June 7
We are delighted to announce that Jillian Campana and Rob Warren have joined ISTA’s board of trustees as of 1st June. We received so many applications from the community which was heartening. We are committed to having at least one member...
June 1
We are now 12 months in to our event review and have gathered some fascinating data from teachers, artists and students about the festival experience. “ISTA is committed to providing best practice at all our events. As such we have a...
June 1
By Jess Thorpe This article was first published in the April 2014 Scene issue “Resources and research”. My thoughts on this article in 2018: I have to admit it is with some sadness that I now re-visit this article I first wrote for...
June 1
By Keriann O’Rourke I am a self-professed “drama tech nerd”. I love everything to do with the newest gadgets, online learning communities and digital tools to use in education. I am constantly learning and experimenting with different ways...
May 20
By Ash Huxtable Trying to analyse and pull apart the many processes that combine when you create a production and explain these with any coherence is, I’m finding, almost impossible. Hopefully I will be able to offer an insight into how I...
April 25
By Will Kerley I am writing this the day after Shakespeare died. It’s the 24th of April. Well, when I say the day after he died, of course I mean four hundred years and a day after he died. Yesterday was also his birthday. Not necessarily...
March 14
We asked ISTA students, teachers and artists from around the world to share with us the stories and memories of their first festival. This blog will be updated every time we receive a new story. Enjoy, and if you'd like to share yours please email...
March 7
Every year we hold a festival in Terezin, a former Nazi concentration camp in German-occupied Czechoslovakia, and everyone who goes describes it as life-changing. We wanted to capture part of Terezin's story. So last year, Tom Scott and Logan...
January 26
By Sally Robertson Twice a year the ISTA board of trustees meet at Ted’s house in the South of France: we spend a few days thinking, discussing, brainstorming and challenging without the hassles and pressure of daily life. This January I have...
December 22
As the sun sets on 2017, we took a little time to reflect on our highlights from the year. Each year is full of moments, big or small, happy or sad, that stay with us and linger long in the memory. Sharing stories, making magic moments happen and...
November 27
ISTA has been delivering high quality creative experiences for young people since 1978. As we approach our 40th birthday we reflect on our growth from a small, informal association of teachers to a global arts organisation producing over 60 events a...
November 27
Three times a year we send out Scene, the magazine for our members, and each issues also includes Behind the Scenes, a fun way for our members to get to know different members of the extended ISTA family. Will now be bringing you little insights...
November 13
By Jonothan Neelands, patron of ISTA However big or small, rich or poor, every school has a theatre at its heart. A space that gathers us together as students, teachers and parents but also as citizens, as a living community. A space which...
October 31
By Sally Robertson I’m at a crossroads, a turning point. It’s a milestone moment for me and, to be honest, I’m considering a breakdown or, as Brené Brown says: “It’s not a breakdown, it’s a f*****g spiritual awakening.” I feel I...
August 16
Dear friends, members and artists, Welcome to our new website! For a long time now we’ve been limited by the functions of our old site and increasingly felt it no longer reflected us as an organisation. Alongside that, it had become...
August 14
By Joachim Matschoss I discovered recently that I have been a part of ISTA for more than thirty years and as I look back I can only describe this journey as being part of a huge galaxy – I can see every star (every artist, every teacher, every...
August 14
As part of a new feature we asked ISTA members and artists to share their stories with us back in the spring. Here's a selection of some of the ones we received: Georgia Munnion ISTA truly has been my second home from about the age of...
April 18
By Madeleine Hewitt I first learned of ISTA in 1992 while teaching at Taipei American School (TAS). While at TAS I was invited to accompany middle school drama club sponsor Nancy Mock on an ISTA trip to Thailand. Together we travelled to the...
April 18
By Christine Anketell Despite a severe typhoon warning for Hong Kong, our plane departed Melbourne. The next morning the warning was still in place and we were informed that we were required to stay in our hotel and our Hong Kong colleagues were...
April 18
Traffic. Trash. Trash pickers. Street kids. Smiles. Inspiration. Connections. For me, ISTA has always been about making connections. It was an introduction to the world of Jakarta’ s street children that led to my hosting the very first ISTA...
