Celebrating Puppetry: New Festivals, Big News & Global Opportunities
BrUNIMA Newsletter Highlights – August 2025
Welcome to your August BrUNIMA newsletter. BrUNIMA is the UK’s national centre of UNIMA – the international organisation for the art of puppetry, connecting practitioners, educators and enthusiasts in over 90 countries. Through BrUNIMA, you can tap into this global network, access unique opportunities, and help grow puppetry’s futurre.
This month, we’re thrilled to share a message from the new UNIMA leadership team, global festivals and open calls, a hands-on training opportunity in East Africa, and a unique peek into the life of Australian puppeteer Murray Raine. You’ll also find info on how to claim your UNIMA membership card, a brand new student membership offer, and the return of the Bristol 48-Hour Puppet Film Challenge!
We’re also raising a cheer for the British Puppet & Model Theatre Guild, who are celebrating their 100th anniversary this year. Last weekend, they hosted a brilliant event at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry as part of the Coventry Puppet Festival. You can view the photo gallery here and find out more about how to join this vibrant community of makers and model theatre fans.
Our website is updated regularly with the latest opportunities, resources and events. These are just a few of the highlights, follow us on social media or become a member to make sure you never miss a thing.
Want to explore any topic in more depth? Visit our full newsletter online: Read More on our Website
📰 President & General Secretary Message
"Dear National Centres, dear International Advisors and dear members,
On behalf of the entire Executive Committee, we would like to thank you for the trust you have placed in us by entrusting us with the governance of UNIMA for the next four years. Four years that represent exactly the time our association needs to pass the incredible milestone of one hundred years of existence. Four years that, precisely for this reason, we must live through together with a great sense of responsibility, but also with the joy, pleasure and enthusiasm of those who embark on a new and great adventure.
Thanks to our extraordinary century of existence, we have a past that we can look back on with pride and which allows us to look forward with hope. It gives us values that are still profoundly relevant today and that we must reaffirm and defend with strength. It also teaches us that change is not only possible, but also necessary when conditions demand it. The world has changed profoundly, and we cannot stand idly by; we must prepare ourselves to meet the many challenges that the present throws at us .
In order to carry out our mission successfully in the future, we must have the courage to rethink our operating system and our operational tools. Rewriting the Statutes and the Rules of Procedure is therefore the first and most ambitious goal of these four years. But as this work in progress continues, we will not remain idle, because there are many other things to do. We need to develop the many existing projects and come up with new ones, and to do all this, your involvement and contribution will be fundamental.
It would be wonderful to reach the 2029 deadline with all these objectives achieved. It would be a great tribute to the founders of UNIMA, but above all it would be a great success for all of us and for the future of our association.
We conclude with a final thank you to all of you for being, among thousands of difficulties, in the many regions of the world, UNIMA every day."
Louise Lapointe, UNIMA President
Fabrizio Montecchi, UNIMA General Secretary
Post-Congress Updates With time to reflect after the UNIMA Congress, we’re excited to share the launch of new international publications:
How to UNIMA – a hands-on resource to strengthen international collaboration UNIMAGAZINE – a brand new global puppetry publication
Plus: catch up on Congress highlights via video and read the full press release. Explore Publications & Press Release
UNIMA Passports Programme
Are you a young puppeteer or student interested in attending international puppet festivals? The UNIMA Passports Programme offers small travel bursaries to help you experience puppetry abroad, connect with international artists, and deepen your practice.
SAMPO Festival | Finland | August 27–31, 2025
[4 passports available – valid for 5 days]TheatAir | Bulgaria | September 4 – 9 2025 [1 passport x 6 days]
BrUNIMA students save 60% on paid membership when they sign up using a valid university email address. Apply here for a student discount
Deadline for Puppets 1 August - The Celluloid Golem Puppet Art Festival (Düsseldorf 2026) – Open Call for theatre, visual art & film. Apply Here
Online Workshop: Puppet Recipe – Acrobat Marionette 📅 Sunday, August 3 | 🕖 7–9 pm Prague / 1–3 pm EST 📍 Online via Zoom
🎪 Ever wondered how circus-style marionettes do flips and tricks? Learn the secrets behind their stringing and movement in this live workshop led by Mirek Trejtnar. Sign Up Here
Apply by 4 August 2025 - Pesta Boneka #10 (Indonesia) international festival focused on connection and care. Apply Now
Apply by 10 August 2025 - 2026 Summer Artistic Residencies at Vale Arvoredo – Create in a Brazilian ecological sanctuary. Apply Now
Apply by 15 August 2025 - Roots and Wings: Puppetry, Collaboration and Climate Action in East Africa – September 22–27, Nairobi & Online. Led by Alison Duddle, this hybrid workshop explores large-scale puppet building, storytelling, and climate action. Apply Now
Deadline 29 August 2025 - Smethwick Puppet Festival – Smethwick, UK - Feb 2026 Apply Here
Deadline 30 August 2025 - 31st International Festival of Puppetry Art in (Poland) - Apply Here
Apply by 14 Sept 2025 - Pendientes de un Hilo (Madrid) – Launching Platform for emerging puppetry artists. Apply here
Puppet Power 2025 (Canada) – Hybrid global conference on puppetry & social impact. Submit now
28 July - 23 August 2025 - Little Angel Theatre: The Children's Puppet Festival More info
21 August 2025 Puppetry Meet-up – Edinburgh Festival (hosted by Manipulate Arts) More info
19–28 September 2025 – Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes - More info
27–28 September 2025 – Bognor Regis Puppet Party More info
3–12 October 2025 – 12º FIS, Festival Internacional de Teatro de Sombras More info
We’re excited to welcome UNIMA UAE and its Dubai office to our global network!
Learn more about UNIMA UAE and its mission here: UNIMA UAE – United Arab Emirates
Notebook Submissions – Got news or ideas? Email chair@unima.org.uk to be featured
Digitised Bulletins – Now online: Issues 97–99 Browse Archive
Murray Raine: A Life with Marionettes. Take a moment to enjoy this wonderful documentary on the life and work of Australian puppeteer Murray Raine. A vibrant glimpse into a dedicated career, featuring shadow puppeteer Richard Bradshaw and reflections on a rich (if not always easy) era in puppetry.
Exclusive Offer for BrUNIMA Members
Upgrade your BrUNIMA membership (paid subscriber) and get £10 off a PuppeteersUK subscription! That includes their weekly industry newsletter and access to a basic directory listing—with discounts available on premium listings too.
More Info Here
✨ Share the Magic
BrUNIMA is powered by its members, and we want to spotlight you! Starting this autumn, we’ll be featuring member spotlights on our website and in our newsletter. If you'd like to be included, send us a few lines about your work along with 1–2 images to: chair@unima.org.uk
Thanks for reading!
Coming up next month: Our full Autumn Season Announcement, including details of the 2025 Penny Francis Award, member events, and more ways to connect.
Got something to share, an event, project, reflection, or behind-the-scenes glimpse? We’d love to hear from you. Whether it’s for the BrUNIMA Notebook, our website, or social media, drop us a line anytime.
📬 chair@unima.org.uk | 🌍 www.unima.org.uk | 📣 Follow us on socials