Handmade puppets damaged by 'cruel' vandals

A new puppet theatre space has been vandalised just days after reaching its fundraising target.

Moving Parts Arts has run Newcastle's Puppetry Festival since 2017 and the company was getting ready to open a permanent home in an abandoned AA call centre in Elswick.

But, on Tuesday, artistic director Kerrin Tatman walked into the new space to find the collection of handmade puppets damaged or destroyed.

Many of the puppets had been created in workshops held in schools, care homes and with community groups, and Kerrin said they "represent the love and creativity of so many children and members of our community".

"It was heartbreaking to see so many carefully crafted pieces thrown about and stamped on," said Kerrin.

"These are not things you can put a price on in monetary terms."

The specialised space will allow for more community workshops, as well as additional performances to go alongside the annual puppetry festival.

Moving Parts Arts said this year, the April festival engaged with more than 28,000 people across Newcastle, but it was already looking at reducing its 2025 offering due to it becoming "more difficult to secure funding".

Margaret Pinder, chair of Moving Parts Arts' board of charity trustees, said it was "such a thoughtless and cruel act of vandalism".

"Funding for the arts is getting tighter every year," she said.

"Kerrin and the team work so hard and the trustees are proud of their terrific contribution to the arts scene here in Newcastle."

Plans remain in place to open the puppet theatre space in April to coincide with the 2025 festival, despite the setback.

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