‍Theme of Exploration
Embracing Change Within Our Communities. Students explore how communities respond to disruption—how they adapt, rebuild, and reimagine their futures in uncertain times. Through stories of resilience and transformation, they uncover how creativity can be a tool for understanding, healing, and envisioning new possibilities in a changing world.

A Shared Experience
The festival culminates in a live, immersive sharing—an energetic, student-led experience where each ensemble’s work becomes part of a larger, collective response. It’s not a traditional performance. It’s a shared moment of storytelling, atmosphere, and connection. Festival story coming soon.

Cultural Lens
Set against the vibrant backdrop of Hong Kong, this festival offers students the opportunity to connect with local culture and community. A visit to Chungking Mansions offers students a powerful lens into one of Hong Kong’s most culturally diverse micro-communities—home to migrants, entrepreneurs, and artists from across the globe. Through this immersive experience, students will explore how multicultural communities navigate disruption, build resilience, and reimagine their futures through creativity and collaboration

ISTA’s Global Challenge: Waves of Change
This festival is part of ISTA’s season-wide theme, Waves of Change. Students are invited to reflect on how change—personal, social, cultural, environmental—shapes our world, and how the arts can help us respond, adapt, and lead with empathy and imagination.

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), Friday 6 March 2026
• 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: Afternoon of Thursday 14 May 2026
• Departure: Evening of Sunday 17 May 2026

Transport

• Nearest Airport: Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) also known as Chek Lap Kok International Airport 
• Airport Transfers will be arranged through the hotel. More information coming soon.
• Travel time between the airport and hotel is approximately one hour.
• Participants should not plan to leave the host school until 4 pm Sunday 17 May.
• Please book travel accordingly and allow for ample time to travel to and from the airport.

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. 

Le Méridien Hong Kong, Cyberport
‍100 Cyberport Road, Cyberport, Hong Kong

• ‍BOOKING LINK Contact: Tracy Yuen - Sales Manager (Phone number:+852 2980 7806) 
• HK$1,670+13% with 1 buffet breakfast
• HK$1,820 +13% with 2 buffet breakfasts
• Rates are quoted in Hong Kong Dollars per room per night.
• Hotel is a 5 minute walk from the host 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:  Friday 15 May 2026 8:30 AM
• End: Sunday 17 May 2026 3:45 PM

‍Educator Workshops

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

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

🍏 Lunches for all three days and two evening meals are provided by the host as part of this event. Please note this does not include an evening meal the night before the event starts.

‍

• 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