Connect beyond your classroom
Give students opportunities to collaborate with peers from around the world, encounter different perspectives and discover what they can achieve together.
Nearly 50 years of connection
For nearly 50 years, ISTA has connected schools, educators, students and professional artists across the world through a shared belief in the power of arts learning.
From international schools with established arts programmes to schools looking to develop new creative opportunities, our global ensemble brings together people who believe that the arts have an essential place in education.
We may work in different schools, countries and cultures, but we share something important: a commitment to creativity, collaboration and connection.
Our ensemble today
Source: ISTA records of active member schools and organisations as at 19 October 2026.
Who we are
Our community includes international and national schools, IB World Schools, independent and state-funded schools, and schools following a wide range of curricula.
Some have thriving arts departments and decades of experience working with ISTA. Others are discovering us for the first time, looking for ways to introduce new creative experiences or strengthen their arts provision.
We are united in the belief that every young person deserves the chance to experience, explore and express themselves through the arts.
Our global ensemble in action
64 countries259 member schools10 host schools
Find us near you
Active ISTA member schools and organisations by country, as at 19 October 2026. Host schools have recently welcomed an ISTA event.
More than a network
An ensemble is built on something greater than individual talent. It thrives through trust, collaboration, shared experiences and the contributions of everyone involved. We believe the same is true of our global community.
Through ISTA, students collaborate with young people from different backgrounds, educators exchange ideas and expertise, and schools discover new ways to champion creativity. Connections formed during a festival, workshop or collaborative project often extend well beyond the event itself.
When we create together, we become part of something bigger.
Why belong
Give students opportunities to collaborate with peers from around the world, encounter different perspectives and discover what they can achieve together.
Become part of a community where teachers share experiences, exchange ideas and learn alongside professional artists and fellow educators.
Draw on the creativity, expertise and experience of a global network to develop, celebrate and advocate for the arts within your school.
Build relationships with schools, teachers and artists who share your passion for arts education, opening doors to future collaborations and creative opportunities.
Our community is enriched by its diversity
A small school with a single arts teacher brings something just as valuable as a large international school with an established performing arts department.
A school joining its first ISTA festival has as much potential to contribute to the ensemble as one that has participated for decades.
Belonging to ISTA isn’t simply about what you receive. It’s also about what we can create together.
