Applicants notified: Saturday, August 30, 2025

  • Fall residency meetings: Tuesdays 6:30-8:30pm from September 9 through December 16 (off Nov 4 for Election Day and Nov 25 for Thanksgiving)

  • Work-in-progress showing: Tuesday, December 9 at 7pm

  • Winter break: December 17—January 5

  • Spring residency meetings: Tuesdays 6:30-8:30pm from January 6 through April 7-2026

  • Festival dates: April 13-26, 2026

    • Program A performances: Friday, April 18 at 7:30 and Saturday, April 19 at 2pm and 7:30pm

    • Program B performances: Friday, April 25 at 7:30 and Saturday, April 26 at 2pm and 7:30pm.

HOW TO APPLY

Online applications open on July 22 and are due by Sunday, August 17 at 11:59pm. Applications are open to all artists over 18 who live in the New York City metro area. Both experienced puppetry artists and puppetry beginners with experience in other disciplines are welcome. We are not able to accept applications from full-time students, or for projects being developed through another residency, program, or institution between September 2025 and April 2026. You may apply as an individual artist, a duo, or a collective/company. Please submit only one application per artist.

We are seeking a diverse cohort of artists of different backgrounds and with different interests and experience levels within the realm of puppetry and object theater. BIPOC artists, LGBTQIA artists, and artists with disabilities are encouraged to apply!