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Manipulate Festival

The 19th edition of Manipulate Festival will take place between 4th and 10th February 2026.

Manipulate Festival

About Manipulate Festival

, Various Locations Edinburgh
Manipulate Festival Website
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Manipulate Festival is an annual international celebration of excellence in animated film, puppetry and visual theatre, bringing the very best of international and Scottish work to adult audiences of over 3000 across Edinburgh and beyond each February.

The programme features an eclectic range of boundary-pushing performances and screenings across many visual disciplines, creates a platform for creative exchange and discussion, and serves as a home for Scottish artists to experiment with and receive feedback on new ideas.

The Festival has gained recognition nationally and internationally for its innovative curation and unique blend of artforms, including animated film, circus, dance theatre, mime, object theatre, puppetry, physical theatre and visual theatre. The Festival offers an essential moment in the cultural calendar for audiences to gather and form communities of interest, for artists to network and exchange ideas, and for cross-cultural creative exchange between nations.

Upcoming Events at Manipulate Festival

Manipulate Festival: Coffee With Sugar?

4th February 2026 - 5th February 2026

Using thousands of coffee beans, flying candyfloss, biographical fragments, historical sources, video art and live music, ‘Coffee with Sugar?’ is a visually striking performance!

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Manipulate Festival: Size Matters

5th February 2026 - 6th February 2026

Blending puppetry, science, and surrealist theatre, Julia and Mamoru and their puppet doubles explore how time and perception shift with size.

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Manipulate Festival: Don Quixote (is a Very Big Book)

7th February 2026 - 8th February 2026

In his new one-man show, Dik Downey (Green Ginger, Pickled Image, Opposable Thumb) weaves together the crazed delusions of Don Quixote with his own struggle against reality.

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Manipulate Festival: The Wood Paths

9th February 2026 - 10th February 2026

Wood Paths is a celebration of humanity’s endless creativity and our desire to understand, to shape, and to find beauty in the mess.

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Sponsored Links

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Sponsored Links

Escape The Past
The Chocolatarium
Fayre Play
ATG
Edinburgh Dungeon
Hostelworld

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