News from British UNIMA August 2026
A Summer of Puppetry: Remembering Ronnie & Di
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Dear British UNIMA readers,
July has been a particularly poignant month for the British puppetry community, with the loss of two much-loved and influential figures, Ronnie LeDrew and Di Steeds. We remember them both in this issue, while also celebrating the wealth of activity, creativity and opportunity taking place across the puppetry world this summer.
From festivals and exhibitions to training, international opportunities and upcoming BrUNIMA events, there is plenty to discover. We hope you enjoy this month’s round-up.
BrUNIMA member events
TONIGHT - Thursday 13 August at 7pm is BrUNIMA film night. Members can book their free space here and the link to the event will be sent to you so you can enjoy an evening of short films that committee members wanted to share with you along with a brief introductions to each as to why they have been chosen and how important they are to the puppetry cannon.
Next month…
Thursday 10 September 2026, 7pm — Visual Theatre and Contemporary Puppetry: Material, Metaphor and Pedagogy
Sean Myatt and Yun Geng in conversation about contemporary puppetry and visual theatre as practices of material thinking, embodied performance and theatrical meaning-making. More info here
Support BrUNIMA - A note from Zannie
Since our changeover to the new hosting platform we are delighted to say that we now have nearly 780 newsletter subscribers of which 156 are paid up members. Being a paid member gives you access to all BrUNIMA events for free and you can apply for a UNIMA membership card giving you access to the UNIMA Passport Programme for 2026 festivals and much more.
Members also receive a digital copy of Puppet Notebook.
We are looking into ways to save on print and postal costs and to add more of your subscriptions into our funds to support new and exciting puppetry projects whilst still making sure you receive our informative and inspiring publication. Membership is currently a modest £23 a year and it is very easy to upgrade/share/gift a membership here.
In addition to the international connections and benefits you receive you are also supporting events and training that encourage and support puppeteers of the future.
📰 Puppet Notebook NEW READ HERE
A strong year for submissions and member engagement — thank you to everyone who has contributed. Tim Garrett and the team continue to do wonderful work.
Paid BrUNIMA members can access the latest Puppet Notebook here
Remembering Ronnie LeDrew and Di Steeds
July saw the passing of two important figures in British puppetry.
After a short illness, Ronnie LeDrew passed away on 27 July, surrounded by his family and puppet friends. Di Steeds, co-founder of Puppet Place, puppeteer, advocate and educator, died on 18 July 2026.
British UNIMA sends its thoughts and sympathy to their families, friends and all those in the puppetry community who knew and loved them.
Remembering Ronnie LeDrew
Here are some words from our Chair about our friend Ronnie:
British UNIMA mourns the death on Monday 27th July 2026, too young for a man so young at heart, of Ronnie LeDrew, master marionettist, stage, TV and film puppeteer, performer, teacher, trainer, enthusiast and advocate. Few people could be said to have embodied the art of puppetry so fully as Ronnie, who lived, breathed and ‘did’ puppets from his early teens almost until the day he died.
To watch Ronnie animating a puppet was a profound privilege and you felt yourself at the feet of a master as the puppet twitched to life, became a character, made you laugh, made you care. The delicacy and precision of his performing skills were formidable. Yet despite this level of skill, Ronnie was always humble, self-deprecatory, funny, kind. He was a staunch friend to puppetry and to puppeteers. He loved to help and support young and new puppeteers, new shows and eagerly attended, with insight and humour, as many puppetry gatherings and meetings as he could fit into his life.
He was a man at the absolute centre of British puppetry for the last 60 years. He leaves an immense gap. What an inspiration.
British UNIMA extends love and support to his two children and grandchildren, all his family, friends and all who knew him.
Remembering Di Steeds
Here is a personal reflection by Puppet Place’s former CEO Rachel McNally.
I first met Di in the mid 1990s at Hope Centre in Hotwells. I knew her as a stalwart of Hotwells Panto, but it was a little later that I came to know her more fully as a puppeteer. Hope Centre was a crucible for Bristol arts for many years and was also the home of Puppet Place - the organisation that Di set up with fellow puppeteer Jim Still in 1984. Puppet Place actually started out as a Puppet Van, touring the South West promoting puppet shows and supporting artists. Later it had a number of bases in Bristol and continued to support artists through its extensive library of books and resources as well as support arts learning in different schools.
The first time I encountered it, Puppet Place was a tiny organisation with a big heart and this is thanks to the ethos and character of its founders. Puppeteers from across the South West always found a warm welcome and support readily available at a time when puppetry was barely recognised in the arts world. Without people like Di, who actively championed puppetry at this time, we would not have the brilliant and inventive puppetry sector that we do now.
When we first approached Di to take on Puppet Place it had been on the “shelf” for a number of years after losing funding. As a group of puppetry companies working in Bristol, we felt we needed a framework within which we could work to support each other and share resources. We needed Puppet Place back! I vividly remember sitting in Di’s kitchen with Chris Pirie, Marc Parrett, Lizzie Philps, Dik Downey, and Vicky Andrews talking about our ideas with Di and Katherine Martin. Di was very clear with us that she was happy for us to take on Puppet Place but that it could not just be about our companies’ work, it had to support the wider community of puppetry in the South West. From day one, I know we all tried to honour this as we worked out what Puppet Place could be and how we would make it work.
Di, alongside her partner Henry, continued to support us on this journey - Henry built most of the walls in Puppet Place’s harbourside studios and Di amazingly catered for the artists for the first Bristol Festival of Puppetry in 2009. I will always remember Di & Henry calmly walking into the Tobacco Factory and unboxing fabulous feasts for hungry artists and crew. It felt like a daily miracle to all of us as we ran the festival for the first time.
Di was an excellent champion of puppetry and a wonderful friend to many in the puppetry world. She is missed.
Summer Highlights
July saw Nottingham Puppet Festival return in late June / early July this year. Supported again by its various partners, and under the clear direction of Alison Denholm.
The festival opened with a series of free events in and around the City with Nottingham’s own newly started company Wayward Objects performing Tales of the Wheelbarrow and Swallow’s Wings puppet company telling the story of Anansi and the Lost Sun; giving access to the diverse communities of Nottingham in local community venues
We had the delightful performance of The Enormous Crocodile with designs by Tobie Olie at the Theatre Royal, as well as Blind Summit’s hilarious Sex Lives of Puppets and the SOLD OUT Puppet Cabaret.
There were talks at Broadway Cinema and Nottingham Trent University looking at the wider use of Puppetry on Film; including Lucas Films creature designer Martin Reyzard, Claire Roy Harvey, a puppeteer who worked on the recent very successful feature film Project Hail Mary with Ryan Gosling, as well as talks from The Herds producer, and animation puppet maker Richard Pickersgill (Mackinnon & Sanders) who also brought along puppets from Pinnochio, Fantastic Mr Fox, Small Prophets, The Clangers, and the lovely Postman Pat and Jess the cat.
On the main city centre day crowds were entertained with various Giant Puppets and workshops; a Giant Hare built and designed by Tony Mason, shows at the Central Library, Petting Zoo by Handmade Theatre and Lempen Puppet Company and much, much more. Thanks for all those that supported the Festival.
Thanks to everyone who supported the festival.
You can read a more about the festival and future projects on their website here.
Beverley Puppet Trail
The Beverley Puppet Trail wrapped up on 26 July. It was a lovely smaller-scale celebration of puppetry in lieu of the actual festival which did not receive its funding this year. If you’d like to be part of the campaign to try and save Beverley Puppet Festival they would be grateful if you could fill in a survey which focuses on feedback and how you could join as a voluntary Board member and/or Festival Co-Artistic Director.
Young People’s Puppet Theatre Summer Camp
27-31 July there was a Young People’s Puppet Theatre marionette summer camp in St Albans at the Trestle Arts Base - training the marionette puppeteers of the future. This is very timely as The Little Angel Theatre are celebrating their 65th birthday with an ambitious heritage project, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, to revive and preserve the future of marionette puppetry in the UK, an endangered craft with more than 600 years of history.
Little Angel Theatre Children’s Puppet Festival 2026
The Little Angel Theatre Children’s Puppet Festival runs 28 July – 30 August, now in its fourth year and celebrating the theatre’s 65th anniversary.
As part of our ongoing discussion around Access and Inclusion for puppeteers, we have had some very productive conversations with Little Angel Theatre. Together we are laying some very positive foundations; actively working within the sector to collaborate directly with disabled artists to shape the future of inclusive puppetry as part of next year’s festival which will include providing more tailored training opportunities informed by research from The Inclusive Puppetry Alliance at Broken Puppet. Anyone who is interested in joining the ongoing efforts to create a National Inclusion Policy for puppetry is invited to get in touch, either with Clare at puppetry@brokenpuppet.co or with Nenagh or Sean via chair@unima.org.uk.
The Fairy Tales exhibition at the British Library — featuring puppets from the LAT — runs until 23 August, a beautiful pairing of heritage and craft.
Extra reading for a hot summer day
Looking for something to read while staying out of the heatwave? We have a few new puppetry publications to highlight.
Marionette: A DIY Guide to Making Your Own 9-String Puppet, published to mark Little Angel Theatre’s 65th anniversary, offers a practical and fascinating introduction to the craft of marionette-making.
BrUNIMA member Matt Smith’s Applied Puppetry: The Theory and Practice of Object Ecologies, now available in paperback and eBook, exploring the ways puppetry and objects can be used in community, social and ecological contexts.
And for those interested in puppetry’s role in responding to the climate crisis, there is also a newly published chapter on puppetry in climate change communications.
News from UNIMA international
Chile Officially Establishes National Puppetry Day
📅 August 25 — declared annually throughout Chile More info
Practice as Research Residency – Abidjan
Deadline: 31 August 2026 |Abidjan, November 2026
More info
Canada–USA Puppeteers Get Together!
22 September 2026 | 8:00 PM (Eastern Time) | Online (Zoom)
More info
Roundtables on Living Puppetry Heritage
Call for Expressions of Interest | Deadline: 31 August 2026
More info
UNIMA India - ANUBHAV #13 is here!
Join us for an inspiring conversation with Ms Kathy Foley (USA) —internationally renowned puppeteer, performance scholar, former President of UNIMA-USA, and UNIMA International Member of Honour (2025).
📅Sunday | 6 September 2026 | 6:00 PM (IST)
📍Online (Zoom) Register here
Critical Stages: Puppetry and Animated Objects
Abstract deadline: 30 Nov 2026 | Publication: Dec 2028
More info
🎓 UNIMA International Certified Workshops Framework
A new framework from UNIMA International’s Training and Research Commission recognises puppetry training workshops that meet professional and pedagogical standards. More info
🌍 UNIMA’s road to 100
UNIMA International has begun sharing early ideas for the journey toward its centenary in 2029, culminating in Prague — the city where UNIMA was founded. More info
🎭 UNIMA Passport Programme
Spots still available for upcoming 2026 festivals — make sure to check what’s on offer and snap up a place. More info
Other Events & Opportunities
APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN for Curious School of Puppetry’s intensive (Mondays - Saturdays) in-person, 8-week course from 18 January - 13 March 2027.
To receive an application pack with full course information, tutor biographies, course schedule and application form, email Sarah Wright at curiouspuppetry@gmail.com
🚩 The deadline for applications is 9am Thursday 20th August 2026.
More info
Edinburgh Fringe
📅7 - 31 August 2026
The lovely team at Manipulate Arts have put together a list of must see puppet themed shows to see this year at the fringe.
Read the full article here
The Video Catalogue: Making and Re-making in Palestine, 2018-2026
📅Saturday 15 August 2026 - 7:30 pm 9:30 pm
An evening of short films followed by a projection of living archival materials with live musical accompaniment, all centred around the genocide in Gaza.
📍The Horse Hospital Colonnade, London
More info
Puppet Fringe Festival New York
📅12 - 16 August, Lower East Side New York City
👉More info
Bring the Inanimate to Life: A Bold Dive into Contemporary Puppetry
17–21 August 2026 | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Glasgow | £610 | Ages 16+
👉More info
Marionettes: An Exhibition Celebrating String Puppets
📅 22 Aug–06 Sep 2026
Tickets are FREE but must be booked in advance
More info and Book
Fairy Tales Exhibition Coming To The British Library This Spring
Thrilled to announce that The Little Angel Theatre have some of their puppets on display at a landmark new exhibition at the British Library.
📅Now on until 23 August 2026
📍 Fairy Tales is at the British Library.
Tickets are £13.50 (peak) and £11.50 (off-peak), with concessions available.
👉More info
Can You Make a Puppet Film? Can You Do It In 48 Hours? Challenge Accepted!
Puppet Place 48 Film Challenge weekend
📅11, 12 & 13 September 2026
Puppet Place 48 – REGISTER HERETIPA – REGISTER HERE (The Inclusive Puppetry Alliance Category) Everyone loves a challenge, but not everyone can participate in an event with such tight time restrictions. Puppet Place 48 have been working with the Broken Puppet Theatre Company to develop this category so that anyone with a passion for puppets can participate, regardless of access barriers. TIPA has been developed for participants with chronic illness, disability or who are neurodivergent. Its for people who cant participate in the traditional challenge.
👉More info
Mobility and cooperation with the United Kingdom, 10 years after Brexit, what’s next?
📍Location: Via videoconference
📅Date: September 21, 2026
Time: 2 PM / 4 PM
More info and register
Puppets in Prague Online
Miniature Marionettes Workshop
This workshop is divided into two parts: building and making a show. You will learn to build an exquisite and practical toy theatre stage plus carved wooden marionettes and scenery. After that is complete, you will work closely with puppeteer Dora Bouzkova and develop a short show
📅Runs from September 2026 - April 2027
👉Limited to 9 students. Book Now
Newcastle Puppetry Festival 2027
Prospective dates: 3rd–11th April 2027
👉 More info
OPEN CALLS
INTERLYALKA-2026 ● INTERLYALKA–2026
Anniversary International Puppet Theater Festival “INTERLYALKA-2026” Uzhhorod
Event - October 1-3
Deadline for applications 31 August 2026
More info an to apply
Charleville-Mézières World Puppet Theatre Festival – Programming Update
The Charleville-Mézières World Puppet Theatre Festival will no longer run its traditional open call for show submissions starting with the 2027 edition.
Artists wishing to share work with the programming team can send materials to:
📧 programmation2027@marionnette.com
The festival programme focuses primarily on new works created within the previous two years, presenting an international snapshot of contemporary puppetry.
👉 More info
Thank you, as always, for your support. Whether you are a paid member, free subscriber, volunteer, contributor or reader, your involvement helps keep British UNIMA active, connected and visible.
Warm wishes,
British UNIMA