Phnom Penh HS Connect Festival

At the Phnom Penh Connect Festival, theatre-making is a reflective and responsive process shaped by young people's engagement with place, history, and living creative community. The work is guided by the ISTA Ensemble Method and Festival Framework, which shape how students collaborate, explore ideas, and create together.

Working in mixed-school ensembles and guided by professional artists, students develop original theatre through enquiry, discussion, and practical exploration. The work evolves as students respond to what they encounter across the festival, from the weight of Cambodia's recent history to the extraordinary creativity and resilience of its artistic community today.

Each ISTA festival around the world is connected through a shared Global Challenge. For 2026–2027, Rooted & Reimagined invites young people to explore how we honour the roots that shape us while imagining new futures. In Phnom Penh, this provocation finds one of its most vivid and living contexts, in a country actively reclaiming its cultural identity and reimagining what comes next.

These elements are woven into the creative process, influencing what is made, how ensembles collaborate, and how ideas are developed and expressed.

The result is a learning experience that is creative, connected, and deeply human, fostering confidence, empathy, and a stronger sense of self and others.

Each ISTA festival includes a shared cultural experience that connects students to the host location and provides real-world inspiration for the work they create together.

In Phnom Penh, students will engage directly with Cambodia's history through three powerful and distinct experiences. A visit to the Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre (the Killing Fields) offers a sombre and deeply moving encounter with one of the most significant sites of remembrance in Southeast Asia. Walking through the site, students engage with personal testimonies and historical accounts that bring Cambodia's recent past into profound human focus.

On two of the evenings, students will enjoy performances by two of Cambodia's most celebrated arts organisations. Come Back Brighter, performed by Epic Arts, traces Cambodia's cultural journey from the 1960s to today through inclusive dance and archival footage, celebrating the resilience and transformation of its people. Rouge, performed by Phare Circus (with students from the circus school) , uses acrobatics and theatre to transform memories of fear and hardship into a vivid celebration of human resilience.

Together, these experiences form the creative foundation of the festival, bringing students into direct contact with the history, the people, and the living artistic community of Cambodia, and providing the starting points from which the ensemble's work will grow.

ISTA festivals are led by a diverse team of professional artists from around the world, including theatre-makers, performers, directors, and educators. They bring a wide range of cultural perspectives and creative practices, guiding students through the process of making original work. As facilitators, they support, challenge, and inspire each ensemble, helping young people develop their ideas, take creative risks, and shape work that is unique to their experience.

Artist teams are shared in the event Information Pack, which is sent to participating schools in the lead-up to the event.

While students take part in the festival, accompanying educators engage in a dedicated specialist workshop led by one of the ISTA artists. This session supports their own professional development, offering time to explore theatre practice, reconnect with creative process, and take away practical ideas for the classroom or rehearsal space. Workshop leader and session information will be confirmed closer to the event.

Educators also take part in a collaborative session focused on sharing practice, ideas, and resources, creating space for dialogue and exchange within a global community of arts educators.

Booking secures a place at an ISTA Festival event by estimating the number of participants and paying a deposit.

Registration finalises participant details, ensuring accurate event planning, catering, and transportation.

Click here for a helpful guide on how ISTA’s booking and registration work.

Booking

Opens: 9:00 am UK time on Thursday 30 April 2026 for members and Monday 1 June 2026 for non-members.

Closes: 11:59 pm UK time on Wednesday 30 December 2026.

Before booking, ensure your trip is viable by checking:

• Travel restrictions and visa requirements
• Parental approvals
• School authorisation

At the time of booking, organisations must provide:

• Total number of students
• Total number of educators
• Lead educator chaperone contact details

Please review the ISTA Event Terms & Conditions, including cancellation policies, before booking.

Deposit & Confirmation

Upon booking, you will receive an invoice for a 50% deposit based on the number of students booked. The deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable and secures your reservation. Bookings are fully confirmed once the deposit is received within 30 days.

Bookings are made through an ISTA website account. Your booking confirmation and registration link will appear in the profile of the person who submitted the booking. If a colleague booked on your behalf, the registration form may sit under their account.

Invoices are sent to the email address provided at the time of booking. Your place is reserved, subject to payment in line with our booking terms.

If you need to make changes to your booking, please email booking@istaglobal.org.

Registration

Opens: 9:00 am UK time on Thursday 30 April 2026 for members and Monday 1 June 2026 for non-members.

Closes: 11:59 pm UK time on Wednesday 6 January 2027.

Once registration opens, schools that have confirmed their students should register as soon as possible. All registrations must be completed by Wednesday 6 January 2027 to finalise event logistics.

At the time of registration, organisations must provide:

• Finalised participant details
• Travel information

Changes in Student Numbers

Student numbers may change between the original booking and final registration. If your numbers change, please inform the Event Manager as soon as possible so we can adjust event planning accordingly.

ISTA plans each event based on the numbers provided at the time of booking. This includes scheduling artists, securing tickets for the cultural experience, and allocating places for other schools. Early updates allow us to manage availability and offer spaces where possible.

Final participant numbers must be confirmed during registration. Changes in numbers may affect deposits and final invoices. Please see the Payment Process section for full details.

Waitlist

If the event reaches capacity, it will be marked “Waitlist”. If you wish to be added to the waitlist:

1. Click the Waitlist button on the event page
2. Enter the requested information
3. Spaces will be offered in the order in which waitlist requests are received.

ISTA festivals follow a two-step automated payment process:

Step 1: Deposit Payment at Booking

• Upon booking, you will be required to pay a 50% deposit immediately.
• This deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable and confirms your reservation.
• Bookings will only be secured once the deposit payment is successfully processed.

All payments and cancellations are subject to ISTA Event Terms & Conditions.

Step 2: Remaining Balance Upon Registration Closure

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

Changes in Student Numbers

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

Festival Schedule

• Start: 4:00 pm Wednesday 17 February 2027
• End: 1:30 pm Saturday 20 February 2027

IMPORTANT:

• Participants are expected to attend the full festival programme, including the final sharing.
• Festival schedules are designed as a complete experience and cannot be adapted to individual travel arrangements.
• Schools should plan travel to ensure participants arrive on time, are ready to take part from the start, and remain until the end of the festival.
• Late arrivals or early departures affect the ensemble process and the shared creative work, as groups rely on full participation throughout the festival.

Click here to explore a sample ISTA Festival Schedule

Arrival & Departure

Arrival: Non-local Participants should plan to arrive in Phnom Penh before 2:00 pm on Wednesday 17 February 2027

Departure: Participants should not plan to leave the host venue before 1:30 pm Saturday 20 February 2027

IMPORTANT:

Travel should be arranged to align with the full festival schedule, including time for arrival, check-in, and readiness to begin, as well as departure after the event has fully concluded.

Festival schedules cannot be adjusted to accommodate individual travel plans. Late arrivals or early departures impact the ensemble process and the shared creative work, as groups rely on full participation throughout the festival.

Getting there

• Nearest Airport: Techo International Airport (KTI)

Transfers

• Airport station transfers available for £15 per person.

Travel time

• From KTI Airport: Approximately 45 minutes in a private bus or taxi, depending on traffic.
• Please book travel accordingly and allow for ample time to travel to and from the airport.

Accommodation

Participants are responsible for arranging their own accommodation.

Recommended Hotel: Sun & Moon Riverside Hotel

Hotel Address: Waterfront, Corner of Preah Monivong Bridge (93) & Preah Norodom Blvd (41),

Village 10, Sangkat Tonle Bassac, Khan Chamkarmon,

Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Hotel Phone Number: +855 23 866 668

Distance from Venue: 30 minutes by private bus, depending on traffic.

How to access the ISTA room rate

1. Click here to book your hotel room
2. Select your dates and number of guests.
3. Under Accommodations, open the rate options for your preferred room.
4. Select the rate named ISTA PP-ISPP 2027.
5. Complete your reservation as usual.

ISTA rate: USD $73 per night

Promo code: No promo code is required.

Please make sure ISTA PP-ISPP 2027 is selected before completing your booking. Other rates shown on the hotel website are not part of the ISTA room block.

Should you require any further assistance, please feel free to contact us:

smr-askme@sunandmoonhotelgroup.com

Local Transport

Daily transport between the hotel and the venue is provided at £15 per person

Visa Requirements

Participants and schools are responsible for ensuring they have the necessary visas.

Visa applications can take time, so we strongly recommend starting the process as early as possible.

• e-Visas must be obtained in advance. See this website for more information.

If you require supporting documentation, please contact the Event Manager well in advance.

Important Communication Information

ISTA business days are Monday to Friday, and we aim to respond to all emails within three business days.

ISTA staff do not monitor emails on weekends (Saturday & Sunday) or public holidays. If a staff member is working at an event, response times may be longer than usual.

3 evening meals, 2 lunches and daily snacks will be provided at this event.

Appropriate attire

Participants should bring clothing suitable for physically active workshops during the day, such as athletic wear, PE kit, or performance blacks.

All attire, both during the event and during time spent at the hotel or in the local area, should be respectful of the host country, host school, and the diverse international community of participants. Cambodia is a culturally conservative country and participants are asked to dress with awareness and consideration for local customs throughout the festival experience. Shoulders should be covered and midriffs should not be exposed.

As this festival includes a visit to a site of historical significance and remembrance, participants are asked to dress with particular care and consideration for the context of that experience.

Please note:

• Workshops are physically active. Participants who are not appropriately dressed may be asked to change or may be unable to fully take part in the experience.
• Footwear and jewellery may need to be removed for certain sessions.
• Chewing gum is not permitted in workshop spaces.

Materials

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

Information Pack

A detailed digital programme will be shared two weeks prior to the event, outlining schedules, artist biographies, and key event information.