Area of Learning
Exploring Cultural Waves: Celebrating diversity and understanding how cultural shifts shape our world. This festival invites young people to investigate how cultural movements influence identity, society, and artistic expression. Through collaboration and creativity, students will explore how diversity and cultural transformation shape our shared human story.

Festival Story
‍The festival story is the central idea that inspires exploration and creative work throughout an ISTA festival. Festival story coming soon.

Cultural Experience
Cultural experience coming soon. Each ISTA festival includes a cultural experience that connects participants with the people, culture, or spirit of the host location.  More information coming soon

ISTA Global Challenge
This festival is part of ISTA’s season-wide theme: Waves of Change. The challenge invites students to explore how change—across cultures, communities, environments, and histories—shapes the way we live and create. Through collaborative theatre-making, students will reflect on the impact of cultural shifts and their role in shaping a more connected world.

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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: 9:00am (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:  Registration timeline to be confirmed 

• Opens: 9:00 am (UK time), Monday 5 May  2025
• Closes: 11:59 pm (UK time),  Thursday, 11 September 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

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Arrival & Departure:  Travel booking guidance to be confirmed 

• Arrival: 1:00pm Thursday 20 November 2025
• Departure: After 4:00pm Sunday 23 November 2025.  Participants will be transported directly to the airport after the event ends at 1:30 pm on Sunday. 

Transport

• Nearest Airport: Salvador Bahia Airport (SSA)
• Airport transfers will be provided by the host. 
• Travel time from the airport to the school is approximately 30 minutes depending on traffic. 
• Please book travel accordingly and allow for ample time to travel to and from the airport
• Local transportation information between the hotel and school is 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.
• The host advises that all visas must be obtained in advance of travel via online application
• It is recommended to apply at least 2 weeks in advance of travel.
• If you require assistance or additional documentation to support your visa applications, please ensure to contact the event manager well in advance of submitting your application.

Accommodation:

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

‍Hotel Information:

Mercure HOtel Rio Vermelho
R. da Fonte do Boi, 215 - Rio Vermelho, Salvador - BA, 41940-360, Brazil

Daily rate for a twin/double room with breakfast:
GBP95 city view and GBP120 sea view.

Triple rooms are not available. Only rollaway beds are available at an additional cost and subject to availability.
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The conditions offered are exclusive to reservations made through Kontik (a travel agency).
Email: kontikclub@kontik.com.br
Phone: +55 71 3353 4111
WhatsApp (messages only): +55 713353 4111

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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.

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Festival Schedule:

• Start: Thursday,  20 November 2025 at 4:00 PM
• End: Sunday 23 November 2025  at 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.

Host school will provide lunches, evening meals and daily snacks for the duration of the event. More details coming soon.

• 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