Further Information

Hvammstangi International Puppet Festival is a brand new performing arts festival hosted in Hvammstangi, a small village in Northwest Iceland, which celebrates live action contemporary puppetry in theatre and film. We actively promote rural artists and the rural artistic lifestyle, sharing the best puppetry the world has to offer with an audience that revels in welcoming them. We strive to be exacting in artistic quality, supportive of community and artists, and inquisitive in nature.

HIP is social. It lives in the present and shapes the future. It is a place for artistic gathering, to share skills, joy, food, art, and fun. It is anacreontic. HIP is a respite from the hectic, an opportunity to revel in the thunderous silence of Northwest Iceland.

The festival is held annually on the second weekend in October, following the largest horse and sheep round ups in the region. We are happy to announce the next festival is scheduled to take place 8. - 10. October 2021. We cannot wait to welcome you to our small corner of the world.

A little update:

Just one year in, and we are officially an award winning festival!
HIP Fest was recognised as Cultural Project of the Year by the Regional Development Fund in Northwest Iceland in 2020. In 2021 Hanbendi Brúðuleikhús was awarded the super prestigious Eyrarrósin award for Outstanding Cultural Project in rural Iceland for HIP Fest and our work in Húnathing vestra.

Visit www.thehipfest.com for more information about the festival.

The festival programme is set to be another fantastic international offering with artists lined up from around the world. The festival offers a selection of workshops, masterclasses, performances, films, and 'extra' events for all ages. While things are still shaping up and the final schedule won't be available until a little later, we are delighted to be able to include the following acts in the 2021 festival:

Live Performances:

Merlin Puppet Theatre (Germany) - Clown's Houses (16+)
WakkaWakka Productions (USA/Norway) - The Immortal Jellyfish Girl (12+)
El Patio Teatro (Spain) - A Mano (5+)
Cezanne Tegelberg Productions (Netherlands) - Yuto & The Tree (All ages)
Hop Signor (Greece) - Giraffe (5+)
Lutkovno Gledališce Ljubljana (Slovenia) - Death, Duck, and the Tulip (3+)
10 fingur leikhús (Iceland) - Life (3+)
Cat Smit Productions (Netherlands) - Borders (16+)

Free/Walk about performances from:

Kunuu Títeres (Paraguay/Iceland)
Puppet Prototyping (Belgium)

Films & Screenings:

Heather Henson's Handmade Puppet Dreams (USA) - short films for families (all ages)

Waddle & Daub (UK) - The Depraved Appetite of Tarare the Freak - a puppet opera

More to be announced soon ...

Workshops, lectures, and masterclasses from:

10 Fingur Leikhús (3+)
Merlin Puppet Theatre (8+)
El Patio Teatro (5+)
Tessa Rivarola from Kunuu Títeres (5+)
Master puppeteer Bernd Ogrodnik (16+)
Tobi Poster from Waddle & Daub (16+)
Bart & Pascale from Puppet Prototyping (5+)
more to be announced....

Extra Events:

UNIMA Iceland Welcome Dinner - meet the artists, share good food, and get into the festival mood. The welcome dinner is hosted by UNIMA Iceland, so they will also tell you a little about what they have been up to up here in the frozen north.

Awards Ceremony and Closing Party (18+)

Please remember that the world is still in a very strange and ever-changing place, and that circumstances vary widely from country to country. With this in mind, the festival programme is subject to small changes. We will always do our absolute best to keep you informed. If an event you are scheduled to attend is for some reason cancelled, we will offer you a suitable alternative or equivalent refund.

Regarding Covid-19

The health and well-being of residents, guests and artists is of paramount importance. We have taken, and will continue to take, all necessary precautions as outlined by The Icelandic Directorate of Health and The Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management.

As things stand, HIP is fully compliant with all Icelandic regulations. Should the situation change in Iceland, or in any of the countries from which our artists depart, we will react accordingly.

At present the law states that all artists and visitors entering Iceland from abroad must undergo double testing and a quarantine period upon arrival to Iceland, unless otherwise stated. Festival guests over the age of 16 are currently required to wear a mask when in the theatre building. This applies even if you have been vaccinated or have antibodies at present.The festival also practices social distancing measures as required by law at present.

Whilst we strive for perfection, it is unattainable, so if you see us be less than perfect in our precautions at the festival, do let us know.

For more information on how Iceland is handling things there are regular updates in the english speaking newspaper the Reykjavik Grapevine or here on the government website.

Health and love XXX