World Stage Design 2025
Oct 18 - 25 ,2025 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM (GMT+4:00)
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World Stage Design (WSD) is the first and only designer-based exhibition to showcase and celebrate performance design from individual designers. Held every four years, the sixth WSD exhibition will be held in Sharjah, UAE from Saturday 18th - Saturday 25th October 2025. World Stage Design 2025 will be co-produced by Sharjah Performing Arts Academy and OISTAT. The four parts to World Stage Design consist of:
The heritage of our region we hold with pride. We embrace the stories; we enjoy the creative and we respect the history. World Stage Design 2025 is where we explore our next heritage whilst celebrating our past. Tomorrow’s heritage is today’s exploration. We create this heritage with our neighbours as a global community. World Stage Design Sharjah 2025
Many Scenofest sessions have limited capacity! Reserve your slot for your preferred date and time in advance.
Available Slot: 10:00 AM Two friends, Osarume and Oghenovo, unknowingly kill a chicken that is the totem of Pa Barclays, a revered elder. His family demands justice, seeking the boys’ deaths. Oghenovo's mother pleads with the priest, forced to choose which son lives. Raised in a Christian home, she shielded them from their cultural roots. This play explores totemism, taboos, plagues in the Niger Delta, and the lasting impact of oil exploitation, weaving themes of culture, family, and memory into a gripping narrative. This talk discusses the tools that are designed to ensure that everyone, regardless of their disabilities, can participate in cultural life through the performing arts. It is utilized in theatres in Japan, particularly in Tokyo, to help creating a society where individuals respect each other's personalities and individuality while living together inclusively. تُعتبر الدمى من العناصر الجوهرية في المسرح المعاصر، حيث تُستخدم كوسيلة فعّالة للتعبير عن الشخصيات والأحداث المتنوعة. تلعب الدمى دورًا محوريًا في بعض الأعمال المسرحية، مما يُساهم في تعزيز التواصل البصري والسمعي وتُساعد على إيصال الرسائل والمفاهيم بصورة مبتكرة وجذابة هذه الورشة مناسبة للأطفال الذين تتراوح أعمارهم بين 12 و14 سنة. In a rapidly changing world, international NGOs play an even more vital role as communication platforms while facing global issues and challenges that impact the theatre and live performance community. The session will explore how international NGOs could navigate the complexities of the global environment and collaborate with each other to better address the issues and overcome the challenges. Renowned New Zealand artists collaborate for PEPE, creating a cultural time capsule exploring Taonga Pūoro (traditional Māori instruments) in dialogue with dance, weaving, and digital arts. Hineraukatauri, guardian of flutes, and the Pepe (Case Moth) motif inspire this fusion of practices. Pōtaka Nautilus, a multi-modal project, blends digital film, dance, sound, and light. Miniature cinematic poems, supported by taonga pūoro, cello, and electronics, evoke shelter, navigation, and travel through woven and digital representations. The Cohesion Plus Afro Bhangra Show blends Northern India’s Bhangra with Southern African rhythms and a British twist, creating a vibrant cultural fusion. This high-energy performance celebrates global unity through interactive music and dance, encouraging audience participation with clapping, singing, and dancing. With its infectious energy and community spirit, the show offers an electrifying and joyous experience, highlighting cross-cultural collaboration. SOY (Be) is an immersive costume project that seeks to take the viewer to another latitude, where costumes and movement merge with the place they inhabit, is an experience of travel and provocation that leads to the places of southern Chile, ancient forests that are disappearing with the arrival of progress and modernity. The Forest is an immersive light and sound installation. It is set in everyday places of nature that slowly transform into a web of multicoloured particles , into collections of luminous spots, and into ephemeral fractals that provoke an hypnotic fascination that culminates in a "new dawn". The Forest is a touching metaphor of human emotions. Available Slots: 10:00 AM I 11:00 AM I 12:00 PM I 13.00 PM I 15:00 PM I 16:00 PM I 17:00 PM Cover The Walls invites students of all levels to present work outside of the curated major WSD exhibition in order to share their artistic efforts. Opportunities will also be made available for public discussion & critique. This exhibition celebrates the creative journey of Sharjah Performing Arts Academy's students, showcasing costumes inspired by sustainability and heritage . Held on the academy steps, the display features intricate student designs, blending historical, contemporary, and futuristic elements. "Connected Homes" reimagines the old metal gates of UAE neighborhoods with four vibrant fabric panels, each featuring patterns inspired by traditional designs. Evoking a time when solidarity and connection wove communities together, the panels are suspended on a tapering metal frame, inviting visitors to walk through, touch, and reflect. This installation celebrates the enduring beauty of community and shared bonds. Marian Gamel and Soukaina Fawzi are Duetta DJ - two friends spinning a mix of Afro-Arabic beats, deep grooves, and global rhythms. Their sets are all about connection, joy, and getting people to move. Think North African soul meets nostalgic bops with a twist of underground cool. They’re here to make people feel something (and dance, of course). Patrick Larsen is an award-winning production designer, creative director and founder and Principal Creative of Studio Bound . For more than fifteen years, Patrick has been creating sets and thematic environments for A-List clients around the world, such as Universal Studios, BBC Sport, CNN, NBC Universal, Genting, Vancouver and Rio Olympic Games, IBM, Volkswagen, and Google. Prior to founding Studio Bound, he worked with some of the industry’s leading brand experience agencies: Imagination (Designer 2004-2006), Jack Morton Worldwide (VP, Design Director 2006-2012) and Pico Creative Art (Chief Creative Officer 2012-2015). Patrick holds a Masters of Fine Arts from the University of California, San Diego. He also designs sets for theaters around the world including; the Utah festival Opera, La Jolla Playhouse, the Skylight Opera, the Strovolos Theatre in Cyprus, Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore, and various international projects with Dragone. Dr. Aby Cohen In conversation, the speakers will explore themes of narrative, contextualization, community engagement, repurposing site-specific and the use of technology, drawing on their experiences of curatorial projects at international exhibitions and festivals. Enter a new world of theatrical imagination with 'Secret of the Raft', a bilingual and interdisciplinary performance merging language, culture, art, and cutting-edge technology. Géricault's iconic painting 'The Raft of the Medusa' is transformed into an interactive hybrid live and digital experience, challenging audience perceptions of history and immersing them in 21st-century media creativity. Louise Howlett will guide you through the innovations that have emerged while developing the work and reveal the story behind the painting that inspired it. Performing the Directors’ Notes: Pickle Party x Living Stage is a performance and ecological demonstration that engages participants in understanding the living world. The edible tablescape celebrates ecological stories and regenerative practices, focusing on microbial communities and food generation. With pickling traditions from Singapore, Austria, and Sharjah, it offers a hands-on experience, highlighting fermentation as a form of alchemy and promoting cross-species thrive-ability through interactive activities and pickling recipes. This talk discusses the tools that are designed to ensure that everyone, regardless of their disabilities, can participate in cultural life through the performing arts. It is utilized in theatres in Japan, particularly in Tokyo, to help creating a society where individuals respect each other's personalities and individuality while living together inclusively. In a distant yet nearby place, people are repeatedly killed, but they do not die. It's madness what is happening now, and all we can do is face this madness with hope. Let's share the stage for one hour, for the theater is the greatest refuge of hope in these bleak times. Let's talk about those who lived by accident, those who will never die. For those who lost their homes and memories in a single moment, we present our artistic work, Accidentally Alive. The Living Picture Theatre brings the invisible world to life through visually immersive, philosophical performances. Inspired by Journey of Souls, this piece follows a soul’s journey between death and rebirth, exploring its growth through earthly challenges. In the afterlife, the soul develops alongside its cluster group and gains divine insight by meeting a council of advanced souls. This profound experience shapes its next life, offering a unique perspective on self-awareness and spiritual evolution. In this odyssey, designer Nouf Mallawi’s transformative costume piece emerges as a living meditation on the soul’s journey. Inspired by Sacred Geometry and Islamic art, the fluid sculptural form morphs with its wearer, embodying the path from constraint to freedom. Like a dance, it echoes the divine metamorphosis of a chrysalis. Through Noran Gebril’s organic movement and evolving forms, the piece invites viewers to witness the beautiful complexity of spiritual awakening and self-discovery. “What are you pushing forward in the face of endless absurdity?” ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ invites global audiences to reflect on their existence and seek hope and connection amid transformation. This dynamic performance engages viewers, encouraging them to reconnect with their inner selves and rediscover forgotten joys, fostering a global dialogue on humanity and introspection regarding life's journey. Sound Kitchen offers a platform for sound designers and composers to showcase their work in a listening-friendly environment. It fosters an inclusive international community, promoting learning, collaboration, and idea exchange. With a fun atmosphere, it provides a chance for both seasoned and emerging sound artists to present their creations while engaging with others in the field. The event is also a valuable opportunity for non-sound professionals to explore and understand sound design trends and methods. SOY (Be) is an immersive costume project that seeks to take the viewer to another latitude, where costumes and movement merge with the place they inhabit, is an experience of travel and provocation that leads to the places of southern Chile, ancient forests that are disappearing with the arrival of progress and modernity. The Forest is an immersive light and sound installation. It is set in everyday places of nature that slowly transform into a web of multicoloured particles , into collections of luminous spots, and into ephemeral fractals that provoke an hypnotic fascination that culminates in a "new dawn". The Forest is a touching metaphor of human emotions.
Available Slots: 10:00 AM I 11:00 AM I 12:00 PM I 13.00 PM I 15:00 PM I 16:00 PM I 17:00 PM
Cover The Walls invites students of all levels to present work outside of the curated major WSD exhibition in order to share their artistic efforts. Opportunities will also be made available for public discussion & critique. This exhibition celebrates the creative journey of Sharjah Performing Arts Academy's students, showcasing costumes inspired by sustainability and heritage . Held on the academy steps, the display features intricate student designs, blending historical, contemporary, and futuristic elements. "Connected Homes" reimagines the old metal gates of UAE neighborhoods with four vibrant fabric panels, each featuring patterns inspired by traditional designs. Evoking a time when solidarity and connection wove communities together, the panels are suspended on a tapering metal frame, inviting visitors to walk through, touch, and reflect. This installation celebrates the enduring beauty of community and shared bonds. Marian Gamel and Soukaina Fawzi are Duetta DJ - two friends spinning a mix of Afro-Arabic beats, deep grooves, and global rhythms. Their sets are all about connection, joy, and getting people to move. Think North African soul meets nostalgic bops with a twist of underground cool. They’re here to make people feel something (and dance, of course). With its themes of Scenographic Heritage, Design Futures, & Sustainability, the WSD’25 Research Symposium offers a range of presentations from international researchers, practitioners, educators and experts on the latest on research in theatre and performance design and technology. Costume workshop presenting the costume in circle methodology, based on collective creation, community activation, reuse of pieces and customization of several materials. The activity is open to people with any background who wish to experiment with the creative foundations mentioned above. تتناول الورشة مفهوم الاستدامة في الإضاءة المسرحية، وتهدف إلى تعزيز الوعي بأهمية تقليل التأثير البيئي مع الحفاظ على جودة الإنتاج الفني. تشمل المحاور تقنيات الإضاءة الموفرة للطاقة مثل أنظمة LED، واستراتيجيات اختيار المعدات المستدامة، وتقليل الهدر وإعادة الاستخدام. كما تستعرض تجارب عالمية ناجحة وتقدم تطبيقات عملية لتصميم خطط إضاءة مستدامة الورشة موجهة لمصممي الإضاءة، مديري المسارح، وكل المهتمين بالاستدامة في المجال الفني، وهي فرصة لتبني حلول مبتكرة تحقق التوازن بين الإبداع الفني والحفاظ على البيئة Angles of Consequence produces performances with reflected sunlight, seeking to hold those who impact the climate accountable-- in both the positive and negative sense. Lead Artist Meghan Moe Beitiks will give an overview of the project and guide attendants through safe engagement with the sun. Join us for the launch of the Arabic Theatre Green Book, a pioneering initiative by Lisa Burger and Paddy Dillon of Renew Culture, aimed at integrating sustainable practices into theatre across the region. This session will highlight the critical importance of environmentally responsible theatre-making, with a special focus on the role of the higher education sector. Through key insights, real-world case studies, and practical strategies, the panel will explore how the creative community can actively contribute to a more sustainable future. انضموا إلينا في الإطلاق الرسمي لكتاب المسرح الأخضر باللغة العربية، وهي مبادرة رائدة أطلقتها ليزا بورغر وبادي ديلون من منظمة تجديد الثقافة، وتهدف إلى دمج الممارسات المستدامة في قطاع المسرح في جميع أنحاء المنطقة. تُسلّط هذه الجلسة الضوء على الأهمية البالغة لإنتاج مسرحي مسؤول بيئيًا، مع تركيز خاص على دور قطاع التعليم العالي. ومن خلال تقديم رؤى أساسية، ودراسات حالة واقعية، واستراتيجيات عملية، يناقش المتحدثون كيف يمكن للمجتمع الإبداعي أن يُساهم بفعالية في بناء مستقبل أكثر استدامة. شكرًا لكم! Hikayat Wanatentrem (Tale of Wanatentrem) transforms the history of Indonesian political prisoners exiled to Buru Island in the 1960s–70s into a performative shadow puppet narrative. Using animal metaphors and traditional storytelling, it explores themes of resilience, coexistence, and historical reinterpretation, fostering dialogue on power, harmony, and shared humanity across generations. The performance bridges cultural heritage with critical reflection, inviting audiences to engage with marginalized histories through an imaginative and empathetic lens. Track is a nomadic crying room, offering a shelter for a private ritual in the public space. The workshop accompanying the installation invites participants from different backgrounds, ages and ablebodiedness to reflect on their intimate experiences of crying, share stories, and draw a map of tears. It aims to raise awareness of social and spatial injustice, craft counter-hegemonic reparative strategies and new ritualities of care, and thus transform an ordinary passive silenced state to an act of resilience and visibilisation. Note: participants must visit the installation (in Studio 10) prior to the workshop. Join designer Nouf Mallawi as she unveils the creative process behind 'Geometry Of The Soul.' This talk explores how going on an emotional healing journey, sacred geometry and Islamic arts informed the development of a transformative costume that embodies the soul's healing journey. Through the intersection of emotional healing and design, Mallawi demonstrates how fabric can express metaphysical concepts, turning costume into a philosophical exploration of movement, identity, and spiritual transformation. We invite you to stay after the talk to witness Nouf Mallawi’s costume come to life in Contours of the Soul, a performance by Noran Gebril. In this odyssey, designer Nouf Mallawi’s transformative costume piece emerges as a living meditation on the soul’s journey. Inspired by Sacred Geometry and Islamic art, the fluid sculptural form morphs with its wearer, embodying the path from constraint to freedom. Like a dance, it echoes the divine metamorphosis of a chrysalis. Through Noran Gebril’s organic movement and evolving forms, the piece invites viewers to witness the beautiful complexity of spiritual awakening and self-discovery. A conversation between the scenic designer and director as they discuss their collaborative process on a recent production. Explore how the intentional use of digital tools helped bridge distances and deepen creative collaboration, going beyond simply replicating in-person methods. This contemporary solo performance delves into the visual and physical artistry of Fruzsina Nagy’s inflatable creations in Pain Killer, where pain—both psychological and physical—is expressed through movement. The dancer interacts with "pain bags," engaging in a dynamic interplay that represents the spectrum of human suffering, from minor discomfort to deep anguish. With choreography originally by Rita Góbi, the performance blends movement and visual art to evoke universal themes of resilience and transformation. The Cohesion Plus Afro Bhangra Show blends Northern India’s Bhangra with Southern African rhythms and a British twist, creating a vibrant cultural fusion. This high-energy performance celebrates global unity through interactive music and dance, encouraging audience participation with clapping, singing, and dancing. With its infectious energy and community spirit, the show offers an electrifying and joyous experience, highlighting cross-cultural collaboration. Sound Kitchen offers a platform for sound designers and composers to showcase their work in a listening-friendly environment. It fosters an inclusive international community, promoting learning, collaboration, and idea exchange. With a fun atmosphere, it provides a chance for both seasoned and emerging sound artists to present their creations while engaging with others in the field. The event is also a valuable opportunity for non-sound professionals to explore and understand sound design trends and methods. SOY (Be) is an immersive costume project that seeks to take the viewer to another latitude, where costumes and movement merge with the place they inhabit, is an experience of travel and provocation that leads to the places of southern Chile, ancient forests that are disappearing with the arrival of progress and modernity. Available Slots: 10:00 – 10:30 AM | 10:45 – 11:15 AM | 11:30 – 12:00 PM | 12.15 - 12.45 PM | 2:30 – 3:00 PM | 3:15 – 3:45 PM | 4:00 – 4:30 PM | 5:30 - 6:00 PM | 6:15 – 6:45 PM The Forest is an immersive light and sound installation. It is set in everyday places of nature that slowly transform into a web of multicoloured particles , into collections of luminous spots, and into ephemeral fractals that provoke an hypnotic fascination that culminates in a "new dawn". The Forest is a touching metaphor of human emotions.
Available Slots: 10:00 AM I 11:00 AM I 12:00 PM I 13.00 PM I 15:00 PM I 16:00 PM I 17:00 PM
Cover The Walls invites students of all levels to present work outside of the curated major WSD exhibition in order to share their artistic efforts. Opportunities will also be made available for public discussion & critique. This exhibition celebrates the creative journey of Sharjah Performing Arts Academy's students, showcasing costumes inspired by sustainability and heritage . Held on the academy steps, the display features intricate student designs, blending historical, contemporary, and futuristic elements. "Connected Homes" reimagines the old metal gates of UAE neighborhoods with four vibrant fabric panels, each featuring patterns inspired by traditional designs. Evoking a time when solidarity and connection wove communities together, the panels are suspended on a tapering metal frame, inviting visitors to walk through, touch, and reflect. This installation celebrates the enduring beauty of community and shared bonds. The "Interaction of Colors and Light" is a dynamic two-day workshop, designed to engage participants in a hands-on exploration of how colors are perceived, expressed, and utilized across different cultural contexts and within various design disciplines. Through interactive sessions and experiments, this workshop aims to deepen participants’ understanding of the interaction between colors, light, and design elements in a theatrical environment. Note: this is a 2-day workshop. Participants are strongly encouraged to register for both days. During the sessions we will reflect on the concepts of prosthesis and orthosis to create metaphors through costume. Through the choice of materials we will create supports that dialogue with the body and allow us a meaningful process where the axes to explore are movement, form and anatomical redesign. Note: this is a 3-day workshop. Participants are strongly encouraged to register for all days. In this session we bring producers from across the globe who Interview, write and cover the people that are part of the creative arts as well as make their own art. Come and hear about the experiences and knowledge that was gained and how you too can start your own journey by just asking questions. Ad Parnassum - Purapurawhetū pays homage to Bauhaus artist Paul Klee's painting "Ad Parnassum" through digital augmentations of Mount Parnassus as a temple or "wharenui". Director Daniel Belton discusses his concept and film designs which re-choreograph prerecorded dance to synchronise with Dame Gillian Karawe Whitehead's music score. Music steers the narrative to support nine women through interconnecting solos that link us to Delphi and the Muses of Antiquity. تُعتبر الدمى من العناصر الجوهرية في المسرح المعاصر، حيث تُستخدم كوسيلة فعّالة للتعبير عن الشخصيات والأحداث المتنوعة. تلعب الدمى دورًا محوريًا في بعض الأعمال المسرحية، مما يُساهم في تعزيز التواصل البصري والسمعي وتُساعد على إيصال الرسائل والمفاهيم بصورة مبتكرة وجذابة ملاحظة: هذه ورشة عمل لمدة يومين. يُنصح المشاركون بشدة بالتسجيل في كلا اليومين. Fruzsina Nagy specializes in creating experimental costumes that push boundaries. Her work includes inflatable costumes, sound-sensitive LED costumes, 3D printed elements, rubber latex body-masks, and costumes with digital screens. In this masterclass, she shares her innovative techniques and creative process, encouraging students to explore unconventional paths in costume design. Through her experiments, she hopes to inspire others to think outside the box and embrace new possibilities in their own designs. Representatives from universities will talk about their academic offerings. Confirmed institutions include the University of Alberta, Canada, the National Institute of Dramatic Art, Australia, the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London, the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Academy of Live Performance, UK, Shanghai Theatre Academy, China, and Sharjah Performing Arts Academy, UAE. The Common Design Project has selected a script for design classes worldwide in Spring 2025. Students are invited to submit proposals for various production aspects. Selected designs and students will be invited to WSD 2025 for an in-person or Zoom workshop to develop their proposals further. All entries will be displayed, and entrants are welcome to attend the final event in Sharjah. The proposals will be curated in May/June for final participation selection. Ismail, a former hunter, is a middle-aged man living in the aftermath of a civilised world in which armed militias have seized power. His mysterious friend, nicknamed "The Eccentric," leads him to delve into analysing a series of mysterious murders in their city. Ismail then claims to have discovered the reason and perpetrator behind these crimes. He struggles to convince the oppressive authorities in his city of his seemingly unbelievable theory about the causes of these crimes. He and his friend arrive at the beginning of an end more cruel and painful than they had anticipated. The work is a new vision of the masterpiece by the Polish writer, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2018, Olga Tokarczuk. Exploring the intersection of ancient myths and modern narratives DRAGON and TIGER (Silver-Lotus) celebrate the unique bridge that links Aotearoa New Zealand to Asia. The fusion of dance, music and theatre with cinematic artistry highlights the power of the arts to transcend boundaries, raise awareness of global ecological issues and bring cultures together in these unique projects. Mark de Clive-Lowe plays live with Mahina Kingi-Kaui with live keyed film projection from Daniel Belton (TBC). Sound Kitchen offers a platform for sound designers and composers to showcase their work in a listening-friendly environment. It fosters an inclusive international community, promoting learning, collaboration, and idea exchange. With a fun atmosphere, it provides a chance for both seasoned and emerging sound artists to present their creations while engaging with others in the field. The event is also a valuable opportunity for non-sound professionals to explore and understand sound design trends and methods. SOY (Be) is an immersive costume project that seeks to take the viewer to another latitude, where costumes and movement merge with the place they inhabit, is an experience of travel and provocation that leads to the places of southern Chile, ancient forests that are disappearing with the arrival of progress and modernity. The Forest is an immersive light and sound installation. It is set in everyday places of nature that slowly transform into a web of multicoloured particles , into collections of luminous spots, and into ephemeral fractals that provoke an hypnotic fascination that culminates in a "new dawn". The Forest is a touching metaphor of human emotions.
Available Slots: 10:00 AM I 11:00 AM I 12:00 PM I 13.00 PM I 15:00 PM I 16:00 PM I 17:00 PM
Cover The Walls invites students of all levels to present work outside of the curated major WSD exhibition in order to share their artistic efforts. Opportunities will also be made available for public discussion & critique. This exhibition celebrates the creative journey of Sharjah Performing Arts Academy's students, showcasing costumes inspired by sustainability and heritage . Held on the academy steps, the display features intricate student designs, blending historical, contemporary, and futuristic elements. "Connected Homes" reimagines the old metal gates of UAE neighborhoods with four vibrant fabric panels, each featuring patterns inspired by traditional designs. Evoking a time when solidarity and connection wove communities together, the panels are suspended on a tapering metal frame, inviting visitors to walk through, touch, and reflect. This installation celebrates the enduring beauty of community and shared bonds. Marian Gamel and Soukaina Fawzi are Duetta DJ - two friends spinning a mix of Afro-Arabic beats, deep grooves, and global rhythms. Their sets are all about connection, joy, and getting people to move. Think North African soul meets nostalgic bops with a twist of underground cool. They’re here to make people feel something (and dance, of course). The "Interaction of Colors and Light" is a dynamic two-day workshop, designed to engage participants in a hands-on exploration of how colors are perceived, expressed, and utilized across different cultural contexts and within various design disciplines. Through interactive sessions and experiments, this workshop aims to deepen participants’ understanding of the interaction between colors, light, and design elements in a theatrical environment. Note: this is a 2-day workshop. Participants are strongly encouraged to register for both days. During the sessions we will reflect on the concepts of prosthesis and orthosis to create metaphors through costume. Through the choice of materials we will create supports that dialogue with the body and allow us a meaningful process where the axes to explore are movement, form and anatomical redesign. Note: this is a 3-day workshop. Participants are strongly encouraged to register for all days. As the Prague Quadrennial (PQ) prepares for its 16th edition in 2027 — which also marks its 60th anniversary — this session with Barbora Příhodová, Artistic Director of PQ, and Anna Chlíbcová, Head of Production of PQ, moderated by Wan-Jung Wei, Executive Director of OISTAT, will explore PQ’s transformative role as an innovative platform for international presentation, exchange, and dialogue among designers, architects, researchers, students, and theatre professionals. Attendees will receive an exclusive preview of PQ 2027 and its upcoming program, and discover the many ways individuals and institutions can get involved, expanding their professional networks and helping shape the future of performance design. Participants from Arab countries at WSD2025 are invited to a conversation about PQ experiences, curatorial, and participatory approaches. As performance design and space in Arab countries remains underrepresented in PQ - the world's largest scenography event -, PQ 2027 is seen as a milestone for change for Arab countries, regions, students, performers, and professionals. Scenography is in persistent contact with new languages being within a diversity of platforms, leading to be characterized as "expanded scenography". But is this term broad enough? As an alternative we propose "transcenography", based on transculturation and transcreation procces allied to atmosphere's wroughting, to complement the conceptual multiplicity we identify the field is found. تُعتبر الدمى من العناصر الجوهرية في المسرح المعاصر، حيث تُستخدم كوسيلة فعّالة للتعبير عن الشخصيات والأحداث المتنوعة. تلعب الدمى دورًا محوريًا في بعض الأعمال المسرحية، مما يُساهم في تعزيز التواصل البصري والسمعي وتُساعد على إيصال الرسائل والمفاهيم بصورة مبتكرة وجذابة ملاحظة: هذه ورشة عمل لمدة يومين. يُنصح المشاركون بشدة بالتسجيل في كلا اليومين. OISTAT Architecture Commission organises an interdisciplinary workshop in which all the theatre design disciplines represented within OISTAT are invited to work together to explore a shared vision for a theatre space, event or performance. “What are you pushing forward in the face of endless absurdity?” ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ invites global audiences to reflect on their existence and seek hope and connection amid transformation. This dynamic performance engages viewers, encouraging them to reconnect with their inner selves and rediscover forgotten joys, fostering a global dialogue on humanity and introspection regarding life's journey. This contemporary solo performance delves into the visual and physical artistry of Fruzsina Nagy’s inflatable creations in Pain Killer, where pain—both psychological and physical—is expressed through movement. The dancer interacts with "pain bags," engaging in a dynamic interplay that represents the spectrum of human suffering, from minor discomfort to deep anguish. With choreography originally by Rita Góbi, the performance blends movement and visual art to evoke universal themes of resilience and transformation. This project by artist Călin Țopa transforms his sound sculpture into a performance premiering at World Stage Design. Using sound as a bridge between past and present, it immerses the audience in historical reflections, blending original sixteenth-century choral works with contemporary pieces. Enhanced by live performance, lighting, and scenography, it creates a multi-layered narrative that highlights the universality of human experience. Sound Kitchen offers a platform for sound designers and composers to showcase their work in a listening-friendly environment. It fosters an inclusive international community, promoting learning, collaboration, and idea exchange. With a fun atmosphere, it provides a chance for both seasoned and emerging sound artists to present their creations while engaging with others in the field. The event is also a valuable opportunity for non-sound professionals to explore and understand sound design trends and methods. The Forest is an immersive light and sound installation. It is set in everyday places of nature that slowly transform into a web of multicoloured particles , into collections of luminous spots, and into ephemeral fractals that provoke an hypnotic fascination that culminates in a "new dawn". The Forest is a touching metaphor of human emotions.
Available Slots: 10:00 AM I 11:00 AM I 12:00 PM I 13.00 PM I 15:00 PM I 16:00 PM I 17:00 PM
Cover The Walls invites students of all levels to present work outside of the curated major WSD exhibition in order to share their artistic efforts. Opportunities will also be made available for public discussion & critique. This exhibition celebrates the creative journey of Sharjah Performing Arts Academy's students, showcasing costumes inspired by sustainability and heritage . Held on the academy steps, the display features intricate student designs, blending historical, contemporary, and futuristic elements. "Connected Homes" reimagines the old metal gates of UAE neighborhoods with four vibrant fabric panels, each featuring patterns inspired by traditional designs. Evoking a time when solidarity and connection wove communities together, the panels are suspended on a tapering metal frame, inviting visitors to walk through, touch, and reflect. This installation celebrates the enduring beauty of community and shared bonds. This multi-player interactive XR experience situates the bodies-in-performance, the conjured imag(ination)e of the story-world through devices of wonder, and the mutual affects activated within the performative space as baz—agents, players, and cocreators within a wondrous journey across a series of tilismi (enchanted) worlds. All must come together as an assemblage to conjure up, explore, and conquer the tilism (enchantment), and unravel the affective states of transformation that ensue. The OISTAT World Congress brings together OISTAT members and friends every four years to share ideas and shape the future of the organization. The congress will include the election of OISTAT President and Executive Committee members, reports from OISTAT leadership, a first look at World Stage Design 2029, as well as voting on OISTAT operational decisions. Tech-Infused Theatre: From Rehearsal to Reality is an in-depth session led by Maziar Ghaderi, where he shares insights from his innovative projects, breaking down the creative and technical processes behind them. From projection mapping to motion tracking, Maziar will discuss best practices tailored for small to medium-sized productions, offering practical strategies for bringing self-conceptualized ideas to life with cutting-edge technology. Costume inspired by the region’s heritage beautifully merges traditional craftsmanship with contemporary aesthetics. It features flowing silhouettes, intricate embroidery, and a rich colour palette reflective of the region's landscapes. Modern interpretations often incorporate sustainable materials, creating a fusion that honors cultural roots while appealing to global trends. Note: this is a 2-day workshop. Participants are strongly encouraged to register for both days. This full-day workshop is for practicing, observing, and discussing how designers from different cultures approach and solve common lighting design scenarios to grow the cultural understanding of lighting design practices worldwide. During the sessions we will reflect on the concepts of prosthesis and orthosis to create metaphors through costume. Through the choice of materials we will create supports that dialogue with the body and allow us a meaningful process where the axes to explore are movement, form and anatomical redesign. Note: this is a 3-day workshop. Participants are strongly encouraged to register for all days. This session will explore the connection between cultural identity and costume practices, with costume designers reflecting about their projects and experiences on how they use their background and history to create new proposals for costume design at the stage. The processes and results of the workshop “Embracing Regional Costume Heritage” will be part of the discussion. Performing the Directors’ Notes: Pickle Party x Living Stage is a performance and ecological demonstration that engages participants in understanding the living world. The edible tablescape celebrates ecological stories and regenerative practices, focusing on microbial communities and food generation. With pickling traditions from Singapore, Austria, and Sharjah, it offers a hands-on experience, highlighting fermentation as a form of alchemy and promoting cross-species thrive-ability through interactive activities and pickling recipes. Join Nela Brown, founder and Creative Director of the Female Laptop Orchestra (FLO), for an insightful Masterclass on Networked Music Performance (NMP). Discover how this groundbreaking practice enables musicians to connect globally and collaborate online, fostering creativity and innovation while reducing their carbon footprint sustainably! Tomorrow's Heritage: The Use of Robotics in Designing Performance Spaces, Cadir will be exploring how robotics is shaping the future of performance architecture, creating dynamic, adaptive environments that blend innovation with cultural legacy. Join him in discussing how technology can redefine storytelling, acoustics, and spatial design, setting the stage for a new era for performance design and cultural heritage. “What are you pushing forward in the face of endless absurdity?” ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ invites global audiences to reflect on their existence and seek hope and connection amid transformation. This dynamic performance engages viewers, encouraging them to reconnect with their inner selves and rediscover forgotten joys, fostering a global dialogue on humanity and introspection regarding life's journey. This project by artist Călin Țopa transforms his sound sculpture into a performance premiering at World Stage Design. Using sound as a bridge between past and present, it immerses the audience in historical reflections, blending original sixteenth-century choral works with contemporary pieces. Enhanced by live performance, lighting, and scenography, it creates a multi-layered narrative that highlights the universality of human experience. Il-Madad is Arabic for “continually providing provisions, sustenance, and assistance. Honouring the tradition of Sufi travel literature, this musical journey begins in Andalusia and culminates in Sharjah, tracing the intertwined paths of a beautiful maiden and a pious man. As they journey through landscapes of judgment, repentance, and redemption, their story becomes a vessel for the lives they touch along the way. The narrative unfolds through a collection of Sufi and folkloric odes from Marrakech, Carthage, Cairo, and Aleppo—woven together in a powerful Arabic musical theatre performance. This multi-player interactive XR experience situates the bodies-in-performance, the conjured imag(ination)e of the story-world through devices of wonder, and the mutual affects activated within the performative space as baz—agents, players, and cocreators within a wondrous journey across a series of tilismi (enchanted) worlds. All must come together as an assemblage to conjure up, explore, and conquer the tilism (enchantment), and unravel the affective states of transformation that ensue. The Forest is an immersive light and sound installation. It is set in everyday places of nature that slowly transform into a web of multicoloured particles , into collections of luminous spots, and into ephemeral fractals that provoke an hypnotic fascination that culminates in a "new dawn". The Forest is a touching metaphor of human emotions.
Available Slots: 10:15 AM, 10:45 AM, 11:15 AM, 11:45 AM, 12:15 PM, 12:45 PM, 13:15 PM, 14:45 PM, 15:15 PM, 15:45 PM
Cover The Walls invites students of all levels to present work outside of the curated major WSD exhibition in order to share their artistic efforts. Opportunities will also be made available for public discussion & critique. This exhibition celebrates the creative journey of Sharjah Performing Arts Academy's students, showcasing costumes inspired by sustainability and heritage . Held on the academy steps, the display features intricate student designs, blending historical, contemporary, and futuristic elements. "Connected Homes" reimagines the old metal gates of UAE neighborhoods with four vibrant fabric panels, each featuring patterns inspired by traditional designs. Evoking a time when solidarity and connection wove communities together, the panels are suspended on a tapering metal frame, inviting visitors to walk through, touch, and reflect. This installation celebrates the enduring beauty of community and shared bonds. Built Heritage as a Stage combines theory and practice, offering participants the chance to explore cultural production in heritage sites through a workshop at Mleiha archaeological site. Presenting Scenatoria Organisation’s methodology and experience, the session covers site-specific theatre practices within European and global contexts. The workshop sparks dialogue on what defines a scenic place and theatrical experience, exploring whether location, form, or something else determines it. Puppets are not people! Therefore, the art of lighting puppet performances has its own special technical and dramaturgical considerations. In this lecture/demo/workshop, Lighting Designers Sabrina Hamilton (USA) and Psyche Chui (HK) plus Puppet Master Wong Fai (HK) will offer both theoretical and hands-on approaches to the craft of lighting puppets on stage, with ideas drawn from a variety of cultures. For both lighting and puppetry artists/students. Costume inspired by the region’s heritage beautifully merges traditional craftsmanship with contemporary aesthetics. It features flowing silhouettes, intricate embroidery, and a rich colour palette reflective of the region's landscapes. Modern interpretations often incorporate sustainable materials, creating a fusion that honors cultural roots while appealing to global trends. Note: this is a 2-day workshop. Participants are strongly encouraged to register for both days. In this workshop we will learn how to make a geolocated (interactive) soundwalk that can be run on any smartphone. Getting very hands-on, we explore how to use the Echoes platform to make a soundwalk step by step. Next to that we will discuss the many artistic and scenographic possibilities this medium has. The Costume FlashTalks brings twelve costume designers presentations about their process of creation and impactful ideas. A snapshot of a research, a work or a specific creative subject highlights reflections related to the reuse of materials and the connection between sustainability and the technical aspects of costume design. The session will have a Q&A session and a dialogue with the audience. The OISTAT EC Meeting is a closed session specifically for OISTAT Executive Committee members to discuss and make decisions on OISTAT operations, policies and future projects. Please note that entry to this session is by invitation only. The OISTAT GB Meeting is a closed session specifically for OISTAT Governing Board members to discuss OISTAT projects, (Sub)commissions collaborations, and advice to OISTAT Executive Committee. Please note that entry to session is by invitation only. Hikayat Wanatentrem (Tale of Wanatentrem) transforms the history of Indonesian political prisoners exiled to Buru Island in the 1960s–70s into a performative shadow puppet narrative. Using animal metaphors and traditional storytelling, it explores themes of resilience, coexistence, and historical reinterpretation, fostering dialogue on power, harmony, and shared humanity across generations. The performance bridges cultural heritage with critical reflection, inviting audiences to engage with marginalized histories through an imaginative and empathetic lens. This workshop caters to all skill levels, from seasoned stitchers to absolute beginners. Eman will guide you through embroidery techniques and various patterns, allowing you to unleash your creativity and dive deep into the fascinating world of authentic Palestinian needlework. The OISTAT ECGB Meeting is a closed session specifically for OISTAT Executive Committee members and Governing Board members to discuss and make decisions on OISTAT operations, policies, future projects, and engage in brainstorming sessions to develop practices that advance the mission of the organization. Please note that entry to this session is by invitation only. This project by artist Călin Țopa transforms his sound sculpture into a performance premiering at World Stage Design. Using sound as a bridge between past and present, it immerses the audience in historical reflections, blending original sixteenth-century choral works with contemporary pieces. Enhanced by live performance, lighting, and scenography, it creates a multi-layered narrative that highlights the universality of human experience. This multi-player interactive XR experience situates the bodies-in-performance, the conjured imag(ination)e of the story-world through devices of wonder, and the mutual affects activated within the performative space as baz—agents, players, and cocreators within a wondrous journey across a series of tilismi (enchanted) worlds. All must come together as an assemblage to conjure up, explore, and conquer the tilism (enchantment), and unravel the affective states of transformation that ensue. The Forest is an immersive light and sound installation. It is set in everyday places of nature that slowly transform into a web of multicoloured particles , into collections of luminous spots, and into ephemeral fractals that provoke an hypnotic fascination that culminates in a "new dawn". The Forest is a touching metaphor of human emotions.
Available Slots: 10:15 AM, 10:45 AM, 11:15 AM, 11:45 AM, 12:15 PM, 12:45 PM, 13:15 PM, 14:45 PM, 15:15 PM, 15:45 PM
Cover The Walls invites students of all levels to present work outside of the curated major WSD exhibition in order to share their artistic efforts. Opportunities will also be made available for public discussion & critique. This exhibition celebrates the creative journey of Sharjah Performing Arts Academy's students, showcasing costumes inspired by sustainability and heritage . Held on the academy steps, the display features intricate student designs, blending historical, contemporary, and futuristic elements. "Connected Homes" reimagines the old metal gates of UAE neighborhoods with four vibrant fabric panels, each featuring patterns inspired by traditional designs. Evoking a time when solidarity and connection wove communities together, the panels are suspended on a tapering metal frame, inviting visitors to walk through, touch, and reflect. This installation celebrates the enduring beauty of community and shared bonds. Marian Gamel and Soukaina Fawzi are Duetta DJ - two friends spinning a mix of Afro-Arabic beats, deep grooves, and global rhythms. Their sets are all about connection, joy, and getting people to move. Think North African soul meets nostalgic bops with a twist of underground cool. They’re here to make people feel something (and dance, of course). This masterclass emphasizes how color, when used in stage lighting shapes audience perception, particularly in cultural adaptations like Sintang Dalisay, a Filipino Muslim retelling of Romeo and Juliet. Understanding color symbolisms allow lighting designers to enhance storytelling and create emotional depth by connecting to a certain sense of familiarity with the audience's experience. By adapting Shakespeare’s tragedy within a Muslim context, the production gains new layers of meaning, which allows color dramaturgy to bridge cultural perspectives, enriching the theatrical experience. This Professional Development Workshop welcomes everyone interested in research – whether you are considering how research may compliment your design or teaching practice, or starting your own research career. With insight from professional international researchers, this workshop explores beginning a research journey, leveraging your creative practice as research, and designing collaborative research with communities & practitioners. The session responds to the common need of smaller, low-budget companies to create scenography that is cheap, lightweight, easy to pack in a car, and can be performed in a variety of venues. Zuzu Hudek will present her experiences and ideas for designing scenography with these requirements in mind, and how these requirements might be addressed in the future. In this workshop, participants will explore ways in which sound creates both a sense of place and emotional responses in the audience. Participants will listen to collected sounds, engage with how it makes them feel, and explore ways these sounds can be manipulated to create an emotional response. This panel will discuss the real-world applications of eco-design within the lighting industry, looking at the positive and negative of current equipment and practice trends in the areas of theatre lighting. Challenging outdated perceptions and systemic biases around technological stagnation in costume design, this multi-speaker panel unveils cutting-edge research on how Industrial 4.0 innovations are transforming performance costume creation. Costume practitioners will share their practices and experiences in new technologies that are reshaping the art and craft of costume making. This multi-player interactive XR experience situates the bodies-in-performance, the conjured imag(ination)e of the story-world through devices of wonder, and the mutual affects activated within the performative space as baz—agents, players, and cocreators within a wondrous journey across a series of tilismi (enchanted) worlds. All must come together as an assemblage to conjure up, explore, and conquer the tilism (enchantment), and unravel the affective states of transformation that ensue. The Forest is an immersive light and sound installation. It is set in everyday places of nature that slowly transform into a web of multicoloured particles , into collections of luminous spots, and into ephemeral fractals that provoke an hypnotic fascination that culminates in a "new dawn". The Forest is a touching metaphor of human emotions.
Available Slots: 10:15 AM, 10:45 AM, 11:15 AM, 11:45 AM, 12:15 PM, 12:45 PM, 13:15 PM, 14:45 PM, 15:15 PM, 15:45 PM
Cover The Walls invites students of all levels to present work outside of the curated major WSD exhibition in order to share their artistic efforts. Opportunities will also be made available for public discussion & critique. This exhibition celebrates the creative journey of Sharjah Performing Arts Academy's students, showcasing costumes inspired by sustainability and heritage . Held on the academy steps, the display features intricate student designs, blending historical, contemporary, and futuristic elements. "Connected Homes" reimagines the old metal gates of UAE neighborhoods with four vibrant fabric panels, each featuring patterns inspired by traditional designs. Evoking a time when solidarity and connection wove communities together, the panels are suspended on a tapering metal frame, inviting visitors to walk through, touch, and reflect. This installation celebrates the enduring beauty of community and shared bonds.
Agenda
18-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:30 am
Opening | World Stage Design
Main Entrance, SPAA
18-10-2025 11:00 am
to
12:30 pm
Performance | Waterside - Kininso Koncepts
Studio Theatre, SPAA
18-10-2025 01:00 pm
to
02:00 pm
Talk | Tactile Models: An Initiative for the Future of the Performing Arts - Shusaku Futamura (JATDT: Japan Association of Theatre Designers and Technicians)
Studio 7, SPAA
18-10-2025 02:30 pm
to
06:30 pm
Workshop | ورشة عمل الدمى المتحركة للأطفال - Dr. Khuloud Al-Rashidi
Paintshop, SPAA
18-10-2025 03:30 pm
to
05:30 pm
Panel Discussion | A Global Network for the Next Generation: International Collaboration between OISTAT and NGOs - OISTAT HQ
Studio Theatre, SPAA
18-10-2025 06:30 pm
to
07:30 pm
Performance | Pepe | Pōtaka Nautilus - Good Company Arts
Main Theatre, SPAA
18-10-2025 07:30 pm
to
08:30 pm
Performance | Afro-Bhangra Fusion fusing the sounds of culture of North India and Southern Africa with a British Twist - Cohesion Plus
Pause & Play, SPAA
18-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | SOY (Be) - Expansive & Immersive Costume Experience 360° - Felipe Conejeros No prior reservation is needed; please refer to the specified time slots
VR Studio - Studio 1, SPAA
Available Slots: 10:00 – 10:30 AM | 10:45 – 11:15 AM | 11:30 – 12:00 PM | 12.15 - 12.45 PM | 2:30 – 3:00 PM | 3:15 – 3:45 PM | 4:00 – 4:30 PM | 5:30 - 6:00 PM | 6:15 – 6:45 PM
18-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | The Forest - Victor Zapatero & Crisóbal MarYán No prior reservation is needed; please refer to the specified time slots
Forest Studio - Studio 6, SPAA
18-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | Cover The Walls - Education Commission OISTAT
Atrium B, SRTIP
18-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | The Art of Costume - SPAA
Pause & Play, SPAA
18-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | Connected Homes - Abdulla Alneyadi
Main Entrance, SPAA
18-10-2025 08:30 pm
to
09:30 pm
Performance | Duetta DJ - Marian Gamel and Sakina Fawzi
Pause & Play, SPAA
19-10-2025 10:15 am
to
11:00 am
Keynote | Keynote Speech - Patrick Larsen
Main Theatre, SPAA
19-10-2025 11:15 am
to
12:15 pm
Talk | Curatorial Approaches to Heritage in Performance and Space Design Exhibition - Hadi Damien & Aby Cohen
abycohen.oistat@gmail.com
Studio Theatre, SPAA
19-10-2025 01:00 pm
to
02:00 pm
Talk | Beyond the Canvas: 'Secret of the Raft' Pushes the Limits of Theatrical Storytelling with Live and Digital Integration - Louise Howlett
Studio Theatre, SPAA
19-10-2025 02:30 pm
to
04:30 pm
Workshop | Performing the Director’s Notes: Pickle Party x “Living” Stage - The Theatre Practice x Ang Xiao Ting x Tanja Beer
Main Theatre Lobby, SPAA
19-10-2025 04:00 pm
to
05:00 pm
Talk | Tactile Models: An Initiative for the Future of the Performing Arts - Shusaku Futamura (JATDT: Japan Association of Theatre Designers and Technicians)
Studio 7, SPAA
19-10-2025 05:15 pm
to
06:30 pm
Performance | Accidentally Alive - Ward Group
Studio Theatre, SPAA
19-10-2025 06:45 pm
to
07:45 pm
Performance | In Between - The Living Picture Theatre
Main Theatre, SPAA
19-10-2025 06:45 pm
to
07:00 pm
Performance | Contours of the Soul - Noran Gebril
Pause & Play, SPAA
19-10-2025 08:00 pm
to
09:00 pm
Performance | Maybe Tomorrow - Chloeography Project
Pause & Play, SPAA
19-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Sound Kitchen | Peter Rice & Robin Whitaker No prior reservation is needed; please refer to the specified time slots
Rehearsal Hall, SPAA
19-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | SOY (Be) - Expansive & Immersive Costume Experience 360° - Felipe Conejeros No prior reservation is needed; please refer to the specified time slots
VR Studio - Studio 1, SPAA
Available Slots: 10:00 – 10:30 AM | 10:45 – 11:15 AM | 11:30 – 12:00 PM | 12.15 - 12.45 PM | 2:30 – 3:00 PM | 3:15 – 3:45 PM | 4:00 – 4:30 PM | 5:30 - 6:00 PM | 6:15 – 6:45 PM
19-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | The Forest - Victor Zapatero & Crisóbal MarYán No prior reservation is needed; please refer to the specified time slots
Forest Studio - Studio 6, SPAA
19-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | Cover The Walls - Education Commission OISTAT
Atrium B, SRTIP
19-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | The Art of Costume - SPAA
Pause & Play, SPAA
19-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | Connected Homes - Abdulla Alneyadi
Main Entrance, SPAA
19-10-2025 09:00 pm
to
09:30 pm
Performance | Duetta DJ - Marian Gamel and Sakina Fawzi
Pause & Play, SPAA
20-10-2025 10:00 am
to
06:00 pm
Symposium | WSD'25 Research Symposium: Scenographic Heritage, Design Futures, & Sustainability - Tessa Rixon, Slađana Milićević, Kathleen Bell, Michelle Bohn
Main Theatre Stage, SPAA
Available Slots: 10:00 AM
20-10-2025 10:00 am
to
01:00 pm
Workshop | Costume in Circle - Erika Schwarz
Costume Lab - Studio 11, SPAA
20-10-2025 10:00 am
to
01:00 pm
Workshop | From Consumability to Sustainability (in Arabic) - Murtaja Alhumaidi
Light Lab - Studio 12, SPAA
20-10-2025 02:30 pm
to
04:00 pm
Workshop | Angles of Consequence - Meghan Moe Beitiks
Studio 7, SPAA
20-10-2025 02:30 pm
to
04:00 pm
Panel Discussion | Official Launch of the Arabic Theatre Green Book - Imogen Ross, Dr. Khalifah Al Hijari, and Matt Ball
Library, SPAA
20-10-2025 04:00 pm
to
05:00 pm
Performance | Hikayat Wanatentrem - Maharani Mancanagara
Studio Theatre, SPAA
20-10-2025 05:00 pm
to
08:00 pm
Workshop | Track - Magda Cirillo
Studio 10, SPAA
20-10-2025 05:30 pm
to
06:00 pm
Talk | Geometry Of The Soul - Nouf Mallawi
Auditorium, SRTIP
20-10-2025 06:15 pm
to
06:30 pm
Performance | Contours Of The Soul - Noran Gebril
SRTIP, Main Entrance
20-10-2025 07:00 pm
to
08:00 pm
Talk | From Concept to Creation: The Impact of Digital Communication on Theatre Design Processes - Patrick Rizzotti and Rachel Peake
Auditorium, SRTIP
20-10-2025 08:15 pm
to
08:45 pm
Performance | Pain Killer - Fruzsina Nagy & Rita Góbi
SRTIP, Main Entrance
20-10-2025 08:00 pm
to
09:00 pm
Performance | Afro-Bhangra Fusion fusing the sounds of culture of North India and Southern Africa with a British Twist - Cohesion Plus
Pause & Play, SPAA
20-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Sound Kitchen | Peter Rice & Robin Whitaker No prior reservation is needed; please refer to the specified time slots
Rehearsal Hall, SPAA
20-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | SOY (Be) - Expansive & Immersive Costume Experience 360° - Felipe Conejeros - No prior reservation is needed; please refer to the specified time slots
VR Studio - Studio 1, SPAA
20-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | The Forest - Victor Zapatero & Crisóbal MarYán No prior reservation is needed; please refer to the specified time slots
Forest Studio - Studio 6, SPAA
20-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | Cover The Walls - Education Commission OISTAT
Atrium B, SRTIP
20-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | The Art of Costume - SPAA
Pause & Play, SPAA
20-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | Connected Homes - Abdulla Alneyadi
Main Entrance, SPAA
21-10-2025 10:00 am
to
02:00 pm
Workshop | Interaction of Color and Light (Day 1 of 2) - Dinesh Yadav
Light Lab - Studio 12, SPAA
21-10-2025 11:00 am
to
02:00 pm
Workshop | Costume / Prosthetics as a sculptural, poetics and scenic movement device (Day 1 of 3) - Carolina Jimenez and Laura Marnezti
Costume Lab - Studio 11, SPAA
21-10-2025 12:00 pm
to
01:00 pm
Talk | Interviewing, writing and covering the people that make theatre - Richard Bryant Publication Commission, OISTAT
Studio 4, SPAA
21-10-2025 02:30 pm
to
03:30 pm
Talk | Ad Parnassum - Purapurawhetū - Good Company Arts
Studio Theatre, SPAA
21-10-2025 02:30 pm
to
06:30 pm
Workshop | اليوم الأول من يومين - ورشة عمل لصناعة العرائس - Dr. Khuloud Al-Rashidi
Paintshop, SPAA
21-10-2025 03:15 pm
to
05:15 pm
Masterclass | Experimental Costumes - Fruzsina Nagy
Costume Talks - Studio 2, SPAA
21-10-2025 04:00 pm
to
06:00 pm
Talk | Which University? Flash Talks - Various
Studio Theatre, SPAA
21-10-2025 05:45 pm
to
07:45 pm
Workshop | Common Design Project - Education Commission OISTAT
Studio 4, SPAA
21-10-2025 06:30 pm
to
07:30 pm
Performance | Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead - Sharjah - Dibba Al Hisn Arts and Theatre Association
Main Theater
21-10-2025 08:00 pm
to
09:00 pm
Performance | Dragon & Tiger - Good Company Arts with Mark de Clive-Lowe
Bait Al Shamsi, SAF
21-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Sound Kitchen | Peter Rice & Robin Whitaker No prior reservation is needed; please refer to the specified time slots
Rehearsal Hall, SPAA
21-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | SOY (Be) - Expansive & Immersive Costume Experience 360° No prior reservation is needed; please refer to the specified time slots
VR Studio - Studio 1, SPAA
Available Slots: 10:15 AM I 10:45 AM I 11:15 AM I 11:45 AM I 12:15 PM I 12:45 PM I 13:15 PM I 14:45 PM I 15:15 PM I 15.45 PM
21-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | The Forest - Victor Zapatero & Crisóbal MarYán No prior reservation is needed; please refer to the specified time slots
Forest Studio - Studio 6, SPAA
21-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | Cover The Walls - Education Commission OISTAT
Atrium B, SRTIP
21-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | The Art of Costume - SPAA
Pause & Play, SPAA
21-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | Connected Homes - Abdulla Alneyadi
Main Entrance, SPAA
21-10-2025 08:00 pm
to
09:00 pm
Performance | Duetta DJ - Marian Gamel and Sakina Fawzi
Pause & Play, SPAA
22-10-2025 10:00 am
to
02:00 pm
Workshop | Interaction of Color and Light (Day 2 of 2) - Dinesh Yadav
Light Lab - Studio 12, SPAA
22-10-2025 11:00 am
to
02:00 pm
Workshop | Costume / Prosthetics as a sculptural, poetics and scenic movement device (Day 2 of 3) - Carolina Jimenez and Laura Marnezti
Costume Lab - Studio 11, SPAA
22-10-2025 11:00 am
to
12:30 pm
Talk | A Glimpse into PQ 2027: The Journey and Vision of Prague Quadrennial - OISTAT HQ
Studio Theatre, SPAA
22-10-2025 12:30 pm
to
01:30 pm
Talk | Arab Representations at the 2027 Prague Quadrennial - Hadi Damien
Studio Theatre, SPAA
22-10-2025 02:30 pm
to
03:30 pm
Talk | And if the "expanded field" is no longer enough? A path through the scenography of recurring atmospheres applied to cinema, theater and exhibition space - Alceu Silva Neto, moderated by Candeta Bishop
Studio 4, SPAA
22-10-2025 02:30 pm
to
06:30 pm
Workshop | اليوم الثاني من يومين - ورشة عمل لصناعة العرائس- Dr. Khuloud Al-Rashidi
Paintshop, SPAA
22-10-2025 03:30 pm
to
07:30 pm
Workshop | Interdisciplinary Workshop - Architecture Commission, OISTAT
Studio Theatre, SPAA
22-10-2025 07:45 pm
to
08:45 pm
Performance | Maybe Tomorrow - Chloeography Project
Bait Al Shamsi, SAF
22-10-2025 08:00 pm
to
08:30 pm
Performance | Pain Killer - Fruzsina Nagy & Rita Góbi
Pause & Play, SPAA
22-10-2025 08:00 pm
to
09:00 pm
Performance | Transcendent Renaissance - Călin Țopa
Mleiha Archaeological Centre
22-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Sound Kitchen | Peter Rice & Robin Whitaker No prior reservation is needed; please refer to the specified time slots
Rehearsal Hall, SPAA
22-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | The Forest - Victor Zapatero & Crisóbal MarYán No prior reservation is needed; please refer to the specified time slots
Forest Studio - Studio 6, SPAA
22-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | Cover The Walls - Education Commission OISTAT
Atrium B, SRTIP
22-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | The Art of Costume - SPAA
Pause & Play, SPAA
22-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | Connected Homes - Abdulla Alneyadi
Main Entrance, SPAA
22-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | Alam-e-Alam (The States of Worlding): Tilism Bazi - Sana Akram No prior reservation is needed; please refer to the specified time slots
VR Studio - Studio 1, SPAA
23-10-2025 10:00 am
to
02:00 pm
World Congress - OISTAT HQ
Studio Theatre, SPAA
23-10-2025 10:00 am
to
02:00 pm
Workshop | Tech-Infused Theatre: From Rehearsal to Reality - Maziar Ghaderi
Studio 4, SPAA
23-10-2025 10:00 am
to
02:00 pm
Workshop | Embracing Regional Costume Heritage (Day 1 of 2) - Marwa Auda
Backstage Costume Workshop, SPAA
23-10-2025 10:00 am
to
06:00 pm
Workshop | From Many Eyes: An Exploration Of World Design Through Lighting Scenarios - Adam Mendelson, Travis Hatt
Light Lab - Studio 12, SPAA
23-10-2025 11:00 am
to
02:00 pm
Workshop | Costume / Prosthetics as a sculptural, poetics and scenic movement device (Day 3 of 3) - Carolina Jimenez and Laura Marnezti
Costume Lab - Studio 11, SPAA
23-10-2025 02:00 pm
to
04:00 pm
Panel Discussion | Costume Design & Heritage - Rosane Muniz
Auditorium, SRTIP
23-10-2025 02:30 pm
to
04:30 pm
Workshop | Performing the Director’s Notes: Pickle Party x “Living” Stage - The Theatre Practice x Ang Xiao Ting x Tanja Beer
Main Theatre Lobby, SPAA
23-10-2025 04:30 pm
to
06:30 pm
Masterclass | Networked Music Performance: Fostering Intercultural Collaboration While Minimizing Ecological Impact - Nela Brown
Auditorium, SRTIP
23-10-2025 07:00 pm
to
08:00 pm
Talk | Tomorrow's Heritage: The Use of Robotics in Designing Performance Spaces - Ali Cadir
Auditorium, SRTIP
23-10-2025 08:30 pm
to
09:30 pm
Performance | Maybe Tomorrow - Chloeography Project
SRTIP, Main Entrance
23-10-2025 08:00 pm
to
09:00 pm
Performance | Transcendent Renaissance - Călin Țopa
Mleiha Archaeological Centre
23-10-2025 08:00 pm
to
09:00 pm
Performance | Il-Madad - Ezzedine Abdelhady & Hani Aldahshan
Pause & Play, SPAA
23-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | Alam-e-Alam (The States of Worlding): Tilism Bazi - Sana Akram No prior reservation is needed; please refer to the specified time slots
VR Studio - Studio 1, SPAA
23-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | The Forest - Victor Zapatero & Crisóbal MarYán No prior reservation is needed; please refer to the specified time slots
Forest Studio - Studio 6, SPAA
23-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | Cover The Walls - Education Commission OISTAT
Atrium B, SRTIP
23-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | The Art of Costume - SPAA
Pause & Play, SPAA
23-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | Connected Homes - Abdulla Alneyadi
Main Entrance, SPAA
24-10-2025 10:00 am
to
02:00 pm
Masterclass | Built Heritage as a Stage - Miljena Vučković
Mleiha Archaeological Centre
24-10-2025 10:00 am
to
02:00 pm
Workshop | Stage Lighting for Puppets - Sabrina Hamilton, Psyche Chui
Light Lab - Studio 12, SPAA
24-10-2025 10:00 am
to
02:00 pm
Workshop | Embracing Regional Costume Heritage (Day 2 of 2) - Marwa Auda
Backstage Costume Workshop, SPAA
24-10-2025 10:00 am
to
02:00 pm
Workshop | Creating A Geolocated Sound-walk - Jorg Schellekens
IT Room, SPAA
24-10-2025 10:00 am
to
01:00 pm
Talk | Costume FlashTalks: Processes of Creation - Various
Costume Talks - Studio 2, SPAA
24-10-2025 01:00 pm
to
03:00 pm
OISTAT EC Meeting - OISTAT HQ
Board Room, SPAA
24-10-2025 01:00 pm
to
03:00 pm
OISTAT GB Meeting - OISTAT HQ
Studio 8, SPAA
24-10-2025 02:30 pm
to
03:30 pm
Performance | Hikayat Wanatentrem - Maharani Mancanagara
Studio Theatre, SPAA
24-10-2025 02:30 pm
to
05:30 pm
Workshop | Tatreez Therapy - Eman Alkhawaja
Costume Lab - Studio 11, SPAA
24-10-2025 03:15 pm
to
05:15 pm
OISTAT ECGB Meeting - OISTAT HQ
Studio 8, SPAA
24-10-2025 05:30 pm
to
07:00 pm
Awards and Closing Ceremony | World Stage Design
Main Theatre, SPAA
24-10-2025 08:30 pm
to
09:30 pm
Performance | Transcendent Renaissance - Călin Țopa
Mleiha Archaeological Centre
24-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | Alam-e-Alam (The States of Worlding): Tilism Bazi - Sana Akram No prior reservation is needed; please refer to the specified time slots
VR Studio - Studio 1, SPAA
24-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | The Forest - Victor Zapatero & Crisóbal MarYán No prior reservation is needed; please refer to the specified time slots
Forest Studio - Studio 6, SPAA
24-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | Cover The Walls - Education Commission OISTAT
Atrium B, SRTIP
24-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | The Art of Costume - SPAA
Pause & Play, SPAA
24-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | Connected Homes - Abdulla Alneyadi
Main Entrance, SPAA
24-10-2025 09:00 pm
to
09:30 pm
Performance | Duetta DJ - Marian Gamel and Sakina Fawzi
Pause & Play, SPAA
25-10-2025 10:15 am
to
11:00 am
Keynote | TBC
Main Theatre, SPAA
25-10-2025 11:00 am
to
01:00 pm
Masterclass | Colour Dramaturgy - Stage Lighting : The colours of Sintang Dalisay, a southern Filipino adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet - D Cortezano
Light Lab - Studio 12, SPAA
25-10-2025 12:00 pm
to
02:00 pm
Workshop | Beginning and building your creative research journey: a professional development workshop - Tessa Rixon and Slađana Milićević
Studio 4, SPAA
25-10-2025 02:30 pm
to
03:30 pm
Talk | Minimalistic Scenography - Zuzu Hudek
Studio 8, SPAA
25-10-2025 02:30 pm
to
05:30 pm
Workshop | Sound as Scene - Sustainably Creating Place and Emotion - Roger Alsop
Studio 7, SPAA
25-10-2025 03:15 pm
to
04:15 pm
Panel Discussion | Ecological Design in Lighting - Lighting Commission, OISTAT
Light Lab - Studio 12, SPAA
25-10-2025 04:15 pm
to
05:45 pm
Panel Discussion | Technical Innovation in Costume - Moderator: Madeline Taylor
Auditorium, SRTIP
25-10-2025 07:30 pm
to
09:00 pm
Performance | SPAA Performance - TBC
Main Theatre, SPAA
25-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | Alam-e-Alam (The States of Worlding): Tilism Bazi - Sana Akram No prior reservation is needed; please refer to the specified time slots
VR Studio - Studio 1, SPAA
25-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | The Forest - Victor Zapatero & Crisóbal MarYán No prior reservation is needed; please refer to the specified time slots
Forest Studio - Studio 6, SPAA
25-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | Cover The Walls - Education Commission OISTAT
Atrium B, SRTIP
25-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | The Art of Costume - SPAA
Pause & Play, SPAA
25-10-2025 10:00 am
to
10:00 pm
Out of the Box | Connected Homes - Abdulla Alneyadi
Main Entrance, SPAA
Steps to follow:
World Stage Design 2025, a once-in-four-years event, comes to the Middle East for the first time, celebrating global performance design. It’s an unparalleled chance to witness the work of international designers, learn about diverse live event professions, and engage with Scenofest’s incredible program. With a focus on heritage and sustainability, WSD offers workshops, exhibitions, and discussions that connect creativity with impactful themes from the world of live events, making it an unmissable experience for professionals, students, and enthusiasts alike.
Performing artists
Established and emerging professionals in creative sectors, especially live events
Students from all disciplines within performing arts
Arts enthusiasts
Anyone curious about the world behind the scenes of live events
WSD 2025 features:
Scenofest is the dynamic and celebratory segment of WSD. It includes:
Subsidy: Entrants from the 22 Arab-speaking countries are eligible for a 100%
subsidy on their entry fee.
World Stage Design 2025 is open to individuals of all ages. However, some perfromances, workshops and activations may have age-specific guidelines, which will be clearly mentioned in the program guide.
Find out if you need a visa to travel to the United Arab Emirates.
If you require a letter of invitation for funding or visa purposes, please email us at infowsd2025@spaa.ae
