France | World Festival of Puppet Theatres 2021

The 21st edition of the World Festival of Puppet Theatres takes place in Charleville-Mézières, France from 17-26 September 2021. The AVIAMA International Initiative Award will be launched at the festival, to recognise innovative actions to promote the puppetry arts.

Puppet companies from France, Germany, Russia, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, Norway, India, Slovenia and beyond feature on the extensive international festival programme. 

The Festival has become the international reference and the unmissable meeting place for the world of Puppetry Arts. At each edition, companies from the five continents gather in Charleville-Mézières to present their creations to more than 170,000 spectators from all over the world…

AVIAMA (the International Association of Puppet Friendly Cities) will hold a press conference on Monday, September 20, 2021, as part of the World Festival of Puppet Theaters, to launch the AVIAMA International Initiative Award.

By creating an Initiative Award, AVIAMA rewards on an international scale those who by an innovative action contribute to highlight the puppetry arts, to defend their development and to encourage their recognition by a large audience.

The World Festival of Puppet Theatres includes:

• the world’s largest gathering of puppeteers every other year in Charleville-Mézières

• the support of artistic creation through the co-production of shows, the hosting of artists in residence, as well as the promotion and distribution of shows

• continuous work all year round in order to promote puppetry and develop audiences in schools, in organizations and within the general public

The public is welcomed in strict compliance with the health protocols in force at the time of the event, including production of a Health Pass (or European/compatible equivalent)