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Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry

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Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry
Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry - University of Connecticut
Map
Established1987[1]
Location1 Royce Circle, Suite 101B, Storrs, Connecticut, United States
TypeArt museum
DirectorJohn Bell
OwnerUniversity of Connecticut
Websitebimp.uconn.edu

The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry (BIMP) is a public museum of puppetry operated by the University of Connecticut and located in Storrs, Connecticut. The Ballard houses one of the three largest puppetry collections in the United States.[2] Its permanent collection of over 2,500 puppets from all over the world includes marionettes, glove puppets, rod puppets, shadow puppets, body puppets, and stage materials. In addition, the Institute houses the Puppeteers of America’s Audio-Visual Collection, which is the largest media collection (over 700 items) on puppetry in the United States.[3] These media are housed in the Kay Janney Library and Archives, which also is home to a small research collection of more than 2,500 books, scripts, manuscripts, clippings, posters, and audio-visual material related to the history of puppet theater worldwide. The Janney Library is open to visiting researchers by appointment.[4]

In addition to collecting materials to support research, the Ballard hosts frequent puppetry festivals, exhibits, and dramatic performances, most notably the 2015 National Puppetry Festival.[5] The Institute also conducts puppet-making workshops and participates in local parades and cultural events.[6] The Institute was named after Frank W. Ballard (1929-2010), founder of UConn's Puppet Arts Program, which holds the distinction of being the first graduate and undergraduate programs in puppetry in the United States.[7] Its managing director is John Bell, a former Bread and Puppet Theater company member and an associate professor of Dramatic Arts at UConn's School of Fine Arts.[8][9] Previously located on UConn's Depot Campus, the Ballard was moved to the newly constructed Storrs Center in 2014. It shares space with the UConn Co-op Bookstore and Le Petit Marche Café.[10]

UConn is the only institution in the Unites States that offers a Masters degree in puppetry.[11]

References

  1. ^ "Fact Sheet: Ballard Institute". National Puppet Festival 2015. Puppeteers of America. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
  2. ^ Dircks, Phyllis T. (2004). American Puppetry: Collections, History and Performance. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. p. 118. ISBN 9780786418961.
  3. ^ "About". Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry. University of Connecticut. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  4. ^ "Fact Sheet: Ballard Institute". National Puppet Festival 2015. Puppeteers of America. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
  5. ^ "The National Puppetry Festival 2015 | Aug 9-16, 2015". www.nationalpuppetryfestival2015.com. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
  6. ^ Melanie, Savage. "John Bell aims to bring puppetry to the public through Ballard Institute". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
  7. ^ "Frank Ballard". Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry. University of Connecticut. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  8. ^ Savage, Melanie. "UConn To Present MFA Puppet Arts Festival". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
  9. ^ University of Connecticut School of Fine Arts.
  10. ^ "Puppetry Museum Opens at Storrs Center". UConn Today. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
  11. ^ "University Programs". Puppeteers of America. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
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