Turku International Puppetry Festival

Turku International Puppetry Festival (TIP-Fest) is one of the largest contemporary puppetry festivals in Finland. Founded in 2009, the festival presents a dozen performances each year, focusing on creatively innovative contemporary puppetry and fostering a festive, community-building atmosphere.The 16th edition of TIP-Fest will take place in November 2026. From its earliest editions, the festival has invited international artists to Turku, aiming to present a wide variety of contemporary puppetry to Finnish audiences and artists. At the same time, TIP-Fest showcases Finnish puppetry and promotes local productions to international presenters. In addition to performances, the festival offers a side programme including professional discussions, workshops, and a festival club—an informal space where artists, producers, and audiences can meet and network.TIP-Fest supports the ongoing goals of the puppetry network Aura of Puppets and is produced by a professional team. We work closely with our long-term local partners and strive to develop the festival with each edition. A major shift occurred in 2024, when TIP-Fest transitioned to a biennial format after 15 consecutive annual editions. This new structure allows for a more strategic approach, enabling a longer preparation period and supporting a more artistically ambitious and high-impact festival in 2026.The 2024 edition also marked the end of artistic director Ishmael Falke’s tenure. The Aura of Puppets network appointed puppeteer Outi Sippola as the new artistic director for the 2025–2028 term. TIP-Fest will continue to serve as a meeting point for professionals and audiences alike, with each edition shaped around a specific theme. The next edition in 2026 will explore the theme of Communities.