In Cuba President of the Women’s Comission Tamiko Onagi finally met with the winner of first Encouragement Award of the Women’s Commission Carmen Cárdenas (Bolivia, Títeres Elwaky). Due to the grant award, Carmen’s son, Bayardo Loredo, was able to study puppetry in Argentina for three months at the school headed by Tito Lorefice.

Tamiko Onagi, Cuba
Tamiko Onagi in Cuba during councillors meeting.

The commission is heading to a strong future. Puppeteers, writers and designers who are looking for support and accompaniment for its development can apply to the UNIMA Women’s Commission Project. During the councilor meeting in Cuba Tamiko Onagi (Japan) gave the latest report by presenting this project, a programme of artistic and financial support with the aim of discovering, accompanying and supporting the new generation of puppetry authors & puppeteers. The project is also a platform of UNIMA partners organizing this “operation”.

Unima Woomen Comission, Cuba
Manuel Morán, Carmen Cárdenas, Tamiko Onagi and Eric Bass.

The project aims at supporting emerging puppetry artists: to enable young companies to create their first shows in optimal conditions. Support is granted through a basic creation grant, artistic residencies, and facilitated networking with performing arts professionals. With a constant aim at encouraging new compositions to emerge, the Women’s commission project is now developing an original support scheme: artistic laboratory, this is a gathering for artists committed in this artistic creation project. This so called laboratorium is hosted by a member or a partner of the UNIMA Women’s Commission, and can be co-organized by several partners.

Tamiko Onagi, Cuba
Tamiko Onagi, Silvia and Rubén Darío Salazar.

Renowned facilitators

The project is supervised by artistic personalities: directors, choreographers, experienced artists and Academics. Those facilitators play a mentoring role without imposing any direction to the artist’s work. They might also enlighten the artists with their own experience – careers, specialities – through open talks or occasional workshops. Public presentations and debates might be held on an occasional basis.

Unima Woomen Comission, Cuba
Mr. and Mss. Sugito and Yasuko Senda, in Cuba.

Second Women’s Commission Awards

In order to promote the work of female artists, the Women’s Commission has decided to dedicate a recognition award. All puppeteers are encouraged to propose names for the awards.

The commission accepts nominations for a living woman puppetry artists or fields associated with puppetry (eg therapy/community cultural development), using puppetry, or related forms (eg, coordinator, organiser) for the betterment of society, who has demonstrated dedication and excellence, but who has not received the recognition her work has deserved.  The deadline for nominations is 31 december 2014.

Next Meeting in Magdeburg (Germany)

Festival Magderburg

In 2013, the Blickwechselfestival couldn’t take place because of the Elbe flood in Magdeburg. An unprecedented wave of solidarity on the part of sponsors, supporters, the participating artists as well as the Magdeburg audience allows the puppet theater now the next edition.  With a revised concept, the theatre celebrates its anniversary festival with 34 groups from 11 countries (including the U.S.A, GB, FR , RU, FIN , CH , NL) which will present the wide range of genres.

Thanks to the organisers, the Women’s commission will have their annual meeting in Magdeburg. The 10th festival will take place from 20 untill the 26th of June 2014.

Magderburg Festival

The Magdeburg Puppet Theatre is one of the most important cultural institutions of the state capital Magdeburg, and stands with his productions for children and adults, the “FigurenSpielSammlung”, numerous guest appearances at home and abroad. The Magdeburg puppet theater as an organizer has a long festival tradition. Already in the seventies and eighties national festivals took place in Magdeburg and the first International Puppet Theatre Festival in former East Germany was organized. The puppet theater Magdeburg continued this series and was completed in 2000 by organizing the World Puppet Theatre Festival of UNIMA in Magdeburg.

More information about the festival and programmation: www.blickwechselfestival.de

Magderburg Festival

Another highlight in Magdeburg is the exposition from commission member Damiet van Dalsum (Netherlands) to be seen until 28th of October at the Figurenspielsammlung Mitteldeutschland in der villa p.

In 2012 the Mageburg Puppet Theatre opened a museum, the largest puppetfigure collection in central Germany, in a listed building renovated Rayon house from the year 1884.

At over 600 square meters and three floors is the history and development of puppetry since its beginnings around 1500 BC. shown to the present day. The influences of world history, religion, politics and science related to these folk art form is just as clear as the development of techniques, materials and sometimes quite amazing functions of the exhibited figures. With well over 1,200 dolls and objects , characters and stories for all ages to marvel, to touch and partly trying out a visit is an unforgettable experience .

Magderburg Festival

The Dutch van Dalsum has created from her poetic productions and sensitive dolls an exhibition, like “Lord unlucky” or “The sky is blue”. Intuition & inspiration are the basics of this exposition. Visitors – whether children, parents or grandparents will feel exactly what she means while visiting. And one thing we already know: The Dutch have always been telling good stories!

More information about the museum:www.figurenspielsammlung.de

Darja de Caluwe