Brantford will host one of Ontario’s regional NTS DramaFest events this spring, as the province’s largest youth theatre festival marks its 80th anniversary with celebrations across Ontario.
The regional festival is scheduled to take place from March 30 to April 2, 2026, bringing together secondary school students and educators for several days of performance and adjudication.
Local audiences will have the opportunity to see original, student-led productions that reflect a wide range of voices and perspectives.
Presented by the National Theatre School of Canada, NTS DramaFest engages more than 12,000 students and teachers each year.
The program provides a structured platform for young people to create and present theatrical work while receiving feedback from professional artists working in theatre, film and television.
Founded in 1946, NTS DramaFest has grown into a province-wide initiative that includes district, regional and provincial stages.
District festivals begin in February and lead into six regional events across Ontario. From each region, two productions are selected to advance to the Ontario Provincial Showcase in North York.
Organizers say the festival’s longevity reflects a sustained investment in arts education and youth engagement.
The 80th anniversary coincides with the 65th anniversary season of the National Theatre School of Canada, which has presented DramaFest since 2017.
“For 80 years, NTS DramaFest has been far more than a celebration of theatre,” said Fanny Pagé, chief executive officer of the National Theatre School of Canada. She described the festival as a program that has empowered generations of students while strengthening community ties through storytelling.
Richard Lee, co-director of NTS DramaFest, said the milestone underscores the broader impact of youth arts programming.
“When students are given the space and support to tell their stories, they don’t just make theatre. They make a community,” he said.
A defining feature of the festival is its focus on original work. Students are encouraged to develop and stage their own scripts, often addressing contemporary issues and personal experiences.
Over the decades, the festival has supported this commitment by publishing anthologies of student and teacher plays.
Professional adjudication remains central to the program. The 2026 season includes artists from across Canada’s performing arts sector, including actor Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, who will serve as an adjudicator in the East Toronto district.
In addition to performance opportunities, the festival awards scholarships and bursaries to graduating students pursuing studies in the performing arts, as well as a playwriting award recognizing original student work.
While rooted in Ontario, NTS DramaFest also connects youth theatre communities in British Columbia, Alberta, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, reinforcing its national scope.
For Brantford, hosting the regional festival places the city within a province-wide network of schools, educators and artists dedicated to youth theatre.
As NTS DramaFest marks eight decades of activity, organizers say the focus remains on providing young people with meaningful opportunities to create, collaborate and engage through the stage.
