Ok, this is somewhat old news - as it happened in May! But anyway…

If you don’t know, UNIMA Int, the Union Internationale de la Marionette, is the umbrella organisation for puppeteers around the world. It is, in fact, the longest running theatrical organisation in the world too. In 1929 people from seven different European countries got together and set it up, and has continued to support puppetry through its activities, funding and information services. Branches have arisen in war-torn countries, and the HQ of UNIMA is now in Charleville-Mézières in France (it began in Prague). 

As someone who knows that puppetry isn’t just a hobby craft (to use an analogy, comic books of the literature world struggle to be taken seriously too), I know UNIMA is an important part of the industry. Without it, there would be very little cross-culture performances, a distinct lack of forums and round-tables where we can talk about issues affecting us, or simply find out what’s on in our area.

If you’re interested in joining UNIMA in your country, visit the main UNIMA Int site and look for your branch. Membership usually means access to a lot of scholarship opportunities, news and updates, and other good stuff. 

And happy birthday to UNIMA!