Area of Learning: ‍Coming soon‍

Through collaborative theatre-making, participants will engage with a central theme designed to provoke inquiry, spark imagination, and deepen their understanding of the world around them.
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Festival Story
The festival story is the central idea that inspires exploration and creative work throughout an ISTA festival. Festival story coming soon.

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Cultural Experience: Coming soon

Each ISTA festival includes a cultural experience that connects participants with the people, place, or spirit of the host city. In London, students will encounter the city’s rich cultural tapestry through a curated local experience designed to inspire creativity and inform their artistic responses during the festival.
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ISTA Global Challenge
‍This event is part of ISTA’s season-wide theme: Waves of Change. The challenge invites young people to explore how change—personal, social, cultural, environmental, and historical—shapes our world. Through theatre, students reflect on their role in creating, responding to, and riding the waves of change in their own communities and beyond.

Booking secures your place at an ISTA festival by providing estimated participant numbers and paying a deposit. Registration finalises all participant details to support accurate planning for workshops, catering, and logistics.

Booking

• Opens: 9:00 am (UK time), Monday 5 May 2025
• Before booking, ensure your school can attend by confirming:
  
  • Travel restrictions and visa requirements
  • Parental approval
  • School authorisation
• At the time of booking, you must provide:
  
  • Estimated number of students 
  • Estimated number of educators 
  • Lead educator contact details

Deposit & Confirmation

• Once booked, you’ll receive an invoice for a 50% deposit based on student numbers. The deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable. Booking is only confirmed once the deposit is received (within 30 days). 
• Please only book spaces you are confident you can fill. 

Registration

• Opens: 9:00 am (UK time), Monday 5 May 2025
• Closes: 11:59 pm (UK time), Thursday 13  November 2025
• Once registration opens, schools with confirmed places should complete participant registration as soon as possible. You’ll need to provide final student and educator details along with confirmed travel information. 

Changes in Student Numbers

• Fewer students than booked? Deposits for those students are forfeited.
• Need more students? Additional spaces may be requested. A 50% deposit per added student will apply.

Waitlist

• If the event reaches capacity, it will be marked Waitlist. 
• To be added to the waitlist, email the Event Manager with your requested number of students and educators. Spaces will be offered in the order requests are received.

Arrival & Departure 

• Arrival: Morning of Thursday 29 January 2026
• Departure: Evening of Sunday 1 February 2026

Transport

• Nearest Airport: Antwerp Airport (ANR) or Brussels Airport (BRU)
• Nearest Train Station: Antwerp Main Train Station or Ekeren Station 
• Airport/Train station transfer information coming soon.
• Daily local transportation information coming soon

Visas

• It is the responsibility of the schools/participants to ensure they have the appropriate visas, as required.
• Please ensure that you start looking into visa requirements sooner rather than later as the process can take a significant amount of time.
• If you require assistance or additional documentation to support your visa applications please ensure to contact the event manager well in advance.

Accommodation

• This is a hotel stay event. 
• Participating schools are responsible for arranging their own accommodation. 

Hotel Information

Mercure Antwerp City South

• Address:  Desguinlei 94, 2018 Antwerpen, Belgium
• Website: Mercure Antwerp City South Hotel
• Phone number:  +32 3 244 82 11
• Contact: Eline Dejong- eline.dejong@ashg.eu
• Rates (per night):
  • Single room with breakfast:  119 euros + 3.00 euros tax per person per night
  • Double/twin room with breakfast: 129 euros + 3.00 euros tax per person per night
  • Triple room with breakfast: Limited triple rooms available - please contact hotel for prices

ISTA festivals follow a two-step automated payment process:

Step 1: 50% Deposit at Booking

• Upon booking, a 50% deposit is required to secure your place. This deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable.
• Bookings are only confirmed once the deposit has been successfully paid.

Step 2: Final Balance After Registration Closes

• After registration closes, schools will be automatically invoiced for the remaining 50% of fees, based on the final number of students registered, plus any applicable surcharges.

Changes in Student Numbers

• Fewer students than booked: Deposits for non-attending students will be forfeited. (e.g. If 15 students are booked but only 10 attend, the deposit for 5 students is not refunded.)
• Additional students: A 50% deposit per added student will be invoiced at the time of the increase.

Festival Schedule 

• Start: Thursday 29 January  2026 4:00 PM
• End: Sunday 1 February 2026  1:30 PM

Educator Workshops

• One theatre-focused workshop for teacher chaperones
• Collaborative resource-sharing sessions

📄 E-Programmes containing detailed schedules, artist bios, and key event information will be sent to participating organisations two weeks before the event.

🍏  3 evening meals, 2 lunches and daily snacks will be provided by the host school. Breakfasts should be booked at the hotel.

• The ISTA Young Creative Leadership Programme (IYCLP) offers high school students aged 16+ a chance to develop as creative leaders. Through reflective tasks, mentorship, and leading at a middle school festival, students gain practical experience and create a plan to apply their leadership skills in their own communities. This valuable service-learning opportunity can also support other leadership initiatives.
• You can apply for IYCLP places during the festival booking process.

Appropriate attire

• All participants must bring clothing that is suitable for physically active workshops during the day (athletic wear, PE kit, performance blacks, etc.) 

Please note

• Participants not dressed appropriately for physically active workshops may be asked to sit out.
• Participants may be asked to remove footwear, jewellery etc. for some workshops.
• Chewing gum is not permitted in any of the workshop spaces.

Materials 

• Pens, pencils, highlighters etc. for notetaking. 
• Refillable water bottle