The Puppet Centre Trust is a national development agency for the art form of puppetry.

PCT has been working as a development agency for puppetry for over thirty years.
Founded in 1974 with the aim of gaining greater recognition for the art form, PCT’s work has included organising festivals, commissioning research, producing the famous journal Animations and running a range of training projects and connecting events for the industry. Over the last 30 years the British puppetry scene has grown and developed and with it PCT’s work has evolved.

PCT’s work is now focused on a number of key areas:
• PCT supports artists by providing training and development opportunities via Animating the Animators, an ongoing programme of professional development.
• PCT develops the art form by encouraging critique and debate in real and virtual forums and by devising and initiating projects which challenge the processes of making work using puppetry. This includes fostering opportunities for puppetry practitioners to explore interdisciplinary practices.
• PCT advocates the art form through producing the regular open access journal, Animations Online; publicising the work of artists and companies and maintaining a profile for puppetry with the main funding bodies for the arts. practical advice and timely research.

PCT exists in order to:
• Support new work that includes puppet and object animation
• Encourage the use of puppetry within a variety of other performance disciplines and contexts
• Advocate the art form.

PCT is guided by a Board of Directors who meet about every two months to oversee the vision and management of the organisation. The Board comprises a mixture of puppeteers and puppetry educationalists and commentators:
•Professor Anthony Dean, Chair
•Brian Hibbitt, Treasurer
•Penny Francis, MBE
•Cath Connolly
•Peter Charlton
•Jessica Bowles
•Stephen Novy

Currently available:

Bursaries 2008
Guidelines and application forms for 2008 are now available; the deadline for these bursaries is early January 2008. For information on past bursary holders click here.

Animated Encounters: A Review of Puppetry and Related Arts
Our beautiful new book covering the state of the art of puppetry in the UK today is available for just £15 plus postage and packing - place your order here.

Reference Library
The Puppet Centre houses a collection of over 4000 books, journals, videos, dvds, photographs and slides pertaining to puppetry and related arts. The library is accessible by appointment only, bookable by calling 020 7228 5335 or mailing pct@puppetcentre.org.uk.

PCT’s offices and library are based in Battersea Arts Centre, South West London.

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AGM
Our Annual General Meeting will be held on Monday the 17th of December, 4pm, at Battersea Arts Centre. For further information please call Natalie on 020 7228 5335.