Opening Event: Mix & Mingle – Curatorial Musings, on Friday November 24, 2023 at 17:00 hrs MST.
Together with WP Puppet Theatre staff, performers, puppeteers and you! we’ll tease apart the question posed in this year’s theme – how can puppets, ‘metaphors of matter’, help us address our Material World? The disparate world of ‘downsizing challenges’ to ‘refugee poverty’ We’ll play some idea activating games, we’ll share the resources that led us to this question, we’ll show some cool pictures and we’ll invite your stories and thoughts on how we call for action.
This is a fun informal session, everyone is welcome. Bring your own virtual beverage, dress in your PJ’s, join from the comfort of your home. We can’t wait to mix, mingle, and muse with you!
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MORE ABOUT THE FESTIVAL:
Puppet Power 2023: Festival of Ideas – Material Puppets
The Festival of Ideas is an annual conference, produced by W.P. Puppet Theatre Society. It explores the theory and practice of how puppet power promotes and impacts positive social change.
In 2023 we ask, how can puppets, ‘metaphors of matter’, help us address our material world? The friendly two day hybrid event features performances, hands-on workshops, panels and talks that will look at the interplay between the ‘ephemeral essence’ and ‘literal presence’ unique to puppet theatre. What can ice puppets, brick puppets, plastic puppets or even puppets from adult diapers offer in the “Story of Stuff”?
International and local presenters inspire through in person and online streamed sessions. Informed by puppets, we will create a call to action on the disparity of “too much stuff” versus “poverty of resources”.
Past participants include educators, therapists, helping professionals, artists, students, thought leaders and idea generators. They say “There is a lasting value, I loved connecting with other artists and the information is relevant and usable in my work. I can’t wait to use my puppet power!”
Join us for the 12th iteration of our Festival of Ideas!
Date: Friday, November 24th and Saturday, November 25th, 2023
Time: Various – due to the live online offerings of the festival. Please read start times carefully and use a time zone converter to find your local time. https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html
Location: cSPACE (1721 29 Avenue Southwest, Calgary, AB T2T 6T7) AND online.
Delivery: Puppet Power 2023 is a hybrid event, with in person events happening at cSPACE with many events also being offered through online streaming. Please check spam folders for Zoom links.
Age: Due to concept and theme discussions, this event is recommended for ages 18+.
Accessibility: We are committed to the purposeful inclusion of all people. We strive to reduce barriers and we value everyone’s participation in our programs. If you identify a challenge to you, or others attending, please contact us – we recognize our limitations as a small organization.
Tickets: We are doing a stepped release of tickets – keep checking back to see what’s next. Please see “Events” for individual tickets. Follow us WP Puppet Theatre and @wppuppet and sign up to receive our newsletter. For the full festival schedule, click here.
Early Bird: Purchase your tickets before October 31st and be entered in a draw for a lovely gift. One entry per purchase.
If, for any reason, the Zoom meeting link provided to you experiences technical issues, we will immediately send you an alternative link via email (or Eventbrite). This link will connect you to the event hosted on Google Meet, another reliable and user-friendly video conferencing platform.
Donations: When you donate to W.P. Puppet Theatre Society, your gift makes a difference! Every dollar goes directly toward our programs that strive to impact positive change… like the Festival of Ideas or VIEW from the Inside, or Family Puppet Pop Ups. Your generosity means we can provide tickets to marginalized groups or create bursaries for students or pay our artists a living wage. All gifts of $20 or more will be acknowledged with a tax-deductible receipt. Donate when you check out today or through Canada Helps.
