The Egyptian National School Theatre Festival has launched applications for its first edition, taking place from 10 to 21 November 2026. Organized by the Ministry of Culture and Education, the festival aims to support and nurture theatrical talent among school students. It seeks to develop school theatre and strengthen its role in discovering talent and promoting creative and artistic abilities. The festival is a strategic partnership between the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education, and the National Centre for Theatre, Music and Folk Arts.
The festival's official competition is open to theatrical productions from public, private, and international schools, national institutes, and other educational institutions. Eligibility requirements include winning awards in school theatre competitions during the 2025/2026 or 2026/2027 academic years. Productions that won awards in the Summer Talent Development Centres competitions in summer 2026 are also eligible. A separate category will be allocated to productions by schools for students with disabilities.
To apply, productions must submit an official statement confirming their award or qualification. The statement must include the production's title, school or team name, competition name, and award details. Participating productions should not exceed 60 minutes and must be written by Egyptian playwrights. Priority will be given to productions where students play the leading role in both the creative process and performance.
Applications are open from 22 September to 10 October 2026. Interested parties can contact the festival administration by email at [email protected] or submit applications in person. The festival's committees will review applications and verify that they meet the announced requirements and regulations. A viewing committee will select participating productions.
The inaugural edition will feature a competition where eligible productions will compete according to artistic criteria established by the festival administration and judging committees. The competition will honour outstanding productions, students, and contributors across different elements of theatrical production. The awards aim to encourage students to continue developing their creative work and motivate schools to support theatre activities.
The Egyptian National School Theatre Festival aims to support and develop school theatre in Egypt, discover and nurture theatrical talent, and provide a national platform for presenting distinguished school theatre productions. The festival also seeks to raise the artistic standard of school theatre productions, develop students' skills, and promote teamwork and creativity.
The festival's objectives also include supporting teachers and supervisors responsible for theatre activities and providing opportunities for school theatre groups to exchange experiences. By strengthening the presence of theatre and the arts within the educational process, the festival aims to contribute to the discovery and development of a new generation of theatre practitioners and artists.
Key points
- The inaugural Egyptian National School Theatre Festival will take place from 10 to 21 November 2026.
- Applications for the festival are open from 22 September to 10 October 2026.
- The festival aims to support and develop school theatre in Egypt and discover new theatrical talent among school students.
