Drop-in Meet Queensland’s Puppeteers

Left: Larrikin Puppets / Photograph: © Embellysh Photography, courtesy City of Moreton Bay | Right: Dead Puppet Society / Photograph: © Dean Hanson

Left: Larrikin Puppets / Photograph: © Embellysh Photography, courtesy City of Moreton Bay | Right: Dead Puppet Society / Photograph: © Dean Hanson / View full image

When

1.00 – 2.00 pm, Sat 23 Jan 2027

Where

Gallery of Modern Art, Bodhi Tree Terrace

Accessibility

  • Wheelchair Accessible

What to Expect

Admission

Free

About

Get up close with puppets created by Queensland's own puppeteers. Drop-in and ask the puppeteers your burning questions and see up close how these incredible creations actually work. Fun for kids and families of all ages.

Sat 26 Sep | Larrikin Puppets
Sat 23 Jan | Dead Puppet Society
Sun 24 Jan | Larrikin Puppets

This event is presented in conjunction with Family Fun Days.


Presenting Partner: Screen Queensland

Larrikin Puppets / Photograph: Larrikin Puppets

Larrikin Puppets / Photograph: Larrikin Puppets / View full image

Sat 26 Sep and Sun 24 Jan: Larrikin Puppets

Award-winning Larrikin Puppets is a world-class Australian puppetry arts company that performs colourful and exciting puppet shows, songs and stories for stage and screen. They provide creative experiences for children that are engaging and educational, with a focus on humanities, arts and social sciences. Fast-paced and feel-good, their puppetry celebrates fun, kindness and diversity while nurturing child development, inviting audiences to talk, dance, sing and play along. Founded in 2012 by puppeteer and musician Brett Hansen, Larrikin Puppets welcomed his wife Elissa Jenkins in 2016 as co-puppeteer and human host. From their base on Bribie Island in Queensland, they have shared the wonder of puppetry with more than 100,000 children and families across schools, libraries, theatres and festivals.

Dead Puppet Society / Photograph: © Dean Hanson

Dead Puppet Society / Photograph: © Dean Hanson / View full image

Sat 23 Jan: Dead Puppet Society

Dead Puppet Society is an internationally recognised Australian theatre company known for bold, design-led performance that brings stories to life through puppetry, visual theatre and ambitious stagecraft. The company creates large-scale works that combine handmade artistry with contemporary technology, building richly imagined worlds for audiences of all ages. Its acclaimed productions include The Wider Earth, Ishmael, Laser Beak Man, Storm Boy, Holding Achilles and Peter and the Starcatcher.

Wonderstruck Festival, June 2025 / Photograph: K Bennett, courtesy QAGOMA

Wonderstruck Festival, June 2025 / Photograph: K Bennett, courtesy QAGOMA / View full image

Family Fun Days Sat 26 Sep, Sat 23 & Sun 24 Jan GOMA

Celebrate the magic of puppetry, imagination and play for kids and families, during the school holidays at GOMA!

Read more
Wonderstruck Festival, June 2025 / Photograph: C Sanders, courtesy QAGOMA

Wonderstruck Festival, June 2025 / Photograph: C Sanders, courtesy QAGOMA / View full image

Members get more

Become a QAGOMA Member and get a FREE ticket to 'Make, Believe, Magic: The Worlds of The Jim Henson Company', plus pre‑sale access, discounts + more. From $80. Family memberships available.
Join today

What to Expect

Here’s what to expect at this event.

Everyone is welcome! Please contact events.plus@qagoma.qld.gov.au in advance of the program if you have any access needs or queries about the event. Find out more about Accessibility at QAGOMA and planning your visit.

Participation and content

  • These events are free and unbooked. Walk-ins are welcome.
  • These events are family-friendly and designed for all ages to enjoy.
  • Puppeteers will be visible throughout these events. Drop in any time between 1 – 2 pm to chat with the puppeteers, and with their permission/consent you may touch the puppets or get a photo with them. Ask questions, get involved, or sit back and watch.
  • We ask all attendees to be kind, respectful, and courteous to all participants, speakers and staff at this event. This program will be monitored by QAGOMA staff to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our attendees, speakers and staff.

Information for families

  • Please supervise any children under the age of 12 for whom you are responsible.
  • Prams are welcome, and all areas of GOMA are accessible by lift or ramp.
  • A free cloak room is located at the entry to GOMA. Please check bags bigger than 40cm x 15cm x 35cm, and umbrellas.
  • There are two parents’ rooms at GOMA, one in the Cinema Foyer on Level 1 and one located on Park Level near the lift.
  • Breastfeeding and infant bottle-feeding are welcome anywhere in the Gallery, or you can use the parents’ rooms at either QAG or GOMA. The parents’ rooms can be used to mix infant formula. Food and drink for older children and adults are not allowed in the Gallery, and we ask you to please keep water bottles in a bag.

Sensory aspects and Accessibility

  • Events are held outdoors in an undercover area and will go ahead rain or shine. Please ensure you are sun safe.
  • A range of different types of seating will be available during these, including floor seating and chairs (with and without backs).
  • These events are acoustic and do not feature amplified sound.
  • These events are wheelchair and pram accessible.
  • These events will be photographed by QAGOMA staff. If you do not wish to be photographed, please advise a QAGOMA staff member on arrival.
  • If the event becomes overwhelming or stressful, earmuffs and sensory kits are available. Each kit contains a number of resources for self-regulation and calming. Please speak to a staff member for assistance. These kits can also be requested in advance by emailing access@qagoma.qld.gov.au.