The first MANIPULATE, held at Dundee Rep Theatre, established the festival’s commitment to the showcasing of world-class puppetry, visual theatre and animated films for Scottish audiences. Featuring leading companies and artists from Belgium, Denmark, England, France, the Netherlands and Scotland, MANIPULATE 2008 presented an innovative and intriguing programme of productions, as well as two three-days long intensive workshops for professional practitioners, the latter a fundamentally important element of the festival’s content and profile which has been integral to its subsequent success and sustainability.