We host a conversation about ‘The Future of Outdoor Arts and Visual Performance in Scotland’ during Manipulate Festival’s Industry Afternoon, and a networking reception after Siddiq Ali’s new show Tell Me.
We are looking forward to Manipulate Festival 2026. The celebration of excellence in visual theatre, puppetry and animated film returns for its 19th edition from Wednesday 4 – Tuesday 10 February 2026.
Articulation is involved in the Industry Afternoon on Monday 9 February, where we will lead a discussion on The Future of Outdoor Arts and Performance from 4-5pm. We are also hosting a networking reception later that day as part of the post show discussion following the premiere of Sadiq Ali’s new show Tell Me.
Industry Afternoon with Discussion and Networking
Join the Manipulate Arts team, programmed artists, international guests and industry peers in an afternoon of round table conversations focused on the visual theatre, puppetry and circus sectors along with informal networking. Open to artists, producers, programmers, and anyone invested in the future of live performance, the event invites open dialogue, fresh thinking, and collective imagination .The agenda for the event is as follows:
The Role of Festivals in Artist Development 2.30-3.30pm
Scottish artist Ruxy Cantir will chair a sector-focused discussion bringing together a panel of Scottish and international voices to explore the evolving relationship between artists and festivals. Through the conversation we will question the role festivals can, and should, play in nurturing local and national artistic practice, and how artist voices can be integrated into festival planning. We will explore different models from Scotland and beyond, to consider the role of festivals in shaping creative ecosystems and in supporting artists at different stages of their careers.
Coffee Break and Informal Networking 3.30-4pm
The Future of Outdoor Arts and Visual Performance in Scotland 4-5pm
Delivered in partnership with Articulation and rooted in research they have recently undertaken into support for Outdoor Arts, Circus and Spectacle in Scotland, this conversation will explore the experiences of artists working in outdoor and visual performance and consider how this work might be better resourced and supported in Scotland. Featuring artists from the Manipulate Festival programme sharing their ideas and practice, the event will ask attendees to consider the systems and structures currently in place to support these forms. We will invite attendees to share their hopes and ideas for the future of outdoor and visual performance in Scotland and to undertake an exercise in collective imagining about how the sector might evolve in future.
Tell Me – Sadiq Ali Company + Post Show Discussion
Following the sold-out success of The Chosen Haram in 2023 and fresh from a powerful turn at the Fringe, director and performer Sadiq Ali returns with a visually spectacular and emotionally resonant new work that continues his bold innovation in narrative-driven circus. The show blends cutting-edge physical performance with a deeply human story, offering audiences a fresh perspective on HIV.
Using Chinese Pole and aerial artistry, including an innovative new multi-dimensional cube apparatus developed specially for the show, Tell Me follows one person’s journey of self-discovery after a life-changing diagnosis. At its core, it’s about connection: to self, to friends, to community. In the face of stigma and silence, the show becomes a powerful celebration of belonging, identity, and the strength that comes from being truly seen and accepted.
Drawing on Sadiq Ali’s own lived experience as a queer circus artist and HIV activist, Tell Me navigates themes of vulnerability, resilience, and acceptance, combining stunning physicality with raw emotional honesty.
Manipulate Festival 2026
Returning to a full international edition in February 2026, Manipulate Festival is back with a jam-packed week full of stunning visuals, extraordinary stories and innovation in form.