First Ever INTERNATIONAL PUPPET FRINGE FESTIVAL Announced for NYC

We are pleased to announce the first ever International Puppet Fringe Festival taking place in NYC this August 6-12. The Big Apple serves as a perfect backdrop for this international affair celebrating diversity, inclusion and puppet theater arts. The historic Clemente building in Lower East Side will host puppets from companies all over the globe for this special week of all ages events. Known for its varied cultural programming, broad-minded cultural vision and collaborative philosophy, as well as its history as a partnering venue in the past for Fringe NYC, The Clemente provides the perfect space for this first-of-its-kind festival.

The art of puppetry is an ancient theater form with evidence of its existence dating back to 2000 BC in ancient Egypt and first written records dating back to 5BC in Ancient Greece. Contrary to popular belief, puppet theater is not only for children. In fact, puppetry has a long history of centering themes around political narratives. With the help of participating troupes, IPFFNYC aims to showcase the diversity in content, style, and culture puppet theater embodies. This year's festival will be honoring Puerto Rican artist and Teatro SEA's puppet master José López Alemán and his contributions to the art of puppetry that span over 40 years. Join us as we welcome emerging and established puppeteers and puppet troupes of various styles showcasing their artistry and ingenuity through performances, exhibits, and symposiums.

"We are excited to bring all of these national and International Artists to the Lower East Side and to provide an event that culturally reflects the diversity of New York City. We feel that the Clemente is the perfect venue for a fringe style festival since many festivals have taken place at the center over the years," states Dr. Manuel Morán, IPFFNYC Producer.

We are also pleased to announce puppet troupes from the following countries were selected by the IPFFNYC committee to participate in this year's festival. The participation of each troupe is subject to availability and the ability for travel:

• Cuba
• Spain
• Argentina
• China
• Israel
• Puerto Rico
• USA
• France
• Georgia

IPFFNYC is a truly special event because it provides puppeteers with a platform of expression to connect with like-minded individuals and gain new fans on an international scale. Together with the support and participation of these selected companies, we make history with NYC's first ever puppet Fringe Festival

Follow IPFFNYC on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and on our website at PuppetFringeNYC.com for more updates! We can't wait to see you this August!