Area of Learning
‍Coming soon. This section will outline the specific artistic focus that will guide students’ creative exploration during the festival. 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.

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
. 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. More information coming soon.

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: 9:00am (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

• Opens: 9:00 am (UK time), Monday 5 May 2025
• Closes: 11:59 pm (UK time), Friday 5 December 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: Be at the host school by 8:15 am Friday 13 February 2026
• Departure: Do not plan to leave the host school until after 3:45 pm Sunday 15 February 2026

‍Transport

• Nearest Airport: Any London Airport
• Nearest Train Station:  To be confirmed
• Nearest Tube Station: Golders Green 
• Participants are responsible for arranging their own local transportation and airport transfers as needed. 

‍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
• Participants are responsible for arranging their own accommodation.

‍

‍Hotel Options

Premier Inn: London Hampstead Hotel
215 Haverstock Hill, Hampstead, London NW3 4RB
Website:  Click here

Travel time between hotel and school campus is approximately 40 minutes on foot, 15 minutes by public transportation

‍

Travelodge London Finchley
Winston House
2 Dollis Park Road, London, Finchley, N3 1HF
Website: Click here

Email: groupbookings@travelodge.co.uk

Travel time between hotel and school campus is approximately 25 minutes by public transportation

‍

St. Christopher's Camden (Hostel)
48-50 Camden high Street, London NW1 0LT
Website: Click here

Travel time between the hostel and school campus is approximately 30 minutes by public transportation

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: 8:30am Friday 13 February 2026
• End: 3:45pm Sunday 15 February 2026

‍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.

🍏 2 evening meals, 3 lunches and daily snacks will be provided by the host. Non-local participants will have to arrange their own evening meal on Thursday 12 February.

Appropriate attire

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