Submissions Are Open for the 2026 International Puppet Fringe Festival!

The International Puppet Fringe Festival, New York’s only international fringe festival dedicated to puppetry, returns August 12th to 16th, 2026, and will once again feature performances by leading puppet makers and troupes from around the world. Produced by Teatro SEA, and Grupo Morán (The Morán Group) with the support of The Clemente Soto Velez Cultural & Education Center.

The International Puppet Fringe Festival is an open, artist-driven platform to showcase your work in NYC—celebrating both contemporary and traditional puppetry. Unlike a curated festival, a Fringe welcomes bold ideas, emerging voices, and innovative experiments, creating an inclusive space where artists can take risks and audiences can discover fresh, unexpected work.

The first three editions of the festival, in 2018, 2021, and 2023 were the proof that there is an outstanding artistic community around puppetry, as well as an audience craving for this timeless art form. We're getting ready for a fourth edition that will also celebrate the reopening of The Clemente Soto Velez Cultural & Education Center, home to the festival and landmark of the Lower East Side. We invite all artists and companies to submit and take part of this unique event in 2026!

Application deadline: January 16th, 2026