Q: What is UNIMA and UNIMA-USA?
A: UNIMA (Union Internationale de la Marionnette), the international
organization of puppeteers, was founded in Prague in 1929. It is the
oldest international theatre organization in the world. The
headquarters are in Charleville-Mézières, France. UNIMA is made up of
over 100 national centers worldwide. UNIMA-USA, the U.S. national
center, was formed in 1966 with legendary puppeteer and Muppets
creator Jim Henson as its first chairman. UNIMA-USA is headquartered
at the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, Georgia.
Q: Can anyone join UNIMA-USA from all over the world?
A: Yes, membership in UNIMA-USA is open to anyone with an interest in
puppetry. Although UNIMA-USA does have members from around the world,
puppeteers and puppetry enthusiasts outside the U.S. can also join
UNIMA through the national centers in their countries.
Q: What kind of services does UNIMA offer?
A: UNIMA and UNIMA-USA work to connect puppeteers internationally.
UNIMA-USA works toward this goal through our beautiful and captivating
magazine, Puppetry International, our electronic newsletter, our
scholarship program, the company member listings in our Puppetry
Yellow Pages, our citations of excellence and our website,
Q: How does someone become a professional puppeteer?
A: There are university programs in puppetry, most notably at the
University of Connecticut, but people also frequently come to puppetry
from other disciplines, such as theatre, dance, visual arts and writing.
Q: Do you help ventriloquists too?
A: Puppetry is a wide-ranging field. The UNIMA-USA membership
includes people who use puppets in the performing arts, such as
ventriloquists, but also educators, librarians, therapists and
puppetry enthusiasts.
Q: What’s a good way to get started in puppetry?
A: If you have an interest in puppetry, but no experience, connecting
with other puppeteers is a great way to learn more. Most puppeteers
will be happy to answer questions and show you what they do. You can
find puppetry resources (puppetry centers, museums, theaters and
touring companies) in your area on the UNIMA-USA Puppetry Yellow
Pages at http://www.unima-usa.org/by-location.
Q: If you need puppet or ventriloquist insurance for a day, month or
year, where can someone purchase it?
A: We are happy that our members can work with the National
Association of Mobile Entertainers (NAME) for their performance
insurance needs.
Q: How can people learn more about UNIMA?
A: You’ll find all the details about what UNIMA-USA is and what we do
on our website, www.unima-usa.org. You can also visit us on Facebook,
https://www.facebook.com/UNIMA.USA/ or Instagram,
https://www.instagram.com/unimausa/.
