Manipulate Festival

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

About Manipulate Festival

	, Various Locations Edinburgh
	Manipulate Festival Website
	Facebook information can be found here
	Follow manipulatearts on Instagram

Listed Under Attractions - Festivals

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.

We take every opportunity to ensure the details for Manipulate Festival are accurate, if any of the above information is incorrect we would appreciate if you could take a minute to suggest an edit.

All information (whether in text or photographs) is supplied in good faith but should not be relied upon as being a statement of representation or fact.

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Upcoming Events at Manipulate Festival

Theatre

Manipulate Festival: Coffee With Sugar?

4th February 2026 - 5th February 2026

Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh West

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

Theatre

Manipulate Festival: Size Matters

5th February 2026 - 6th February 2026

Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh West

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

Theatre

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

7th February 2026 - 8th February 2026

Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh West

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.

Dance

Manipulate Festival: The Rite of Spring

7th February 2026 - 8th February 2026

Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh West

Theatre

Manipulate Festival: The Wood Paths

9th February 2026 - 10th February 2026

Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh West

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

Festivals

Edinburghs Hogmanay

, Various Locations Edinburgh

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Festivals

FuturePlay Festival

54 George Street, Edinburgh New Town EH2 2LR

Formerly the Edinburgh Digital Entertainment Festival, FuturePlay is on from the 3rd to 26th August.

Festivals

NT Art Month

, Edinburgh New Town

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Portobello Book Festival

, Various Locations Portobello

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Luminate Festival: Edinburgh & Lothians

NA NA, NA NA

Luminate: Scotland's creative ageing festival celebrating creativity as we age.

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Cymera Festival

The Pleasance 60 Pleasance, Edinburgh South EH8 9TJ

Cymera is Scotland's Festival of Science-Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Writing and it returns to Edinburgh from 6th to 8th June.

Festivals

Edinburgh International Improv Festival

Scottish Storytelling Centre 43-45 High Street, Edinburgh Old Town EH1 1SR

Edinburgh International Improv Festival is back in person at Scottish Storytelling Centre from 20th to 23rd March 2025.

Festivals

Porty Festival

, Portobello

Porty Festival is a brand new family friendly festival coming to Portobello on Saturday 10th & Sunday 11th May - highlighting all things Portobello.

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ScotlandsFest

, Various Locations Edinburgh

2024 marks the 7th year of ScotlandsFest, more than 40 captivating events celebrating the vibrant literary, cultural and political landscape of Scotland.

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Audacious Women Festival

Audacious Women Festival , Various Locations Edinburgh

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Syn Festival Edinburgh

, Various Locations in Edinburgh

Join us for a multi-art festival of visual and performing arts, including photography, art installations, painting, theatre, short films, live music and dance!

Festivals