The BRICS Theatre Festival 2026 opened at the National School of Drama (NSD) in New Delhi on October 12, bringing together theatre artists, cultural institutions and scholars from nine BRICS member and partner countries. Organised by the Ministry of Culture under India’s BRICS Presidency 2026, the three-day festival celebrates the diversity of theatrical traditions while promoting international cultural cooperation.
Held under the theme “Shared Stories, Shared Futures,” the festival runs from October 12 to 14, 2026, featuring theatrical performances, professional workshops and interactive discussions. Participating countries include India, Thailand, Indonesia, Russia, Iran, Vietnam, South Africa, Kazakhstan and Ethiopia.
Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat inaugurated the festival as the Chief Guest, highlighting the importance of cultural engagement in strengthening international understanding and cooperation.
The event follows the BRICS Summit in New Delhi and forms part of India’s wider efforts to strengthen people-to-people connections, artistic collaboration and cultural exchanges among participating nations.
India Brings Nine Countries Together Through Theatre
The BRICS Theatre Festival provides an international platform for artists to present their theatrical traditions, creative interpretations and contemporary performance practices.
Participating countries represent diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, each contributing distinctive approaches to storytelling, acting, stage design and theatrical expression.
The festival features national theatre schools and prominent theatrical institutions from the participating countries. India will present two theatre productions, while Russia is represented by two theatre groups.
Productions from the participating nations will explore different cultural perspectives through classical, contemporary and experimental theatrical forms.
The programme aims to encourage meaningful artistic engagement while allowing audiences to experience theatrical traditions that extend beyond familiar national and linguistic boundaries.
By bringing performers and theatre institutions together, the festival also creates opportunities for professional relationships and future artistic cooperation.
Union Culture Minister Highlights Theatre’s Role in International Understanding
Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat emphasised the importance of cultural diplomacy in an increasingly complex international environment.
He observed that nations must navigate competing interests while maintaining opportunities for dialogue, mutual respect and constructive engagement.
The Minister highlighted the distinctive role of culture in connecting societies, explaining that diplomatic relations and economic cooperation serve different purposes from cultural exchanges.
While diplomacy facilitates negotiations and economic partnerships support prosperity, cultural engagement helps people understand the experiences, values and traditions of other societies.
Shekhawat noted that differences in history, language and cultural practices need not prevent countries from developing meaningful connections.
The BRICS Theatre Festival, he said, carries significance beyond performing arts because it creates opportunities for communities to appreciate one another through shared creative experiences.
His remarks reflected India’s emphasis on strengthening international relationships through cultural dialogue alongside political and economic cooperation.
Samudra Manthan Opens BRICS Theatre Festival at National School of Drama
The inaugural performance featured Samudra Manthan, a theatrical production written by Asif Ali, with design, direction and music by Chittaranjan Tripathy, Director of the National School of Drama.
The production was staged at the Abhimanch Auditorium within the NSD campus in New Delhi.
The choice of an Indian theatrical production for the opening performance placed India’s creative traditions at the centre of the inaugural programme.
The festival’s wider theatrical schedule brings together productions that reflect the artistic practices, storytelling traditions and contemporary concerns of participating countries.
Classical theatre forms appear alongside modern interpretations and experimental productions, allowing audiences to experience different approaches to dramatic performance.
The programme also showcases the importance of theatre as an art form that combines literature, music, performance, visual expression and collective creativity.
Five Major Theatre Venues Across New Delhi Host Performances
The BRICS Theatre Festival 2026 extends across several prominent performing arts venues in the national capital.
Performances are scheduled at the National School of Drama’s Abhimanch and Sammukh auditoriums, Kamani Auditorium, LTG Auditorium and Meghdoot Theatre.
These venues provide spaces for productions representing different theatrical traditions, performance styles and technical requirements.
Tickets for festival performances are available through BookMyShow at ₹200 per ticket, making the international theatre programme accessible to audiences interested in cultural performances.
The festival offers students, theatre enthusiasts, researchers and members of the public an opportunity to experience productions from several countries within a single cultural programme.
The participation of established theatre institutions also provides an opportunity to observe different approaches to stagecraft, acting and theatrical presentation.
Workshops and Discussions Encourage Artistic Knowledge-Sharing
Beyond theatrical performances, the festival includes interactive workshops and professional discussion sessions involving directors, performers and production teams.
These engagements are scheduled during the mornings following performances, allowing participants to examine the creative processes behind individual productions.
The sessions will cover artistic vision, theatrical traditions, acting methodologies, stage design and technical production practices.
Directors and performers will discuss their approaches to interpreting dramatic works, developing characters and presenting stories to audiences from different cultural backgrounds.
Interactive exercises and audience participation will create opportunities for practical learning and professional exchange.
Such engagements are particularly valuable for theatre students and emerging practitioners seeking exposure to international performance techniques.
The workshops also encourage collaboration among institutions and artists, supporting relationships that can continue beyond the three-day festival.
BRICS Theatre Festival Advances India’s Cultural Diplomacy
The festival forms part of the cultural initiatives organised during India’s BRICS Presidency in 2026.
India assumed the Presidency under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”
The country’s approach places emphasis on people-centric cooperation and greater engagement among societies across the BRICS framework.
Cultural cooperation forms an important component of this agenda, alongside economic development, technological collaboration and sustainable growth.
The BRICS Culture Track prioritises cooperation in cultural and creative industries, heritage protection and the contribution of culture to climate resilience and sustainable development.
The Theatre Festival supports these priorities by connecting performing arts institutions, encouraging professional exchanges and creating opportunities for artistic collaboration.
It also demonstrates how cultural initiatives can complement formal diplomatic engagement by strengthening relationships among artists, scholars and communities.
Bhopal Declaration Provides Foundation for BRICS Cultural Cooperation
The BRICS Theatre Festival also builds upon the cultural cooperation agenda established during the BRICS Culture Ministers’ Meeting held in August 2026.
The meeting adopted the Bhopal Declaration, which emphasised stronger cultural partnerships, increased people-to-people exchanges and the development of networks connecting artists and cultural practitioners.
India also proposed a voluntary Artist Registry to facilitate artistic exchanges and strengthen connections among creative professionals from participating countries.
The registry proposal seeks to support the development of wider professional networks and encourage opportunities for international artistic engagement.
The importance of these cultural initiatives was subsequently recognised in the BRICS Leaders’ Declaration, which welcomed the Bhopal Declaration and highlighted the value of strengthening cultural cooperation.
The Theatre Festival translates these broader commitments into direct engagement among performing artists, cultural institutions and audiences.
Through performances, discussions and workshops, the programme provides practical opportunities for the exchange of creative ideas and theatrical expertise.
National School of Drama Leads Organisation of International Festival
The National School of Drama, an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture, serves as the nodal agency for organising the BRICS Theatre Festival 2026.
NSD plays a prominent role in India’s theatre education and training ecosystem, supporting the development of actors, directors, designers and other performing arts professionals.
Its involvement provides the festival with institutional support in theatrical production, artistic coordination and professional engagement.
The institution is responsible for facilitating participation by theatre groups and supporting the exchange of artistic practices among participating countries.
The festival also strengthens NSD’s role in connecting India’s theatre community with international institutions.
For Indian theatre students and practitioners, the programme offers opportunities to engage with different performance methods, production techniques and cultural interpretations.
International collaboration can further support theatrical education, research and creative experimentation within India’s performing arts sector.
Senior Indian Officials and Diplomatic Representatives Attend Inauguration
The inaugural ceremony brought together senior government officials and representatives of participating countries.
Alongside Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the event was attended by Vivek Aggarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Culture, and Sudhakar Dalela, Secretary (Economic Relations), Ministry of External Affairs, who also serves as India’s BRICS Sherpa for 2026.
Chittaranjan Tripathy, Director of the National School of Drama, participated in the ceremony along with ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions from the participating nations.
The presence of representatives from cultural institutions, government departments and diplomatic missions reflected the festival’s importance within India’s BRICS engagement programme.
Their participation also highlighted the role of cultural initiatives in supporting broader international relationships.
BRICS Cultural Cooperation Expands Beyond Traditional Diplomacy
The BRICS Theatre Festival illustrates the growing importance of cultural and creative industries within international cooperation.
Unlike formal diplomatic negotiations, theatre allows people to engage directly with the experiences and perspectives of other societies through artistic expression.
Performances can communicate social traditions, historical experiences and contemporary concerns while remaining accessible to audiences unfamiliar with the language or cultural background of a production.
The festival provides a common platform where different theatrical traditions can be presented without requiring artistic uniformity.
Each participating country retains its distinctive cultural identity while contributing to a shared programme of creative exchange.
For India, hosting the festival also creates opportunities to showcase its theatrical capabilities, cultural institutions and performing arts ecosystem before an international audience.
The engagement of theatre schools, performers and scholars can encourage future cooperation in artistic education, productions, workshops and cultural research.
BRICS Theatre Festival 2026 Strengthens Cultural Connections Across Borders
The BRICS Theatre Festival 2026 represents an important cultural initiative under India’s BRICS Presidency, bringing together nine nations through the universal language of theatre.
The three-day programme combines theatrical performances with professional learning, artistic exchange and international engagement.
Its emphasis on diverse performance traditions allows participating countries to showcase their cultural identities while developing greater appreciation for one another’s creative practices.
The festival also advances the objectives of the Bhopal Declaration by encouraging collaboration among artists, institutions and cultural communities.
With the National School of Drama providing institutional leadership, the event strengthens India’s contribution to international performing arts cooperation.
Through shared stories, artistic collaboration and people-to-people engagement, the BRICS Theatre Festival 2026 reinforces the role of culture in building mutual understanding, lasting partnerships and a more connected international community.
References
1. Press Information Bureau, Government of India
Ministry of Culture
BRICS Theatre Festival 2026 Commences Today at National School of Drama in New Delhi
Published: October 12, 2026, 4:22 PM
Release ID: 2322281
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=2322281
2. Press Information Bureau, Government of India
Ministry of Culture
Ministry of Culture Will Organize the BRICS Theatre Festival 2026 from 12 to 14 October 2026 in New Delhi
Published: September 24, 2026
Release ID: 2314468
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=2314468
3. National School of Drama
Ministry of Culture, Government of India
BRICS Theatre Festival 2026 — Performances and Cultural Programmes
https://nsd.gov.in
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