Not all strings are visible, nor are all motives clear. Forms of control often blur intention.

Traditional puppeteers like Jim Henson or Sergey Obraztsov reveal their craft openly, yet even they may be guided by unseen forces.  

Beyond the stage, systems of control become diffuse, faceless, or nonhuman, shaping movement and choice without our awareness.

Artists, as outsiders or dissenting insiders, work to expose these hidden mechanisms and give form to what resists visibility.

This project investigates how meaning, identity, and motion are shaped, manipulated, or stolen, illuminating the tangled systems that script our roles and possibilities.

Submissions are encouraged from artists exploring the themes which will be presented in sequence: The Puppet (subjects — willing or unaware); the Puppeteer (controllers — visible or invisible); and these two identities relations (between controller and controlled — transactional, oppressive, or symbiotic).

Media accepted may include:

• Paintings, sculptures, masks
• Puppets of all kinds (string, hand, costume, etc.)
• Performative work (including literal puppet shows)
• Digital, short movies & videos, AI-driven, or experimental interactive works.

Submissions are free. All are welcome to apply, of any age, status, and from anywhere in the world.

Motive of the Puppeteer is part of the vibrant 2026 Fringe Arts Bath (FaB) Festival, featuring 17 other curated exhibitions, projects, and call-outs.

Dates:

22 May – 6 June 2026.

Submissions close on Friday 10 April 2026 at 23:59 GMT.

Art will appear throughout Bath, UK — from pubs and streets to galleries, university venues, vacant shops, and beyond.

Venues are confirmed in spring for that extra element of surprise; our curators thoughtfully group compatible shows to create a cohesive festival journey.

We'll promote everything via the official website, our active social channels (including Instagram with 8,000+ followers), and printed materials.

As an international tourism hotspot, Bath draws crowds — especially in the historic city centre where the festival thrives.

Last year's programme attracted over 9,000 visitors.

FaB is a playground for innovative concepts, a supportive stage for up-and-coming curators and artists, and an alternative to conventional gallery scenes.

We work to elevate contemporary visual arts in Bath and reach wider audiences.

This free two-week festival places art in unusual locations and unexpected forms — inviting passers-by to discover, interact with, and experience exhibitions, site-specific interventions, and events across Bath, UK.

If your work is selected, we’ll ask each artist to contribute £25 (this is per artist, not per individual artwork).

Your £25 helps cover essential costs like renting exhibition venues, the opening night and other events, annual insurance, website hosting, tools and equipment, white paint for walls, volunteer coffees, printing, and social media promotion — the practical things that keep the festival running.

As a volunteer-run organisation, FaB does not take any commission from sales.

Any sales would be handled directly between the artist and the buyer (for example, via the artist’s contact details provided).