ICS Artists Create and Collaborate at Drama & Arts Festival

Story by Teacher Rebecca Gillman
Video by Teacher Ana Sudra

After three years of online collaboration with artists around the region, 11 ICS artists traveled to Lusaka, Zambia, last week to participate in the much-anticipated ISSEA Drama and Arts Festival.

Keen to create, innovate, and connect with students from seven participating schools, our thespians and visual artists entered into workshops, studio time, and ensemble work with enthusiasm and motivation. The 14-hour days were jam-packed with sessions run by local artists and theatre practitioners, gallery visits, and live performances. 

Original work was inspired by this year’s theme “Renewal," which served as an apt starting point after so many years creating in relative isolation due to the pandemic.

“We enjoyed meeting fellow visual arts students and professional artists these past few days. All the different perspectives of artists and interpretations of the theme 'renewal' resulted in interesting conversations and artworks that we otherwise would not have taken part in," Grade 11 students Chinatsu and Elisa said.

“Personally, this festival helped me explore art in a new perspective through the theme of ‘Renewal’ that I never thought I knew," Grade 9 student Mamatha said. 
"I have met different professional artists and art students where each of them had their own unique style of art.”

“With the beat of a drum, the flick of a switch, and the tumble of thespians from all across Africa, the world was born. With our bodies we learnt how to express ourselves and tell a story, and together, united by our love of acting we created a piece of theater," Grade 11 student Serena said.