Every year, ASSITEJ International, in collaboration with an ASSITEJ National Centre, holds its flagship international event – either a World Congress or an Artistic Gathering.
The World Congress and Performing Arts Festival for Children & Young People is the premier meeting of ASSITEJ International members in each three-year term of its Executive Committee. It is the culmination of the working life of the Association for those three years, reflecting on the last three years of activity and creating a vision collectively with its members for the future.
The ASSITEJ Artistic Gathering (AAG) takes place in each of the years between the triennial ASSITEJ World Congresses.
Both event formats feature a performance programme that showcases the world’s most outstanding works in theatre and performing arts for children and young people. Alongside the presentation of these productions is a professional exchange programme. Professional exchange sessions include workshops, seminars, lectures, roundtables, meetings, networking sessions, film screenings, exhibitions, social events, and other formats related to theatre and performing arts for young audiences (sessions may be presented ‘On The Ground’, ‘Online’, or a ‘Hybrid’ of both and delegates can participate in-person or virtually via our ‘ASSITEJ Online’ platform).
These events are the international movement’s largest and most important gathering of artists, scholars, presenters, and buyers of theatre and performing arts for young audiences. They offer a unique moment for international professional exchange and networking in the field of theatre and performing arts for young audiences (TYA). Both the World Congresses and Artistic Gatherings are hosted in different parts of the world each time.
Reports From Our Recent Events
Timeline of World Congresses & Artistic Gatherings
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Marseille, France
Bright Generations
ASSITEJ Artistic Gathering
23rd – 29th March 2025
Watch ASSITEJ France’s Original Bid Here -
Havana, Cuba
ASSITEJ Cuba
21st ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing Arts Festival
for Children & Young People24th May – 1st June 2024
Read Event Report Here -
Belgrade & Novi Sad, Serbia
FAS Festival
ASSITEJ Artistic Gathering
Theme: Turning Point
20th – 24th November 2023
Read Event Report Here -
Helsingborg, Sweden
Bibu Festival
ASSITEJ Artistic Gathering
Theme: Leave No One Behind
17th – 22nd May 2022
Read Event Report Here -
Tokyo, Japan and Online
MIRAI Festival
20th ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing Arts Festival
for Children & Young PeopleTheme: Beginning The Journey
22nd March – 1st April 2021
(Delayed due to COVID-19 from May 2020)
Read Event Reports Here and Here -
Kristiansand, Norway
SAND Festival
ASSITEJ Artistic Gathering
Theme: Confronting The Present
2nd – 7th September 2019
Read Event Report Here -
Beijing, China
Imagining the Future
ASSITEJ Artistic Gathering
18th – 24th August 2018
Read Event Report Here -
Cape Town, South Africa
Cradle Of Creativity
19th ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing Arts Festival
for Children & Young People
Theme: Intercultural Exchange
17th – 27th May 2017
Read Event Report Here -
Birmingham, United Kingdom
On The Edge
ASSITEJ Artistic Gathering
Theme: Interdisciplinary Exchange
2nd – 9th July 2016
Read Event Report Here -
Berlin, Germany
Augenblick Mal! The Festival of
Theatre for Young Audiences
ASSITEJ Artistic Gathering
Theme: Intergenerational Exchange
21st – 26th April 2015
Read Event Report Here -
Warsaw, Poland
Korczac Festival
18th ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing Arts Festival
for Children & Young People
Theme: Facing the Audience
23th – 31st May 2014 -
Linz, Austria
SCHAXPIR International Theater
Festival for a Young Audience
ASSITEJ International Meeting
(became known as ASSITEJ Artistic Gatherings)Theme: Facing the Artist
20th – 30th June 2013 -
Okinawa, Japan
Kijimuna Festival
The International Theater Festival
Okinawa for Young AudiencesASSITEJ International Meeting
(became known as ASSITEJ Artistic Gatherings)Theme: Facing the Society – Theatre is Nuchi Gusui (Theatre as Medicine for Life)
25th July – 5th August 2012 -
Copenhagen, Denmark & Malmö, Sweden
17th ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing Arts Festival
for Children & Young People -
Adelaide, Australia
16th ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing Arts Festival
for Children & Young People -
Montreal, Canada
15th ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing Arts Festival
for Children & Young People -
Seoul, South Korea
14th ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing Arts Festival
for Children & Young People -
Tromsø, Norway
13th ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing Arts Festival
for Children & Young People -
Rostov-on-Don, Russia
12th ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing Arts Festival
for Children & Young People -
Havana, Cuba
11th ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing Arts Festival
for Children & Young People -
Stockholm, Sweden
10th ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing Arts Festival
for Children & Young People -
Adelaide, Australia
9th ASSITEJ International Congress
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Moscow, USSR
8th ASSITEJ International Congress
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Lyon, France
7th ASSITEJ International Congress
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Madrid, Spain
6th ASSITEJ International Congress
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East Berlin, German Democratic Republic
5th ASSITEJ International Congress
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Montreal, Canada & Albany, USA
4th ASSITEJ International Congress
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Venice, Italy
3rd ASSITEJ International Congress
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The Hague, The Netherlands
2nd ASSITEJ International Congress
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Prague, Czechoslovakia
1st ASSITEJ International Congress
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Paris, France
Formative Meeting of ASSITEJ International
ASSITEJ International is Officially Founded
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London, United Kingdom
Formative Meeting of ASSITEJ International
