New Fund Opportunity for Visual Performance & Puppetry Artists – From Our Friends at Manipulate Arts!
News from our friends at Manipulate Arts – a vital new opportunity for Scottish-based artists working in puppetry, object theatre, and visually led performance. Deadline 11 July 2025
Introducing: The Visual Performance and Puppetry Fund 2025
This newly reimagined fund, delivered by Manipulate Arts in partnership with Vanishing Point Theatre Company and supported by Creative Scotland, offers seed funding of up to £5,000 for artists developing bold, imaginative, and image-led live performance projects.
Whether you're creating something entirely new or pushing an existing idea in a fresh direction, this is a chance to try out your creative vision.
What’s Included:
Up to £5,000 in project funding
1 week of rehearsal space
Optional public sharing of work-in-progress
Mentorship and professional development support
Access to wellbeing resources throughout the process
⚠️ Note: This fund no longer supports animation-only projects. A dedicated fund for animation R&D will be announced later in 2025.
Applications are welcomed in written or video formats, including BSL and first-time applicants are strongly encouraged to apply!
Deadline to apply: Friday, 11 July at 12 noon.
Download the full guidelines and application materials here
Artist Callout: Freelance Trust & Foundation Fundraiser
Manipulate Arts is also on the lookout for a freelance fundraiser to help support their year-round programme, artist development, and flagship festival. If you’re someone with strong grant-writing experience and a passion for supporting Scotland’s creative ecology, this is a great fit.
📅 Start date: Ideally September 2025
💷 Fee: £3,500 per year (2-year contract)
📬 Apply by: 24 July 2025 (cover letter + CV to sadie@manipulatearts.co.uk)
Download the Fundraiser brief here
Ongoing Call for D/deaf and Hard of Hearing Creatives
Manipulate Festival is always seeking new visual theatre, puppetry, and physical performance work by D/deaf and Hard of Hearing artists from across the UK. Whether you’re Edinburgh-based or working further afield, they’re eager to hear from you — even if your work is still in development.
If you or someone in your creative team identifies as D/deaf or Hard of Hearing and you're working in visual theatre, puppetry, circus, object theatre or dance-theatre, please reach out.
Let’s amplify these voices and keep this vital, boundary-pushing work on the map.
Start a conversation via email with Manipulate’s Artistic Director at: hello@manipulatearts.co.uk
Let’s keep celebrating, supporting, and elevating visual performance in all its rich and radical forms. Huge thanks to Manipulate Arts for their commitment to pushing boundaries and creating space for artists to thrive.
Share this widely – applications close 11 July!