News from BrUNIMA – June 2025
AGM Announced, New Archive Access, and Exciting Summer Events & Opportunities & Puppetry Opportunities
As Chair of BrUNIMA, I’ve just returned from an extraordinary week at the 24th UNIMA Congress in Chuncheon, South Korea, held alongside the 37th Chuncheon Puppet Festival. It was a powerful celebration of puppetry across cultures—rich with unforgettable performances, deep conversations, and vibrant collaboration. From Korean shadow puppetry and lively street parades to global symposia and workshops, the experience was a reminder of puppetry’s unifying and boundary-breaking power.
Key information from the Congress include the election of a new General Secretary of the international organisation: Fabrizio Montecchi, master shadow puppeteer best known for his several decades’ work with the Italian company Gioco Vita. The Congress also elected as President Louise Lapointe, the artistic director of the Canadian festival Casteliers. These two people will be leading the international organisation for the next four years and will, in dialogue with the new Executive Committee, lead its projects, commissions and vision. The two Vice-Presidents for this period are Anurupa Roy from India and Annette Dabs from Germany.
The new Executive Committee was also elected and its composition reflects the increased awareness and importance of global diversity, as well as of younger people within the running of the organisation. It includes members from Kenya, the Ivory Coast, South Africa, India, Iran, Turkey, Costa Rica, Argentina, Cuba, China, Singapore, Hungary, Germany, the UK, Canada, Italy, Czechia and France.
The next four years of UNIMA International will have a strong focus on leading up to its centenary in 2029. UNIMA was founded on May 20th in 1929 in Prague, and the Congress voted in the proposal for the centenary Congress of UNIMA International to be held in Prague.
All members have the opportunity to become involved in UNIMA International through its projects, commissions and activities. Keep an eye on the website and on our newsletter, or email us if you would like to know more: chair@unima.org.uk. UNIMA is run by volunteers who give freely of their time to create and support its activities. Your ideas and time to support it are always welcome.
The past month also marked UNIMA’s 96th birthday—a global tribute to nearly a century of international puppetry exchange and support. The Humanitas Commission’s video series, launched on 20 May, beautifully captures that legacy.
We’re thrilled to announce that the 2025 BrUNIMA AGM will take place at Puppet Place, Bristol on 30 June! Whether you’ll be joining us in person or tuning in online, RSVP to secure your place—and your snacks. We’ll be sharing exciting updates, including more about UNIMA Congress and a possible workshop with The Herds, who will be landing in London just ahead of the meeting.
And that’s not all—this edition is bursting with upcoming events, international opportunities, artist call-outs, training courses (including from our friends at Curious School of Puppetry), and newly digitised gems from the BrUNIMA archive. Scroll on to explore what’s next—and stay connected to this vibrant, ever-growing puppetry community.
EVENTS
Puppet Saturdays Lecture Series
A Work Method in Devised Puppetry
🗓️ Saturday, 7 June 2025 – 14:00 CET | Online
With Danish puppeteer Rolf Søborg Hansen
Join the Talk
BrUNIMA at Puppet Place + AGM
🗓️ 30 June 2025 | Bristol + Online
Talks, behind-the-scenes access, and networking
RSVP for AGM
5th International Therapeutic Animated Forms Training
Explore memory and trauma through the NeuroPuppetry Method™
🗓️ 2–5 July 2025 | Barcelona
Training Details & Registration
The Last Day of Pierre
🗓️ 5–19 July 2025 - Avignon Off Festival Premiere
A haunting new puppetry production not to miss
Event Info
Radius Drama presents: ‘Meeting ourselves: exploring the human spirit through puppetry’
🗓 Saturday 20th September, 2–5pm (doors open 1.30pm)
Sowerby Parochial Hall, The Flatts, Sowerby, Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 1JG
🎟 EARLY BIRD OFFER Book online by 20th August to get the early bird ticket rate of £9.50 per ticket – includes a performance, workshop, Q&A, and refreshments.
More info and Book
If you missed it — now available to watch online:
Learning STEM Curriculum Through Puppetry
With Wendy Passmore-Godfrey
🗓️ Originally held: Monday, May 2025
A brilliant session exploring how puppetry can enhance STEM education
Watch the Replay on Our Website
OPPORTUNITIEs
Auteurs en Tandem Marionnette & Théâtre
🗓️ Deadline: 16 June 2025
Open to international puppeteers & playwrights
Submit Your Application
Puppet Power 2025 – Call for Proposals (Canada)
🗓️ Deadline approaching
Hybrid global conference on puppetry & social impact
Submit a Proposal
Charleville Showcase: Puppet Arts Publications
🗓️ Deadline: 4 July 2025
For authors & publishers in puppet arts
Apply Here
Curious School of Puppetry – Applications Now Open for 2026
🗓️ Deadline: 7 July 2025
An 8-week intensive course in London from 19 Jan – 21 Mar 2026
This in-person course is ideal for adults looking to deepen their puppetry performance practice in a collaborative theatre-making environment.
Find Out More & Apply
Grünschnabel Prize 2026 – Figura Festival, Switzerland
🗓️ Deadline: 31 July 2025
For early-career puppet and object theatre artists
Learn More
Explore the Archives
We’re proud to launch a new digital archive of the British UNIMA Centre Bulletin, edited by Robert Fowler and digitised by Ray DaSilva.
Now available: Issues 97–99 (from 1998), with reflections on puppetry in Scotland, Brazil, Slovakia, Myanmar, and more.
Browse or Download the Bulletins
🎪 FESTIVALS – UPCOMING DATES
18–22 June 2025 – FIGURE IT OUT! – Leipzig, Germany
28 July - 23 August 2025 - Little Angel Theatre: The Children's Puppet Festival
19–28 September 2025 – Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes – Charleville-Mézières
27–28 September 2025 – Bognor Regis Puppet Party
3–12 October 2025 – 12º FIS, Festival Internacional de Teatro de Sombras
16–21 June 2026 – Figura Theaterfestival
3–6 September 2026 – Puppet on the Street Festival – Panevėžys, Lithuania
4-8 March 2026 - The 21st edition of the Casteliers International Festival
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
Warm wishes,
Cariad Astles
Chair, BrUNIMA