In 2020, as millions of professionals in the cultural sectors around the globe lost work to the COVID pandemic, UNESCO launched ResiliArt, an open discussion platform dedicated to them and their crisis. Among the 359 discussions coordinated, members of UNIMA held 21 roundtable sessions, still available for viewing here.

On Monday the 3rd of October, a compilation of 100 viewpoints were published into an open access online book, entitled ResiliArt 100. The UNESCO ResiliArt team was led by Saori Matilda Machimura, providing “a collection of crowdsourced recommendations that propels concrete, evidence-based actions among policymakers and gatekeepers in response to challenges, needs and gaps experienced by individuals across the creative value chain” in the bold iconography of artist Michael Schnepf.

14 recommendations for the world’s policymakers and decision-makers were crowdsourced, and statements from UNIMA’s members were featured alongside the 100 viewpoints published. They include those of Aziagbe Holali Agbevide, Greta Clough, Laura Elands, Hyunsan Jo, Heejung Kim, Amadou Mandé, Ranjana Pandey, Frederic Poty, and Dadi Pudumjee. They, among UNIMA’s and other participants around the globe, have contributed to this grassroots emphasis on artists’ rights, reskilling, inclusion, and the greater need for culture in these challenging times.

UNIMA International would like to congratulate and thank Clément Peretjatko, a member UNIMA’s Executive Committee and chair of the Europe Commission, for volunteering his time to manage and coordinate the roundtables, engaging a breadth of puppet centres and UNIMA members from all continents. UNIMA also thanks all contributing national centres and members to this project for an enlivening and inspiring dialogue that not only supports and provides solutions for puppeteers, but also demonstrates our diversity and resilience as we continue to connect and grow together.