SCHOLARSHIPS
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Scholarship Recipients
UNIMA-USA: Scholarships to Study Abroad (1982 - PRESENT)
Over 50 scholarships have been awarded.
Congratulations to Samantha Sing, our 2025 UNIMA-USA Scholarship Recipient!
The UNIMA-USA scholarship made it possible for me to attend the marionette carving workshop hosted by Puppets in Prague. With the help of Mirek Trejtnar and other great puppet masters, I was able to build a puppet that I am proud of. Her name is Princess Dashenka (named after a wire fox terrier of a well-known Czech children’s story) and she is a traditional Czech wire marionette. This puppet will help spread Han and Friends’ mission to teach kindness towards animals. The skills I learned in this workshop will also help me to build more puppets for future shows and continue my passion for art and storytelling. In the workshop we learned techniques of designing puppets, making technical drawings, woodcarving, painting, designing a puppet costume, and manipulating puppets.
I had the pleasure to work and befriend other participants who came from around the world (Australia, New Zealand, Finland, Mexico, United States) and together we were guided by Leah Gaffen; who helped us to see the best Czech puppet performances and exhibitions while we were there. We attended two puppet festivals, and many puppet related exhibitions. Upon visiting the exhibitions and discovering the works of Jiří Trnka andKarel Zeman: I was filled with inspiration. My favorite show I saw was "Caslavska-Tokyo-1964" which tells the story of Czech gymnast Věra Čáslavská's journey to becoming a legend at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. It was a collaboration between Czech and Japanese puppet theater groups. It was amazing to see on stage Japanese bunraku puppets and the traditional Czech wire marionette at the same time.
UNIMA was first founded in May 1929 in Prague and their goal is to bring together people from around the world who contribute to the development of the art of puppetry. I am very grateful for this experience to travel to a beautiful country, meet wonderful people, and share the love of puppetry.
- Samantha Sing
Year
Awarded Recipient Program or Artist Location
2025 |
Samantha Sing |
Puppets in Prague |
Czech Republic |
2023 |
Christine Dempsey |
Puppet Carving with Vladimir Sosna |
Czech Republic |
2022 |
Maite Agopian |
Bernd Ogrodnick's Master Class |
Iceland |
2021 |
Lei-Lei Bavoil |
In Person Workshops of Natacha Belova |
Brussels |
2020 |
Mary Nagler |
Bernd Ogrodnik |
Iceland |
2019 |
Stevie Nemazee |
Puppets in Prague |
Czech Republic |
2018 |
Valerie Meiss |
Kuruma Ningyo with Koryu Nishikawa V |
Japan |
2018 |
Liz Oakley |
Théâtre Aux Mains Nues Annual Training |
Paris, France |
2017 |
Dustin Curtis |
Teatro Gioco |
Italy |
2016 |
Bonnie Kim |
Independent study with Yong Ting Lai |
Taipei, Taiwan |
2015 |
Kat Pleviak |
Independent study with Alice Gonglewski |
Germany |
2014 |
Jack Fields |
Independent study with Luman Coad |
Canada |
2013 |
unawarded |
||
2012 |
Nick Hubbard |
Independent study with Albrecht Roser |
Stuttgart, Germany |
2011 |
Erik Finck |
Puppets in Prague; Puppets for Film Animation Workshop |
Czech Republic |
2011 |
Max McBride |
Philippe Genty workshop, |
London, U.K. |
2010 |
Lisi Stoessel |
Janaki Ranpura, Puppets in Prague |
Czech Republic |
2009 |
unawarded |
||
2008 |
Marsian DeLellis |
Cal Arts program |
Edinburgh, Scotland |
2007 |
Yvette Edery |
Puppets in Prague |
Czech Republic |
2006 |
Yvette Edery |
Independent study with Albrecht Roser |
Stuttgart, Germany |
2005 |
unawarded |
||
2004 |
Emily DeCola |
Independent study with Albrecht Roser |
Stuttgart, Germany |
2003 |
Sarah Frechette |
Independent study with Albrecht Roser |
Stuttgart, Germany |
2003 |
Dmitri Carter |
Huang Yu Que |
Quanzhou, China |
2002 |
unawarded |
||
2001 |
Vivian Appler |
Dell’Arte Course |
Bali |
2001 |
Emily Wilson |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
2000 |
unawarded |
||
1999 |
unawarded |
||
1998 |
unawarded |
||
1997 |
Victoria McCreary |
Central School of Speech and Drama |
U.K. |
1997 |
Cathy McCullogh |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France, |
1997 |
Julie Morrison |
Independent study with Albrecht Roser |
Stuttgart, Germany |
1996 |
Wendy Passmore |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1996 |
Beth Peterson |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1995 |
Brigit Burnes |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1994 |
Bill Stout |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1993 |
Blair Thomas |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1992 |
unawarded |
||
1991 |
Aaron Bowie |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1991 |
Preston Foerder |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1991 |
Mindy Donner |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1990 |
Rolande Duprey |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1990 |
Dirk Hays |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1990 |
Brigit Burnes |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1990 |
Suzy Ferris |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1989 |
Susan Bettmann |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1989 |
Patti Smith |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1988 |
Terry Snyder |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1988 |
Tony Palumbo |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1987 |
Michael Nelson |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1986 |
Bobbi Nidzgorski |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1985 |
Preston Foerder |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1985 |
Andrew Periale |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1985 |
Frances Silenzi |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1984 |
John & Carol Farrell |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1984 |
Will Cabell |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1984 |
Barbara Pollitt |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1983 |
Susan Clark |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1983 |
Daniel Tamulonis |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1982 |
Sarah Germain |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1982 |
Debra Kaufman |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1982 |
Paul Mesner |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
1982 |
Shirley Roman |
Institut International de la Marionnette |
Charleville, France |
