WORKSPACE HIRE

Introducing Unit 18

Puppet Place is based on Bristol’s historic harbourside near to Spike Island Studios and Brunel’s SS Great Britain. Our building, Unit 18, is ideally located within easy walking distance of the city’s key cultural organisations and it offers space to work to artists working in puppetry, animation, film, visual arts and performing arts. It offers a supportive and creative working environment to small companies and freelancers.

The building offers a variety of workspaces suited to different needs, including our Rehearsal Studio, Fabrication Bay and Meeting Room which can all be hired by commercial companies and our Associate Artists. We also provide workshop, studio and desk space for our Resident Artists.

All spaces come with Wifi, complimentary tea & coffee, access to safe bike storage and the knowledge that you are in a welcoming and supportive working environment. Plus there is a Pay & Display Car Park within a two minute walk of Unit 18.

We offer our spaces at affordable daily and weekly hire rates, download our Room Hire Rate Card.pdf for details, plus we currently also have some affordable creative desk and work space available on monthly rolling contracts too – see below for details.

If you would like to hire space at Puppet Place please contact info@puppetplace.org

Rehearsal Studio (click to reveal):

We offer affordable access to our ground floor Rehearsal Studio, which is set up for rehearsing puppet shows and small scale theatre, as well as an event space for workshops, courses and seated events for up to 35 people:

  • Dimensions: 7m length x 4.6m width x 3.3m height.
  • It’s a light and airy room with the capacity for a near-blackout.
  • There is a power supply (including 3 phase).
  • Dedicated toilet, tea and coffee making facilities and WIFI.
  • There is also good access for load ins and load outs.
  • Suitable for workshops (15 people max) and meetings (35 people max).

ACCESSIBILITY: The Rehearsal Studio itself is accessible as it’s on the ground floor and has double door access with a small ramp.  However, the toilet facilities aren’t wheelchair accessible as the two doorways to get in to it are standard width, which is 762mm (30in), or 2ft 6in. It’s on the ground floor within the Rehearsal Studio so no steps involved. To find out more about accessibility we have made this short video tour – https://youtu.be/ElWrEa09v-8

Rehearsal Studio Rates (New Rates for 2024):

£65 per day or £420 per week, for Commercial Hirers (24hr access)
or £35 per day or £215 per week for Associate Artists (24hr access)

Download our Rate Card + Terms & Conditions.pdf Click here for more about our Associate Artist Annual Membership Subscription.

Photo Shows: Rehearsal Studio

Fabrication Bay (click to reveal):

We offer a dedicated work area; ‘The Bay’  within our communal studio. Dimensions are 3m width x 5m length. The bay is available for resident and associate artists to use for short term makes and as a spill over area. Other artists and companies working in puppetry, animation and model making are also welcome to use the bay subject to availability.

The fabrication area is a contemporary making environment which offers a safe space for artists to develop their practices and work. There is an initial introduction to the health and safety requirements of the area, followed by comprehensive inductions to the facilities, machinery and fabrication processes on offer.

Equipment in the fabrication area includes:

  • General: Extraction, work benches, wood & metal vices, communal hand & power tool, access to WiFi and communal a kitchen area with complementary teas and coffees.
  • Woodworking: Bandsaw, scroll saw, dual bevel slide mitre saw, pillar drill, disk sander and belt sander.
  • Machining: Metal bandsaw, pedestal grinder and engineering lathe.
  • Plastic forming: Heat bender and vacuum former.
  • Spray, resin & adhesive area: Fume extraction booth.

The Bay is available for use on completion of the induction to the fabrication studio. Access is within working hours of 9.30am – 5pm, with the option of 24 hour access to bookings of 5 days or more.

Fabrication Bay Hire Rates:


£100 per week, or £17.50 per day for Associate Artists

£320 per week, or £50 per day for Commercial Hirers

NB: You will be charged an additional £30 fee for a Health & Safety induction if using our facilities for the first time.

Download our Rate Card + Terms & Conditions.pdf Click here for more about our Associate Artist Annual Membership Subscription.

Photo Credit: Fabrication Bay by Chris Vaughan Photography

Creative Desk & Workshop Space (click to reveal):

Puppet Place offers creative desk and workshop spaces for artists working in puppetry and animation, performing and visual arts and film. These spaces are ideally suited to freelancers and small start ups. Additional benefits includes discounted rates in the fabrication and rehearsal studios, complimentary use of the meeting room, profile on the Resident Artists webpage.

To register your interest in becoming a Resident Artist when workspace becomes available please apply here.

Associate Artists can hire our spaces at a reduced rate. Apply here to become an Associate Artist.