All Strings Attached: Pioneers of the European Puppetry Behind the Scenes

This project is conceived as a series of workshops, exhibitions and performances traveling from the Alps to the Mediterranean and promoting European Puppetry heritage, diversity and tradition, using an integrated approach and presenting puppetry as a “total work of art”. It is inspired by the Puppetry Pioneers of the European avant-garde period. In the beginning of the 20th century the puppetry scene was revived by a generation of important protagonists, who proposed new forms and integrated the artistic work of composers, writers and artists. It is necessary to give a comprehensive view of this era. In order to reach an audience, puppetry will be presented through its history, location, cultural stamp, concepts and techniques. The first part of the project is focused on technical art historical research and preservation, and will lay the foundation for the further development of the project. In the second part the essential idea is to construct innovative and creative events, which will appeal to a wide cross-section of the general public, offer diverse perspectives and opportunities to enter into dialogue with puppetry, and encourage interconnectivity and innovation. The project will also be aimed towards changing prejudiced public perceptions about puppetry and opera. While children form a large part of puppet theatres’ audiences worldwide, puppetry is not just for children. It is often undervalued and it is necessary to increase the quality, growth and perception of the European puppet theaters.