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Union Internationale de la Marionnette

Non-Governmental Organization affiliated to UNESCO

Directory Sheet

Last updated: 12-02-2025

UNIMA France – THEMAA

Date of creation: 1993

14 rue Crozatier
75012  Paris  France

07 64 46 45 68

www.themaa-marionnettes.com

Presentation

Brief history
France was a founding member of UNIMA with the 2nd UNIMA Congress held in Paris in 1929. When UNIMA was re-born in 1957 France was a participating member and UNIMA-France began in 1961. In 1972 the 11th UNIMA Congress was held in Charleville-Mézières. Jacques Félix served as General Secretary 1980-2000.
In 1993, the National Puppetry Center (CNM) and UNIMA-France united to become THEMAA (Association nationale des Théâtres de Marionnettes et des Arts Associés) From 2007 to 2010, THEMAA organized the “Seasons of Puppetry” in collaboration with the French Ministry of Culture. Four national organizations – l’Institut international de la marionnette, le Théâtre de la Marionnette à Paris, le CDN de Strasbourg et THEMAA – wrote a text “Pour une reconnaissance pérenne des arts de la marionnette” (Towards a sustainable recognition of the puppetry arts). This text permitted to open working groups about training, creation, production, artistic distribution, research, heritage, publishing, and communication. In 2010, THEMAA spread a petition for and by the profession which achieved 10 essential measures to support the field of puppetry. In the same year, THEMAA joined the UFISC (Union Fédérale d’Intervention des Structures Culturelles), a larger network.

Important projects and achievements
The activities of UNIMA France/THEMAA include public and professional events. The news sheet Mû, L’autre continent du théâtre [Mû, the other continent of theatre] was published until 1999, followed in 2005 by Manip, le journal de la marionnette [Manip, the puppet periodical], a quarterly newspaper sent with an agenda of puppetry news in France. Since 1996, professional meetings of the entire French territory have been held, and in 1999 a survey of professional puppetry structure was organized.  In 2001, the first “National Forum” explored the links between contemporary writing and puppetry. In 2001, THEMAA published the Carnets de la marionnette and the Encyclopédie fragmentée de la marionnette. General assemblies of the French puppet profession were held between 2007 and 2010. In 2008, an interactive website was created. Two exhibitions were held in partnership ?Marionnettes, territoires de creation? (2011 – 2013) and the exhibition “Craig et la marionnette” with the BNF (France National Library) (2008).

Upcoming events

Last news of the UNIMA Center

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE 3 UNIMA CONSORTIUM – UNIMA Italy, THEMAA/UNIMA France, UNIMA Federación España

France, Italy, News, Notices, Spain - 21/02/2025

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE 3 UNIMA CONSORTIUM (UNIMA Italy, THEMAA/UNIMA France, UNIMA Federación España)   Presentation of the Project: Eco-Sustainability in Puppet Theatre Creation In 2025, the 3 UNIMA Consortium—comprising UNIMA Italy, THEMAA/UNIMA France, and UNIMA Federación España—launches the project Eco-Sustainability in Puppet Theatre Creation. The initiative aims to develop an ecological approach to the […]

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Symposium: “Gestures and Processes in Puppetry Arts” – France

France, News, Notices, Research - 25/01/2025

Symposium: “Gestures and Processes in Puppetry Arts” January 29–30, 2025 |  Strasbourg University, France Language: French Explore scenography in puppetry through scientific research, artist/researcher dialogues, and collective experimental labs. – Find the full program for the symposium Gestes et processus dans les arts de la marionnette. Free entry and live streaming available. 🔗 Programme – […]

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UNIMA International Celebrates Historic Success at UNESCO’s 2024 International Conference of NGOs

Paris, December 18, 2024 – UNIMA International proudly announces a landmark achievement at the 2024 International Conference of NGOs in Official Partnership with UNESCO. Held from December 17-19 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris under the theme “Building Capacity for Action,” the conference witnessed a historic moment for the organization. Svetlomira Stoyanova, a distinguished member of […]

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Outstanding Contributions to the European Puppetry, Recognized by the Europe Commission

©FabiennePontoire Discover three outstanding contributions to the European world of puppetry! Mikhail Urytskyi, a teacher at the Karpenko-Kary National University in Kyiv, shares his thoughts on the challenges and evolution of contemporary puppetry. After attending several international festivals in Poland and Slovakia with his students, he shares his observations, which invite us to rethink what […]

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Clément Peretjatko Awarded 2024 Prix Michael Meschke for Puppetry Arts

Europe, France, News, Notices, Sweden - 14/07/2024

French theatre director and puppeteer Clément Peretjatko has been awarded the 2024 international “Prix Michael Meschke for the preservation and renewal of puppetry arts.” Peretjatko graduated from ESNAM of Charleville-Mézières (National Superior School of Puppetry Arts), where Meschke was one of his teachers. He is also President of the UNIMA Europe Commission. (Union Internationale de […]

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ESNAM Celebrates Graduates and Announces Special Participation in Temps D’

France, News, Notices - 4/07/2024

ESNAM CELEBRATES ITS NEW GRADUATES AND ANNOUNCES SPECIAL PARTICIPATION IN TEMPS D’ On 27 June 2024, the 16 students in ESNAM’s 13th graduating class (2021-2024) were unanimously awarded the Diplôme National Supérieur Professionnel de Comédien (DNSPC), specialising in puppeteering. They are now young professionals. With 9 performances and nearly 800 admissions over three days, the […]

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International Vocational Training by Philippe Rodriguez-Jorda

France, News, Notices - 20/06/2024

Maquette(s) in Motion: International Vocational Training Directed by Philippe Rodriguez-Jorda 16 to 20 September 2024, École Nationale Supérieure des Arts de la Marionnette, Charleville-Mézières (France) From 16 to 20 September 2024, puppetry artists and performing arts professionals are invited to participate in the intensive vocational training program titled Maquette(s) in Motion, led by renowned director […]

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New Book: Au-delà de l’Écran by Fabrizio Montecchi

Au-delà de l’Écran by Fabrizio Montecchi: A Journey in Shadow Theatre The digital book, translated from Italian by Françoise Canon-Roger, is published by the International Institute of Puppetry within the framework of the ICiMa Chair. This revised and expanded edition is richly illustrated and documented, and available in French language for free on the Puppet […]

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