New International PuppArts Study Programme
Exciting news! There is a new opportunity to study puppetry in Prague!
If you have been to our workshops, you know DAMU, the Prague Theatre Academy which has a department of puppet theatre and where many of our teachers studied. DAMU, along with theatre academies in Warsaw and Bratislava, created PuppArts, a new 2-year international master’s program. Application deadline: January 15, 2027
Find the press release about the project below:
Prague / Bratislava / Warsaw, 2 October 2026 – Three leading Central European arts universities have joined forces to launch PuppArts, a new international Master’s programme dedicated to contemporary puppet theatre. This unique joint study programme has been created through a collaboration between the Theatre Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (DAMU), the Theatre Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava (VŠMU), and the Aleksander Zelwerowicz National Academy of Dramatic Art in Warsaw (AT).
PuppArts is the first joint Master’s programme of its kind to be taught in English. Its aim is to attract exceptional talent from around the world to Central Europe and create an international educational platform that connects the region’s rich puppet theatre tradition with the latest artistic and technological trends.
“The programme responds to the long-standing interest of international applicants in studying puppet theatre in English, while also strengthening Central Europe’s position as one of the most important centres of contemporary puppet theatre,” say representatives of the consortium Marek Bečka, Wiesław Czołpiński and Ida Hledíková.
Studying Across Three Countries
The programme is built around international mobility between three countries that are among the most important centres of European puppet theatre. Nine selected students from around the world will begin their shared journey in Bratislava, before moving to Warsaw and subsequently to Prague. Each institution will offer a different perspective on contemporary puppet theatre, a distinct creative tradition and approach to artistic work, giving students an exceptionally diverse and international experience.
In the final semester, the students will divide into three creative teams and, under the guidance of tutors, develop their own graduate performances, which will be created in the Czech Republic, Slovakia or Poland. From the very beginning, the programme will lead students towards independent artistic work and the development of their own creative voices through dialogue with different cultures, traditions and contemporary forms of theatre.
Practice-Based Study
An important part of the programme is its connection to the professional arts scene through a network of associated partners, including theatres, festivals, a museum and an international professional organisation in Central Europe and beyond. The network includes leading puppet theatres such as Bratislava Puppet Theatre, Puppet Theatre at Crossroad in Banská Bystrica, Maribor Puppet Theatre, Theatre Drak, Alfa Theatre Pilsen, Teatr Baj in Warsaw, Białystok Puppet Theatre and Rolling Puppet Alternative Theatre in Macau. The programme is also connected with international and national festivals, including The Bábkarská Bystrica Festival, Spectacullo Interesse, Skupa’s Pilsen and KORCZAK TODAY, as well as the Polish Centre of ASSITEJ. The network is complemented by the Chrudim Puppetry Museum and UNIMA, the international organisation for puppetry.
These connections will give students opportunities to meet and network with leading artists and professionals, gain insight into the contemporary theatre and festival environment, and present their work to professional audiences. PuppArts therefore combines high-level academic education with strong links to the international professional theatre and puppetry scene.
Tradition and the Future of Puppet Theatre
The programme builds on the exceptionally strong tradition of Central European puppet theatre, recognised in the Czech Republic and Slovakia through its inclusion on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. At the same time, it creates space for innovation, experimentation and the exploration of new artistic forms responding to the challenges of the 21st century.
Graduates of the programme will be prepared to work as independent artists, performers, directors, dramaturgs, scenographers or members of international artistic teams. They will find opportunities not only in puppet and theatre arts, but also in cultural, educational and community-based projects.
The first cohort of PuppArts will begin its studies in the academic year 2027/2028. The application deadline is 15 January 2027, and the programme is open to applicants from around the world with an interest in contemporary puppet theatre and performance-making.
More information:
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