SOCM and Cattywampus Puppet Council are excited to partner together this spring on Cattywampus's annual Parade & Street Party, happening May 19th as part of Open Streets Knoxville. Now in its 7 year, Cattywampus's people-powered Parade invites community members of all ages to make giant puppets, costumes, and other art and come together to parade as one. This year’s parade theme “We Dwell Together” will focus on housing justice, inviting us to use art as a vehicle to imagine and bring to life a Knoxville that cultivates affordable, safe, and healthy housing for all.

This special workshop is designed for nonprofits, grassroots groups, and any other individuals who are organizing around housing issues and would like to learn how to design and create giant puppets and other art for the Parade and for use in their broader organizing work.

During this workshop, we will focus on papier-mâché, cardboard sculpting, rigging, and other methods for making inexpensive parade art. There will not be enough time for participants to complete their own project during this workshop, but each participant will receive a Giant Puppet Making & Parade Art Manual to take home, plenty of hands-on experience, and time to work on their own design/brainstorm a project for their group.

Cost: FREE (But donations are welcome!)

*Please fill out a registration form for each individual you would like to reserve a spot for. Attendees must be at least 13 years of age.