Spare Parts Puppet Theatre today announced that Artistic Director Philip Mitchell will step down from the role in early 2027, after more than two decades of distinguished leadership.
Mitchell, who has led the company since 2001, will conclude his tenure following a planned 18-month transition developed in close consultation with the company’s Board and Executive team.
The company’s third Artistic Director – following founding Artistic Director Peter L. Wilson and the legendary Noriko Nishimoto – Mitchell has overseen a period of exceptional artistic growth and public recognition for Spare Parts Puppet Theatre. Under his direction, the company has consolidated its reputation as a beloved icon of Western Australia and a leader in contemporary puppetry.
“Philip has been a transformative leader for Spare Parts Puppet Theatre,” said David Mofflin, Chair of Spare Parts Puppet Theatre. “Over nearly a quarter of a century he has nurtured generations of artists, championed the role of creative arts for families in our state and expanded the company’s reach across Australia and overseas.”
Mofflin said the organisation is well positioned for its next phase.
“This moment represents a strong opportunity for our organisation. A new Artistic Director will bring a fresh creative vision that will energise the company, establish us in our new home, and build on Philip’s extraordinary legacy as we strengthen our position as Australia’s leading puppet theatre.”
Mitchell has directed many of Spare Parts’ most celebrated works, including The Arrivaland Beanstalk which won Best Mainstage Production at the Performing Arts of Western Australia Awards, and The One Who Planted Trees and On Our Beach, which won Outstanding New Work.
In 2025, Mitchell’s contribution to the arts was further recognised with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Performing Arts Awards of WA, acknowledging his profound impact on the evolution of puppetry and the wider cultural life of the state.
A champion of creative arts workers throughout his career, Mitchell has helped build Spare Parts Puppet Theatre into one of Western Australia’s largest employers of artists and arts workers. Today, the company’s annual program reaches more than 200,000 people through performances, workshops, and community engagement across metropolitan, regional, and festival contexts.
Reflecting on his retirement, Mitchell said he had the best job in the world.
“When I joined the company at the age of 35, I could not have imagined the extraordinary journey (or decades) ahead. After 25 years of having the best job in the world, I am so very proud of what we have achieved.
“It has been the privilege of my working life to lead a company that believes so fiercely in the power of imagination – to see puppetry not as a niche curiosity, but as a sophisticated, moving, and deeply human form of theatre. I am immensely proud of the artists, makers, technicians, and staff who have poured their hearts into our work, and grateful to the audiences who have grown up with us – and who now bring their children, grandchildren and even great grandchildren to us.
“While it is the right time for me to hand the reins to a new artistic leader, my belief in the magic of puppetry, and in Spare Parts, remains as strong as ever. I thank everyone who has been part of the success story of this extraordinary company: the artists and arts workers, the industry, the media, the WA community and our beloved audiences.”
Over the transition period, Mitchell will direct his final three productions as Artistic Director.
The company is working with REA arts + culture, specialists in executive search for cultural leaders across Australia and New Zealand, to lead the recruitment process. The search for Spare Parts’ new Artistic Director will commence in the new year, with an appointment expected in the first quarter of 2026 and the incoming director beginning mid-2026.
