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, WSD has now travelled to many cities, Toronto, Canada (2005); Seoul, South Korea (2009); Cardiff, Wales, UK (2013); Taipei, Taiwan (2017), Calgary, Alberta (2022), Sharjah, UAE (2025), and Berlin, Germany (2029).
WSD is an extraordinary international festival that includes exhibitions, performances, workshops, and lectures by professional designers and will provide attendees and participants with an outstanding opportunity to gain knowledge and experience in theatrical design and performance. WSD events are attended by enthusiastic theatrical practitioners, architects, technicians, educators, students, and theatregoers from across the globe.
WSD is an OISTAT event that is comprised of 4 distinct components that are presented simultaneously:
- International Design Exhibition and Competition
- Scenofest
- Theatre Architecture Competition (TAC)
- Technical Invention Prize (TIP)
World Stage Design 2029 is heading to Berlin, Germany
The German Association of Theatre Technology (DTHG), the OISTAT Centre in Germany, has successfully secured the bid to bring World Stage Design to Germany for the first time. World Stage Design 2029 will take place in Berlin in May/June 2029 in close synergy with SHOWTECH - the international trade show for theatre and stage technology.
“The connection between World Stage Design and SHOWTECH as a central element of our concept creates a unique space in which artistic visions, technical expertise, and international perspectives meet directly,” explains Wiebke Pohl. “Berlin, with its exceptional density of theatres and its role as a cultural melting pot, offers the ideal stage for shaping a diverse, open, and multifaceted World Stage Design,” adds Viktoria Ebel. The two Managing Directors of DTHG Service GmbH presented the concept at World Stage Design 2025.
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World Stage Design 2025
The 2025 Exhibition was co-organized by Sharjah Performing Arts Academy and OISTAT and held October 18 to 25, 2025 in Sharjah, UAE. The event was a great success once more. Visit the WSD 2025 WEBSITE to learn more about the event. Find World Stage Design 2025 on socials for videos and recaps.
For WSD 2025 news and to see the TAC, TIP and Design Exhibition and Competition winners, visit the OISTAT NEWS SITE.
View the WSD 2025 Catalogue. View the WSD 2025 Photo Album.
International Design Exhibition and Competition
Categories
The Exhibition is divided into the following categories for both Professional and Emerging Designers:
- Performance Design
- Space and Object Design
- Set Design, Sound Design, Costume Design, Lighting Design, Video & Projection Design
Scenofest
Scenofest is a significant component of World Stage Design. It serves as a global platform for theatre professionals, students, and enthusiasts to engage in workshops, masterclasses, and performances related to theatre design. It offers opportunities for participants to learn from renowned experts, collaborate on creative projects, and explore new techniques and futures in theatre design.
Scenofest fosters international collaboration and the exchange of ideas, and it aims to inspire and educate the next generation of theatre designers and technicians while promoting the exchange of knowledge and creativity within the global performance community.
TAC & TIP
Learn more about the Theatre Architecture Competition (TAC).
Learn more about the Technical Invention Prize (TIP).
World Stage Design 2022 in Canada
The fifth World Stage Design was held on the campus of the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, from August 6 to 16, 2022, in conjunction with CITT/ICTS's Annual Conference Rendez-vous 2022.