FROM the tear-jerking triumph of War Horse at the National Theatre to the sad announcement of Kermit’s divorce from Miss Piggy earlier this month, puppets are big news these days.

And now budding artists in Sussex will have the opportunity to make their own puppets and create their own shows with the launch of Brighton Puppetry School.

Led by three local artists, whose original puppetry work has toured the UK, the school will launch its first full programme of courses starting next month.

The courses will cover a large number of disciplines and ability levels, with puppets ranging from finger-sized to over six feet tall.

Their shortest workshop will cover basic puppet-making techniques in just one day.

While for the more dedicated, the creating a solo puppetry show course runs on one evening a week for two months.

The courses will be held at various venues around the city.

Founder Beccy Smith explained the group’s decision to locate in the city.

She said: "There’s a real community of inspiring puppetry artists who live and make work in Brighton. There’s an active visual arts scene which crosses readily into puppet making and of course there’s also the Festival and Fringe which brings an influx of potential new students and teachers to the city every spring."

Key skills like control of your puppet will be covered in most courses, while specialist workshops will focus on the nuances including working with shadows and mouth manipulation.

The launch follows a successful trial programme this summer, which generated positive student feedback on the school’s website.

One student commented said: "I am a complete beginner to puppetry with no training at all and this workshop taught me so many valuable lessons that I can turn anything into a living, breathing character.”

A special launch party will be held on September 13 at Copperdollar Studios in Kemptown, starting at 3pm.

For more information visit brightonpuppetryschool.com.