Established in 1946 by Mara Penkova, the first puppet theatre company has managed to evoke a significant public response. Only 2 years later a state subsidy was granted to support the activities of the company, which acquired the statute of the first professional state puppet theatre in Bulgaria. Until now it has staged over 326 plays. The theatre keeps up a repertory of 30 productions; delivering more than 400 performances annually; producing 4 to 6 new productions each season; developing a program of local and international touring; and bringing high quality puppet theatre to over 50 000 people each year. Sofia Puppet Theatre is a repertory theatre organization with a full time artistic company, technical staff and administrative personnel; running two theatre venues, a sound recording studio and several workshops. The artistic production of the company has explored every genre and style starting from the puppet miniature, the musical tale, the pantomime, the theatre of shadows, the comedy, the satire, the grotesque and reaching to the heroic-epic play and musical. Sofia Puppet Theater is the creator and organizer of the International Festival of Street and Puppet Theater PUPPET FAIR, which presents some of the most interesting and modern titles in the field of puppet and street theater not only from Bulgaria and Europe but also around the world. PUPPET FAIR has been repeatedly awarded by the European Festival Association with the international award EFFE LABEL – a sign that it ranks among the most prestigious European festivals. The company has gained the love and loyalty of its audience together with many national and international awards building a reputation for artistic excellence and professional achievement.