Area of Learning
Riding the Waves of Social Change: Addressing social justice issues and imagining more equitable futures. This festival invites young people to engage with pressing social justice questions, using theatre to explore lived experiences, challenge inequities, and imagine pathways to a more just and compassionate world.

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
Set in the lush surroundings of Chiang Mai, participants will immerse themselves in hands-on experiences at a local organic farm. Activities such as ploughing with buffaloes and converting agricultural waste into biochar offer a unique opportunity to explore sustainability and traditional ecological knowledge—connecting cultural understanding with environmental awareness.

ISTA Global Challenge
This festival is part of ISTA’s season-wide theme: Waves of Change. The challenge invites students to examine how shifts in culture, society, and environment impact the world we share. Through collaborative theatre-making, students will reflect on the urgency of change and their role in shaping a more inclusive and sustainable future.

Extended Learning Experiences

For schools wishing to extend their experience, or those who are arriving early/staying longer due to travel times, the host venue offers a visiting schools programme:

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Half day on campus: Thai cooking classes, Muay Thai training, Top Rope climbing, Painting with natural pigments and more

Half day off campus: White water rafting,  Elephant poo paper making, Kayaking, Visit Karen village, Teaching & trekking and more

Full Day activities: Mountain biking, Hiking & jungle cooking, Kayaking, White water rafting, Elephant camp, and more

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If you would like more information, or to book an additional experience, please contact the event manager (helen@ista.co.uk)

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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: 9:00 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 6 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: before 1:00 Pm Thursday 15 January 2026
• Departure: Evening of Sunday 18 January 2026

‍Transport

• Nearest Airport: Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX), Thailand
• Participants will be picked up at the airport upon arrival and returned to the airport immediately upon the closing of the event on the afternoon of Sunday 18 January. 
• Travel time between the school and the airport is approximately 60 minutes depending on traffic.  Please book your arrival and departure flights accordingly.

‍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.

Traidhos Three-Generation Residence
234 Moo 3 Huay Sai Mae Rim Chiang Mai 50180 Thailand

• 3 nights accommodation (15,16 &17 January) with breakfast = GBP£260/person
• Students will be housed in shared accommodation. Educator chaperones will be housed in single accommodation
• The hotel is located on the Prem Tinsulanonda International School campus

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, 15 January 2026 4:00 PM
• End: Sunday 18 January 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 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 evening meals and daily snacks will be provided at this event.

• 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

Please note:  All participants maintain appropriate dress around campus and in Chiang Mai. Avoid exposed shoulders, bare midriffs, shorts above knee length, moving around in swim wear etc .– this is unacceptable in local Thai culture and not allowed on campus.

• All participants must bring clothing that is suitable for physically active workshops during the day (athletic wear, PE kit, performance blacks, etc.) 
• Loose comfortable clothing such as shorts and t-shirts
• Long sleeved shirts and long trousers will be needed for work in air-conditioned spaces and in the evenings.
• Long black trousers or leggings for final sharing

‍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
• Mosquito repellant
• Sunscreen