UNIMA creates links and often more than links, founding stories for places.

All UNIMA meetings create this value of friendship and vision. Charleville-Mézières is a commendable example of a reciprocal friendship that creates tools to support enthusiasm and desire, but also to develop values that are essential to all humanity. From a subsidiary art relegated to the margins, UNIMA has not ceased to promote, to launch projects and to found not only schools, but an ever greater recognition of the puppet arts as a major art.

The languages of this art make us universal through the approach of these links and creations.

From our collaborations and our presence since the beginnings of the international in Charleville-Mézières in 1972 at the time of the International Congress of the UNIMA and the first International festival, we nourished a deep friendship with personalities who build and reaffirm always stronger and always bigger the aspiration of the theatrical forms of puppets, that they are traditional or the most contemporary. The OFF festival is a showcase that opens the possibility for every puppeteer to show his work.

In this optic of promoting and showing, we wished to propose a podium or at least a “showcase” (more humbly) of the UNIMA International and especially of its puppeteer members.

In view of our discussions with Laurent Biston, emblematic director of the MCL La Bohème and the president Jean- Pierre Daene, who direct the OFF festival during the World Festival of Puppet Theatres (FMTM) of Charleville-Mézières, of their friendships and their engagement as well as of their passions for our arts (Laurent Biston leaves us unfortunately, but will remain active to advise, to help and to put all in work with the new director, and make a success of this festival of the puppet that represents the moments of the festival), we propose to help some members of the whole world, if they wish it, to be able to propose to the festival OFF their shows. We already ask all the companies and artists members of UNIMA to claim the logo of UNIMA in the visibility of their shows.

In parallel to our meetings and discussions during the festival, UNIMA International gives the possibility to put in contact with the OFF festival, which manages more than 200 shows during the festival, companies and puppeteers members to propose their shows to the OFF festival. UNIMA is not the organizer and is not responsible for the choice of the companies or puppeteers chosen by the OFF festival and we decline any responsibility at the legal level as well as at the artistic level as for the choice, the programming as well as for the financial support invested to be able to participate in the festival. The companies will have to pay for the cost of the shows and the conditions of the OFF show as proposed by the OFF festival management. We encourage companies that are supported by their respective countries to apply and to claim their links with UNIMA.

To apply with your show, please send your applications to contact@unima.org before March 21, 2023.

UNIMA is the world organization for puppetry and its arts.

Dimitri Jageneau, General Secretary of UNIMA International