Puppet Showplace Theater
$1,000 grant per artist (5 artists) + mentorship, guest seminars, showcase
Puppet Showplace Theater's Creative Residency for Black Puppeteers funds research and early-stage development of original puppetry by Black artists in Greater Boston and nationwide. Each year five artists receive $1,000 grants plus monthly Zoom cohort gatherings, guest seminars, one-on-one sessions with a project mentor, feedback from the theater's artistic team and a culminating in-person showcase in Boston in June. Projects may be at any stage and in any puppetry form; at least one award goes to a family-show project and one to a New England artist. The sixth cohort concluded in June 2026 and the next call typically opens in the fall.
Black artists from across the US at any career stage; at least one award reserved for a family-audience project and one for a New England artist.
Sixth cohort completed June 2026; described as the only program of its kind in the US.
Puppet Showplace Theater announced its Summer 2026 season, featuring family performances, free outdoor shows at Emerson College, a Black puppeteers showcase, and evening programming for adults and teens in Boston.
Puppet Showplace Theater will present its winter season from January to March 2026, featuring educational programs and performances that explore science, history, and cultural heritage in Brookline Village.
Puppet Showplace Theater in Brookline will present the debut of an imaginative puppet performance, 'Jokes with Josue + The Tales of Turtle Boy.
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