The School of Drama & Fine Arts (SDFA), under the University of Calicut, has been a leading institution in the realm of Drama and Music education in India. Founded by the eminent cultural figure G Sankara Pillai in 1977, SDFA has made significant contributions to the world of theatre and arts in India. Beyond its academic endeavours, SDFA is deeply committed to community engagement, offering workshops for special children, juveniles, mental health centres, and theatre professionals.
The International Theatre Festival of Kerala (ITFOK) 2023 acclaimed curators proposed the International Festival of Theatre Schools (IFTS) 2023, unveiled by the School of Drama and Fine Arts, Thrissur. The IFTS 2023 festival, which took place in February 2023, served as a prelude to ITFOK 2023 and was a resounding success. An unprecedented gathering of the world's most renowned pedagogues and premier educational institutions with highly coveted theatre departments marked a historic moment for Kerala's theatre and performance academics.
In 2023, SDFA successfully organised and hosted the first edition of the International Festival of Theatre Schools with the support and collaboration of several prominent institutes, including the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, Sri Shankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kerala Kalamandalam (Deemed University), and the Sher-Gil Sundaram Arts Foundation. The success of the first IFTS in February 2023 inspired the planning of the second IFTS in 2024. The theme of the second IFTS was “Carnival of Pedagogy: Theatre and Ecology.”
The art of theatre is a fluid and versatile form of expression that reflects the values and aspirations of the society in which it is practiced. It has the potential to address social and political issues that affect our communities, such as land development, community development, and the relationship between humans and nature. Therefore, it is of great significance to explore the intersection of theatre and ecology in a transdisciplinary context. The International Festival of Theatre Schools (IFTS) 2024 created a platform for faculty, students, independent practitioners, and scholars from India and abroad to share their pedagogical perspectives on theatre and ecology.
The second IFTS was supported by Japan Foundation, Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India, Sher-Gil Sundaram Arts Foundation, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA), Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI), Kerala Kalamandalam, Bharatendu Natya Akademi (BNA), The Kerala State Higher Education Council, ESAF Small Finance Bank, Chetna College of Media and Performing Arts, K R Narayanan National Institute of Visual Science and Arts, Kala Academy Goa, Rakesh Bharadwaj Foundation, Amba Dalmia Foundation, RAZA Foundation, and University of Calicut.
The third edition, held from February 3rd to 8th, 2025, achieved profound success, establishing a notable presence in the global education sector. This accomplishment was facilitated by the support of esteemed institutions, including Ministry of Culture, Government of India, Amba Dalmia Foundation, Kerala Kalamandalam, SZCC, Sher-Gil Sundaram Arts Foundation, Rakesh Bhardwaj Foundation, Azim Premji Foundation, KFRI, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, KILA, and Raza Foundation.
The fourth edition of IFTS was held from January 16th to 22nd, 2026, with the theme “Carnival of Pedagogy: Theatre and Health.” It was successfully completed with the generous help of various collaborators and donors. These included Raza Foundation, Sher-Gil Sundaram Arts Foundation, Rakesh Bhardwaj Foundation, Kerala Kalamandalam, Chetana College of Media and Performance Arts, Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA), Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI), K R Narayanan National Institute of Visual Science and Arts, Japan Foundation New Delhi, Educational Multimedia Research Centre (EMMRC), Mrinalini Mukherjee (MM) Foundation, Kerala State Financial Enterprise (KSFE), and the Government of India Ministry of Culture.
The success and momentum generated by the past four editions have inspired us to plan the next edition in 2027. As we look forward to IFTS 2027, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the institutions for their unwavering support and collaboration. The enthusiastic participation of drama schools from around the world—along with the invaluable contributions of teachers, renowned pedagogues, and students—has played a vital role in shaping the success of IFTS.
We sincerely seek your continued support in making IFTS 2027 a grand success. At the same time, we warmly welcome new collaborators and supporters to join this unique initiative of the School of Drama and Fine Arts, Thrissur, University of Calicut.