National Theatre Festival Announces Inaugural Immersive Performance Awards

National Theatre Festival Launches First‑Ever Immersive Performance Awards

The National Theatre Festival is proud to announce the inauguration of a brand-new awards category: the Immersive Performance Awards, set to make their debut at the upcoming Festival ceremony. This landmark recognition underscores the Festival’s commitment to innovation, audience engagement, and the evolving landscape of live theatre.

Shining a Spotlight on Immersive Performance

Groundbreaking Category: For the first time in the Festival’s history, the Immersive Performance Awards will honor works that push the boundaries of traditional theatre — productions that integrate technology, spatial design, audience participation, and multimedia storytelling.
Celebrating Innovation: The award recognizes performances that transcend the conventional proscenium stage and transport audiences into new realms of sensory experience.
Inclusive Jury: A dedicated jury of theatre-makers, technologists, and immersive arts experts will evaluate submissions, with criteria emphasizing creativity, technical execution, audience experience, and narrative depth.

Why This Matters

Immersive theatre is one of the fastest-growing trends in the performing arts, combining theatrical storytelling with digital, spatial, and interactive elements to create deeply engaging experiences. By establishing an award for immersive work, the National Theatre Festival is positioning itself at the forefront of this movement — acknowledging how theatre is redefining itself in the 21st century.

Festival Director Ayesha Khan said:

“We believe theatre is not just something spectators watch — it is something they live. Our new Immersive Performance Awards celebrate the daring creators who invite audiences into their worlds, not just to watch, but to wander, explore, and even interact.”

How to Participate

Submission Opens: December 1, 2025
Deadline: February 15, 2026
Eligibility: All immersive performances (local or international) produced in the past 18 months are welcome, including site‑specific works, interactive installations, virtual reality (VR) theatre, augmented reality (AR) experiences, and mixed-reality performances.
Application Process: Applicant teams will be asked to submit a video recording or documentation of their work, along with a project statement, technical breakdown, and audience feedback (if applicable).

Judging and Awards Format

Preliminary Round – Submissions are reviewed by the Immersive Awards jury for originality, artistry, and technical achievement.
Finalist Selection – A shortlist of finalists will be announced publicly in March 2026.
Showcase & Live Jury Evaluation – Finalists will present their work (live or via demonstration) during the National Theatre Festival in April.
Awards Ceremony – Winners will be announced at the Gala Night of the Festival, with awards presented to top submissions in the Immersive Performance category.

Award recipients will receive:

A trophy and certificate
A cash prize to support future work
Opportunities for festival touring, residencies, and mentorship

Festival Impact and Vision

The National Theatre Festival has long championed artistic excellence and accessibility. With thousands of theatre practitioners, students, and audiences participating every year, the Festival is recognized as a major event in the cultural calendar. Adding the Immersive Performance Awards signals a bold vision: to not only celebrate traditional theatre, but to actively nurture innovation.

By awarding immersive works, the Festival aims to:

Empower emerging and established artists working at the intersection of theatre, technology, and design
Build capacity for immersive theatre in Pakistan and beyond
Encourage cross-disciplinary collaborations
Provide a platform for immersive works to reach larger and more diverse audiences

Quotes from Leadership

Festival Chair, Imran Ahmed:

“Immersive theatre is the future, and we want to help build that future here. These awards are more than recognition — they are a call to creators to dare, experiment, and imagine the next frontier of performance.”

Head of the Immersive Awards Jury, Dr. Sara Malik:

“We looked for works that don’t just dazzle technologically, but tell meaningful stories. Immersion is not a gimmick — it’s a powerful tool to deepen connection, provoke thinking, and create communal experience.”

About the National Theatre Festival

The National Theatre Festival is Pakistan’s premier platform for theatrical excellence. It brings together theatre companies, independent artists, educators, and audiences for a multi-day celebration of drama, performance, and innovation. The Festival features productions, workshops, panel discussions, and awards across a diverse range of categories.