We want to be puppeteers, or do we?

Our puppetry dabate continues! The Australian puppetry world will never be the same again. If you recall, it all began with an article 'Who wants to be a puppeteer?' in Arts Hub, posted by Naomi Guss on 20 June. On the same day, I responded and posted my response here!

Today Melbourne puppeteers, Peter Wilson and Gilly McInnes, teaching in the Postgraduate Diploma in Puppetry at the Victorian College in Melbourne, posted their response on Arts Hub 'We want to be puppeteers!' According to them, puppetry is gaining recognition in Australia; and there is no doubt that the art form here is flourishing.

Click here for the article, in which Peter and Gilly offer their perspective on the industry; discuss the increasing opportunities for work; Australia’s global role; the increasing quality of work being produced here; as well as talk about the need for education programs to further develop our skills and national tradition.This is one of the most exciting times in the history of puppetry in Australia – we are in the midst of a solidifying critical mass of artists producing, making, writing, applying for funding, studying, performing and attending puppet theatre in Australia.

The healthy debate continues and only proves, once more, that we are certainly living in interesting times and although the available funding in Australia may be at an all-time low, the interest and stimulation in the art, is indeed very strong! Let the puppet provocation continue... la lutta continua!