An interactive puppet show is coming to the South Whidbey Community Center.

Artist Melissa Koch is partnering with Holly Koteen-Soulé, a puppeteer and Waldorf School educator, to put on the first-ever “Festival of the Elements.” It will take place in the community center’s Frank Rose Gallery, named after the late advocate of the arts. Koch, who is on the Langley Arts Fund board, worked with Rose to get the new gallery started. Before he passed away, he asked her to do a show in the space.

“He really wanted a gallery where people could exhibit freely,” Koch said. “Local artists, they don’t have to apply to be in an art gallery. Especially because on the island we have so many artists.”

Not wanting to do a solo show, Koch sought a collaborator. A new grandmother, she went with her daughter and baby to see Koteen-Soulé’s puppet show.

“We’ve been co-creating this for a number of months now,” Koch said, “and wanted to do something that focuses on nature and on the elemental beings and bringing us back into that world of connection.”

For the art installation, Koch provides the dream-like backdrop, reminiscent of her other mixed-media installations, one of which is the Wishing Wall in downtown Langley.

Koteen-Soulé, on the other hand, brings the handmade puppets that represent each of the four elements – earth, water, air and fire. She also devised the puppet play; one day, she woke up, and the idea was there, so she wrote it down and shared it with Koch.

Children ages 7-12 can attend an upcoming puppet-making workshop from 10 a.m. to noon on Nov. 1 at the community center. Materials will be provided to craft small bird, fish, flower and butterfly puppets that will accompany the larger “Spirits of the Elements” puppets. Contact Koteen-Soulé at hollyksgarden@gmail.com to reserve a space in the workshop.

The Festival of the Elements begins 3-4 p.m. on Nov. 8 with an opening ceremony and procession. In addition, there will be a puppet show, music and a creative activity with audience participation from 11 a.m to noon on Nov. 9, as well as a puppet show, music and more from 11 a.m. to noon on Nov. 15 and 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Nov. 21.

The all-ages, interactive community art experience also features several contributors, including poet Mary Elizabeth Hines and the Woman’s Frame Drum Collective. Cormac McCarthy, a South Whidbey painter of vibrant artworks, is one of the musicians who is contributing to the festival. He plays the Irish black flute, whistles and an Irish side-held drum, the Bodhran, which means “deaf drum.”

“These are ancient Celtic instruments, outlawed by the British Crown and played and taught by masters in secret, with the penalty of death hanging over those who passed on the music and kept the traditions alive,” he said. “So much history and Irish music is cherished by the Irish, all around the world. Stories abound, and every tune has its tale.”

Above all, Koch’s and Koteen-Soulé’s art installation holds a message of hope in the form of taking action.

“I love that idea, that each one of us can make a little difference. And when you put all the little differences together, it’s a very big difference,” Koch said. “It’s to really inspire people to wake up to this living relationship with the earth, and then how do we take care of the earth which ultimately helps take care of us.”