On 18th August 2024 at our UNIMA Australia Annual General Meeting, we were pleased to award Life Memberships to Richard Hart and Julia Davis from Dream Puppets. They recently relocated from Melbourne to South Australia and zoomed in, with a special appearance from their camel puppet, Kassius Kamel.
Richard and Julia have made significant contributions to the puppetry community and UNIMA Australia.
Richard Hart joined UNIMA Australia in 1994/1995, quickly assuming the role of Treasurer from 1995-1997 and Secretary from 1997-1999, then again in 2002-2008. He was President from 2014-2020, which means he has served on the Committee for 17 years!
He played a crucial role in maintaining Australian puppetry media, contributing to the production of the Manipulation magazine before transforming the UNIMA Australia newsletter into a magazine. His efforts helped increase membership and sustain regular puppetry publications, including the first email newsletter, UNIMA OZ. He was the Artistic Director of Tarrengower Puppet Festival 2012 and Maldon Puppet Carnival 2014 (VIC). Richard continues his role as the UNIMA Australia Representative for the UNIMA Asia-Pacific Commission, further supporting our regional connections.
Julia Davis worked on the Australian Puppeteer Magazine from 2002-2009 and was a major contributor for her editing and proof-reading. Alongside Richard, she was instrumental in establishing the independent O.P.E.N (Oz Puppetry Email Newsletter), which operated outside of UNIMA and gained notable success.
Both Richard and Julia’s dedication to supporting puppetry and navigating the challenges of arts organization politics has been invaluable.
Their contributions, including their work with Dream Puppets, have significantly enriched the puppetry landscape in Australia. Their life memberships are a testament to their longstanding commitment and impact on the field.