Call for Applications: AVIAMA 2026 “Puppets and Mobility” Grants
Application deadline: Friday 16 January 2026
Support for artists, makers, and researchers in puppetry worldwide
Application deadline: Friday 16 January 2026
Results announced: Friday 18 April 2026
The International Association of Puppetry-Friendly Cities (AVIAMA) has announced its 2026 “Puppets and Mobility” International Grants, now in their eighth year. These awards support travel and accommodation for puppetry artists, makers, researchers, and professionals undertaking creative or research projects that cross borders and strengthen the global puppetry community.
Founded in 2012, AVIAMA brings together cities and local authorities from around the world that share a commitment to the art of puppetry. Member cities host festivals, museums, theatres, and companies that make puppetry part of everyday cultural life — and work collectively to promote exchange, innovation, and collaboration across continents.
About the Grants
The “Puppets and Mobility” programme aims to remove barriers to international collaboration by covering mobility costs — especially travel and accommodation — that often stand in the way of creative projects.
Funding is available for:
New creations by artists or companies
Research projects advancing the art and heritage of puppetry
Training or professional development in the puppetry arts
Applications are open worldwide, with no age limit, though special attention is given to students and emerging professionals. Projects are ideally realised in one of AVIAMA’s member cities, but exceptional proposals based elsewhere are welcome.
📄 How to Apply
Applications must include:
A project description (max. 3,000 characters) in French and English
A timeline of project stages
A budget outlining expenses and sources of support
A CV highlighting links to puppetry
A cover letter in French and English explaining your motivations and expected outcomes
A letter of support from an AVIAMA member city (additional letters optional)
Incomplete applications will not be considered.
📧 Submit by email to: contact@aviama.org
💶 Grant Amount
Up to €2,000 per project
AVIAMA funding can cover no more than 50% of the total project budget
Up to 50% may be paid in advance upon agreement
Recipients must credit AVIAMA in all communications and provide a final report (written or video)
🌍 Why Our Readers Should Apply
AVIAMA’s grants are a rare chance for UK-based puppetry artists and makers to connect internationally — to collaborate, train, or showcase work in cities where puppetry is celebrated as a living cultural art.
Whether you’re developing a new piece, researching heritage techniques, or seeking to train abroad, this grant helps make it possible.
For the British puppetry community, this is an opportunity to share skills, build global connections, and bring the spirit of UNIMA UK to the wider world.
🔗 Read the full guidelines and rules:
