Monkeybear 2026 Programming

Monkeybear’s Harmolodic Workshop supports Native, Black, IPOC in developing creative/technical skills in contemporary puppetry. Artists get to create their first works of puppetry and develop further in the form. Your support during Give the the Max will help us carry out our programming for 2026! Your support gives our community access to puppetry!

Five of our programs include:

Workshops: Puppet Performance Intensive: (prerequisite for New Puppetworks) 7-day long (4 hours each evening) workshop teaching the fundamentals of puppet performance in. jumerous styles of puppets, led by master puppet artist Andrew Kim. We also hold shorter one to two day workshops to gain skills in a specific style of puppetry.

New Puppetworks: Six month mentorship program for Intensive alumni to create 5-8 minute puppet theater pieces. Participants receive $4,000, materials, mentorship, group feedback sessions, access to our studio, workshops to build technical skills in puppetmaking, and culminating show.

Puppet Cinema: Eight month mentorship program to create 5-7 minute long puppet films. Participants get a $4,000 stipend, sound designer, filmmaking workshops, group feedback sessions, access to Monkeybear studio and filmmaking equipment, and mentorship. 

Open Studio: a time for alumni and current cohorts to work in community with each other, a time to make, get feedback on projects and get help from others. Because alumni and current cohorts are in the space at the same time, there’s knowledge passed down to new folks and connections made, which have led to collaborations amongst artists from different cohort years, which is really exciting! 

Iron Puppeteer: sessions to create together and improve on all aspects of puppetry without the high stakes of a theater performance. Alumni from different cohort years collaborate to create short pieces, perform and get experience directing the pieces with feedback, all in one session!