January 15, 2026
OISTAT in 2026
Dear OISTAT Members,
As we enter 2026, we take a moment to reflect on an extraordinary 2025 for OISTAT. World Stage Design 2025 in Sharjah, UAE brought together theatre practitioners and students from around the world, reaffirming the power of performance design, theatre architecture, and theatre technology to cross borders and connect cultures. Through Scenofest, Theatre Architecture Competition (TAC), Technical Invention Prize (TIP) and countless informal encounters, WSD2025 once again demonstrated how our disciplines function not only as artistic practices, but also as a shared international language. The OISTAT Corner also became a vibrant meeting point for connection and exchange. We would like to express our sincere thanks to Sharjah Performing Arts Academy, Professor Peter Barlow, Project Director Jacqui George, Project Leader David Filshie, and the entire WSD2025 team for making this landmark edition possible.
Alongside WSD, the OISTAT World Congress 2025 offered an essential space for reflection and collective direction-setting. For the first time in OISTAT’s history, the Congress was live streamed, an important step toward greater inclusion and broader participation across our global membership. During the Congress, the amendment to the OISTAT Statutes was approved unanimously, reaffirming our shared commitment to ensuring that OISTAT continues to reflect its core principles of diversity, inclusion, and collaboration. We also had the opportunity to take a first look at the proposals for World Stage Design 2029, to welcome our new OISTAT Centres, ScenoLab Australia and the Irish Society of Performance Designers (ISPD), and to elect the new OISTAT President and Executive Committee members through a hybrid election process to guide the organization forward.
Looking ahead, 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of OISTAT Headquarters being based in Taiwan. This milestone represents two decades of institutional continuity, international trust, and close collaboration between Headquarters, our members worldwide, and the Ministry of Culture, Taiwan. As we move forward, OISTAT remains committed to continuing our tradition of hosting a wide range of events and Commission meetings, both online and in person, to support professional exchange and strengthen connections across our network.
Thank you again for your assistance, engagement, and belief in OISTAT’s mission. We look forward to continuing this journey together and to building new chapters of collaboration in the year ahead.
2026 OISTAT Meeting Schedule
