Logo UNIMA

Union Internationale de la Marionnette

Non-Governmental Organization affiliated to UNESCO

Directory Sheet

Last updated: 14-03-2017

UNIMA United Kingdom – British UNIMA

Date of creation: 1963

c/o Jeremy BIDGOOD 28 Hayfield Road
OX2 6TT  OXFORD  United Kingdom

+44 7718 209837

www.unima.org.uk

Presentation

Brief history
British UNIMA started boldly with the 1963 UNIMA Praesidium meeting in London and the first major international puppet festival in the UK, swiftly followed by a second international festival in 1968. Ever since, British UNIMA has worked tirelessly to promote international exchange by supporting foreign companies visiting the UK and British companies touring abroad.
From 1969 to 1976 Jan Bussell served as the international President of UNIMA. Through Puppet Notebook and the John Phillips Memorial Lecture it continues to encourage international dialogue. British UNIMA also contributed extensively to the WEPA and continues to contribute to its translation into English.

Important projects and achievements
As British UNIMA is only one of several puppetry organizations in the UK its area of interest is primarily international. Since 1963 it has been an active member of international UNIMA with several members serving on the UNIMA Executive Committee and many more serving on Commissions and becoming Members of Honour.
During the last twenty years, a new wave of practitioners joined the organization, contributing to the foundation of the joint industry website PuppeteersUK (2000) and the launch of the publication Puppet Notebook (2004). British UNIMA also organizes the annual John Phillips Memorial Lecture, with notable speakers such as John Bell and Didier Plassard.

Upcoming events

Last news of the UNIMA Center

Create Online Puppetry Summer School (Wales/Pakistan)

Pakistan, United Kingdom - 25/07/2023

The Create Online Puppetry Summer School in puppetry skills is supported by The British Council Wales and Pakistan under the Go Digital initiative and provided by CREATE Puppetry Festival organisers PuppetSoup (Wales) and Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop (Pakistan) This online accessible training in puppetry encourages learners to make their own short form piece of puppetry […]

Read more

Death of Christopher Leith

United Kingdom - 24/10/2015

We are saddened to report that Christopher Leith passed away on 17th October 2015. Christopher Leith was a master puppeteer, director and writer. He was the director of the Little Angel Theatre from 1992 to 2000. Of his own creations, perhaps his masterpiece was a version of the Beowulf legend which was shown in 1979 […]

Read more