When families hear the name EAISAC, athletics often come to mind first—tournaments, teamwork, and school spirit played out on courts and fields across the region. But this year’s EAISAC Arts Festival offered a powerful reminder that conferences like EAISAC are about far more than competition. They are about connection, collaboration, and shared growth—values that sit at the very heart of an NIS education.
Students from Nagoya International School, Fukuoka International School, International School of Busan, and International School of Ulaanbaatar came together for an ambitious creative challenge: to collaboratively design and perform an original, interdisciplinary production—blending drama, music, and visual arts—within just 10 hours of face-to-face rehearsal time.
What made the final performance even more remarkable was that those 10 hours were the culmination of months of shared planning and remote collaboration, as students and teachers worked across borders to develop a shared vision in anticipation of working together in person.
The production centered on the theme of Belonging, telling the story of a traveler who leaves the warmth and comfort of home and steps into a world that is unfamiliar, uncertain, and at times frightening. The whole piece was inspired by the graphic novel, The Arrival, by Sean Tan, and the work of Red Leap Theatre. Opening with The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost, the audience immediately followed the protagonist through a journey marked by separation, uncertainty, connection, and community.
As the protagonist prepares to leave, the spotlight is on the warmth and comfort of home, friends, and family of our adventurer. Though she is eager to get out in the world, the traveler’s excitement soon gives way to isolation and fear. Yet rather than retreat, the character finds the courage to persist—slowly shifting from standing on the outside to making meaningful connections within a new environment, far from the familiarity and comfort of home. In a powerful turning point, the community itself loosens its protective barriers, choosing empathy over fear and discovering that belonging makes everyone stronger.
In many ways, the story was a reflection of the students’ experience:
The theme of belonging was definitely mirrored in my experience at this year’s EAISAC Festival of the Arts! I participated in the festival as a member of the choir. I have participated in choirs my whole life, but I feel that this choir was especially accepting and supportive. There were singers from all four EAISAC schools, all with different backgrounds and varying levels of experience with singing. I really loved how everyone came together to support each other and make sure everyone was welcomed. It felt very easy to be a member of the choir. Everyone was really supportive and kind, and I made lots of new friends. - Pearl O.
True to the spirit of EAISAC, collaboration was not just a theme—it was the method. Students worked intensively across schools, cultures, and disciplines, discovering just how much could be accomplished when creativity, trust, and cooperation were placed at the center.
Even the students were surprised by what they achieved together in such a short amount of time.
I’m still amazed by the results we achieved in the 10 hours. There were times when I was certain that we wouldn’t be able to finish the production, but through conflicting ideas and unsure designs, we were able to communicate and understand each other. We listened and cared about each other's ideas, allowing us not just finish the play but make it a synergy of everyone's creativity. - Connor A.
For students in the performing arts, creating an original piece in 10 hours required teamwork, persistence, and creative risk-taking. Ideas were shared freely, refined collectively, and strengthened through mutual support. As one student ambassador reflected, trusting the process—and each other—allowed both individuals and the group to grow closer and stronger.
In a limited timeframe, we had to come up with an idea, build it into something meaningful, and actually perform it. We shared our ideas openly, tried things that didn’t always work, and kept adjusting until it felt right. There were definitely moments of stress and uncertainty, but we trusted each other and the process. By the end, it wasn’t just about the final performance; it was about how much closer we became and how much we grew by creating something together. - Yuri C.
Everyone bonded together, which really helped us to collaborate and make the performance the best it could be. In the last few minutes, we had to tweak some parts of the show just to make it long enough and everyone helped each other to remember those very last-minute additions. In just 10 hours, we put together a piece that was inspiring and educational while also being fun for everyone involved. - Addy O.
The art department worked closely with drama students from the very beginning, brainstorming story elements and visual needs before dividing tasks. From intricately whimsical and culturally significant masks to imaginative backdrops that transformed the stage into a fantastical new world, visual artists found deep satisfaction not only in the art they created—but in the relationships they built along the way.
It was difficult at first; everyone had ideas, and everyone was lost. But a strong leader was all we needed to bring some clarity to the team. We divided the visual art department into several groups in which people could choose what they wanted to do. Although we were split into groups, we all worked together to help imagine the final play. Using our different skills, we designed and made props, backgrounds, and other stage items. We met people with similar interests and skill sets, and made many friends because of it. Overall, it was difficult to fit so many ideas into one play, but we managed to let everyone contribute in their own way while having fun. - Connor A.
Music played a critical role in shaping the emotional arc of each scene, matching tone and intensity to the unfolding story. At first, many students focused on trying to get things “right,” hesitant to take risks. The process felt chaotic—made even more challenging by the need to sing portions of the music in Korean, unfamiliar to most participants. The instrumentalists also had to improvise for scene three, playing weird notes and chords on their instruments, sliding on their strings while matching the actors, making a web of string, and setting the scene with a frenetic energy.
Yet it was precisely this discomfort that led to growth. Students learned to listen closely, adapt, and trust one another. What initially felt messy gradually became intentional and expressive. In just 10 hours of rehearsal, the transformation was striking.
When we first started, we weren’t very confident in expressing ideas creatively. We focused more on getting things right instead of exploring and taking risks. This became especially clear when we worked with cacophony and in the C Dorian mode. At first, it sounded chaotic, uncomfortable, and honestly a bit confusing. It didn’t feel like something that would come together. - Yeonwoo C.
We did experience some discomfort as a choir, especially when learning to sing the Korean song “Departure.” Most of the choir didn’t speak Korean, and we found it very challenging to learn how to sing a new song in a new language. While it was challenging, I think this experience was an excellent opportunity to grow not only as individuals but also as a choir. Personally, I found the challenge helped me grow as a singer, learning techniques for singing in a new language. As a choir, we learned to guide and assist each other overcome language barriers and work better as a team. - Pearl O.
By the final performance, it was clear that the production had become a metaphor for the journey each student had taken. Like the traveler on stage, students stepped away from the comfort of familiarity, navigated uncertainty, and found creative nourishment in challenge. What emerged was a community built on patience, empathy, reflection, and collaboration.
For many, it became one of the most meaningful experiences of their lives.
We all learned a lot about collaborating. We had to learn to meet people we are unfamiliar with, but we also had to learn how to work with them. For some, it was easy when you had the same or similar ideas, but for some, it required patience when you had conflicting ideas. We had to learn how to listen and integrate ideas we may not agree with. But I think it was the fact that we all had different ideas and managed to agree that made the final play beautiful. - Connor A.
Through this experience I grew both personally and musically. I was challenged to step outside of my comfort zone, meet new people, and try new things. I also grew as a musician and became more confident singing in a new language. The main thing that I can take away from this experience is the friendships I formed. I met so many people from all over the world, and I made so many fun memories. I am very grateful for this opportunity, and I know that everything I have learned and all the friendships and memories I made will stay with me beyond my life as a student at NIS. - Pearl O.
This year’s EAISAC Arts Festival demonstrated that conferences designed around cooperation—not competition—offer something profoundly valuable. Through the arts, students learned that creativity often walks hand in hand with uncertainty and that growth happens when we lean into discomfort together.
It was a reminder that while sports build teamwork on the field, the arts build empathy, voice, and belonging—skills that last long after the final curtain falls.