Date: Thursday 17th July  

Time: 1 – 3pm  

Venue: Gateway Studio, High Street, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, NE8 1EP 

Tickets: £5 

Box-office:  GemArts Eventbrite / 0191 4404124 

 
This Masala Festival you're invited to join performance artist and theatre maker Saya Naruse to create your own puppet in a hands-on shadow puppetry workshop. This introduction to shadow puppetry will give you a chance to play with materials and make a simple puppet inspired by the themes of Masala Festival from wildlife to myths and legends.  

No experience is needed; tools can be adapted for most access needs and the workshop will be a relaxed opportunity to try your hand at something new and experiment. 

The Artist 
Saya Naruse is a performance artist who creates puppets inspired by nature and tells stories with natural elements. Saya's puppets are designed with elegance and natural earthiness. Saya's passion for nature and the environment is reflected in every aspect of her work, from the materials she uses to the stories she tells. Saya aims to inspire a love for nature and a desire to protect it. 

GemArts award winning Masala Festival is back from 14 – 20 July 2025 celebrating a mix and blend of the finest South Asian Arts and Culture, packed full of performances, exhibitions, events, workshops, talks, pop ups and delicious Indian food in venues, places and spaces across the North East. For full Masala Festival 2025 programme visit www.gemarts.org