Tbilisi International Student Theatre Festival

The 4th Tbilisi International Student Theatre Festival will take place from 26 to 31 October 2026 in Tbilisi, Georgia, bringing together a new generation of theatre makers from Georgia and abroad. Founded as an international platform dedicated to emerging theatre artists and theatre education, the festival creates a meeting point for student directors, actors and other young theatre practitioners from different cultural and artistic backgrounds. At the centre of the festival is the student performance: a space where young artists can present their work internationally, encounter different theatrical languages and approaches, exchange ideas, and enter into dialogue with fellow students and established theatre professionals. 

The 2026 edition presents an International Programme and a Georgian Programme, bringing productions by theatre schools and universities from several European countries to Tbilisi. The international programme includes participating institutions from Serbia, Germany, Poland, Greece and Romania, alongside productions by Georgian theatre students. The selected performances reflect a wide range of theatrical forms, aesthetics and subjects -  from contemporary interpretations of classical and modern dramatic texts to documentary theatre, devised work and productions engaging with war, memory, identity, power, history and contemporary social realities. The festival is conceived not only as a showcase of performances, but as an intensive environment for learning, dialogue and professional exchange. Performances are accompanied by discussions, allowing students to reflect on each other’s work, exchange perspectives and discuss artistic processes beyond the stage. 

An important part of the programme is a series of masterclasses and workshops led by invited international and Georgian theatre professionals. These activities are open not only to festival participants but also to other interested young artists and members of the local theatre community, creating a wider space for professional encounter and knowledge exchange.

The 2026 programme includes, among others, an intensive workshop by Polish actress and theatre artist Agnieszka Przepiórska, From Document to Stage: Working with Biography, exploring documentary and biographical material as a source for theatrical creation. The participating productions are presented to an international professional jury, and the festival concludes with an awards ceremony recognising achievements in student directing, acting and ensemble work. Beyond performances and educational activities, the festival creates opportunities for informal encounters, networking and cultural exchange between participants. By bringing together theatre schools, young artists and established professionals, it aims to build connections that can continue beyond the festival itself and encourage future artistic collaborations. 

The Tbilisi International Student Theatre Festival is an independent festival developed with limited resources and a strong commitment to supporting emerging artists. Its ambition is to provide young theatre makers with an open international platform for experimentation, artistic risk, dialogue and discovery - a space where different theatrical traditions meet and where the voices, questions and artistic languages of a new generation can be seen and heard. The 4th edition continues the festival’s central mission: to connect young theatre makers across borders, support their artistic development, and create a living international dialogue around the theatre of tomorrow.