PARTNERSHIPS & ASSOCIATIONS

Michigan Residency

For more than 20 years, the Stratford Festival has led an annual residency in Michigan with an emphasis on innovative pedagogical strategies and supporting educators at all levels in integrating these practices in their own contexts across the state.

Participating teachers and students work with Stratford Festival staff and teaching artists to connect state academic standards for English Language Arts and Theatre with the study of Shakespeare and live performance.

From day-long and multi-day field trips to active workshops for students and teachers in Stratford or your classroom, contact us to take part in all we have to offer Michigan students and teachers

For more information, visit our webpage for Michigan educators.

"The workshop increased my conviction that Shakespeare is a vital language experience, especially when brought to life physically by the students in the classroom. Using the real elements of theatre – voice, movement, embodied imagination – students are far more likely to connect with the spirit and value of Shakespeare. Silent reading just doesn't work."

– Michigan Residency participant

The Stratford Festival Michigan Residency is supported through the Michigan Education Outreach Fund, held within the Stratford Shakespearean Festival Endowment Foundation. 

CISDF

The Conference of Independent Schools Drama Festival (CISDF) is a one-of-a-kind, field trip experience for students in Grade 6-12 who are passionate about drama and theatre. By breaking down geographic boundaries and school walls, this province-wide theatre experience invites a powerful journey of self-expression and discovery.

The programming includes a middle school program in October as well as a multi-day senior school program in April.

Shakespearience

June 29 to July 4, 2026

Hosted by Bishop's University and led by Drs. Jessica Riddell, Shannon Murray and Lisa Dickson, this three-credit, intensive field study has students participate in five weeks of online asynchronous learning and then meet in person at the end of June to see plays, participate in workshops and tours, and engage with company artists.

Open to students, staff, alumni and faculty from the Maple League of Universities (Mount Allison, St. Francis Xavier, Acadia and Bishop's), the universities of Northern British Columbia and Prince Edward Island, and all other post-secondary students and life-long learners.

To learn more, visit: https://www.bushakesperience.com/

The Stratford Seminar Society

August 3 to 8, 2026

An intensive theatre immersion that enriches members' engagement with the Festival. The experience includes an opening dinner, discounted tickets to eight plays, academic lectures, interviews with Festival artists and daily discussions.

Open to everyone!

For more information, visit stratfordseminarsociety.wordpress.com

Digital Human Library

The Stratford Festival is a registered expert with Digital Human Library, a social enterprise advancing K-12 education as Canada's premier digital experiential learning library. Through Canada's largest network of Canadian teachers, industry leaders, businesses, experts, and collaborative community partnerships, Digital Human Library creates opportunities for teachers and students to engage in community-connected experiential learning by offering hundreds of interactive video conferences and engaging livestreamed educational programs.

NTS DramaFest

We work in partnership with the National Theatre School (NTS) DramaFest to support participating students and teachers in their engagement in drama learning in collaboration with the professional arts. The DramaFest brings together a large community of students, teachers, artists and parents with the mission to make theatre more accessible to all Canadian youth.

Teacher benefits include preferred rates for both digital and onsite education programs with the Stratford Festival. Details for 2026 benefits are shared directly by the NTS DramaFest with participating teachers.

Paprika Festival

The Paprika Festival is a youth-led professional performing arts organization that runs year-round professional training and mentorship programs that culminate in a performing arts festival of new work by young artists.

We work in partnership with the Paprika Festival to build bridges between young and established artists, equipping them with the skills and pathways to become future leaders in the sector. Our partnership includes mentorship support for emerging artists and a one-day retreat in Stratford for Paprika Festival artists, alumni and staff.

First Nations University of Canada Partnership

Piloted in 2024 in collaboration with Timothy Drake at First Nations University of Canada (FNUniv), this partnership sees students from FNUniv participate in a week-long immersive learning experience which includes tickets to performances, programming through education and Meighen Forum events, artist meetings and reflective experiences.

Read more about the first iteration of this partnership:

Two Prince Albert student playwrights had an experience to remember
The Harmony in Our Stories

Office of Indigenous Relations - University of Waterloo Partnership

Our partnership with the Office of Indigenous Relations at the University of Waterloo began in 2021 in concert with 1939. Through our collaboration, we collectively created educational resources and supported community-building and engagement with a focus on Indigenous-led productions in the Stratford Festival season.

Below are three study guides we have created through this partnership:
1939 Study Guide
Women of the Fur Trade Study Guide
The Diviners Study Guide

Dartmouth College

Piloted in 2025, this new partnership immerses students in the professional world of North America's largest classical repertory theatre company.

Read more about the partnership

Wilfrid Laurier University's Faculty of Music

May 4-15, 2026

In partnership with Wilfrid Laurier University's Faculty of Music, this course gives students, both instrumentalists and vocalists, hands-on insight into the creative process of musical theatre. With a portion delivered onsite at the Stratford Festival, students will attend productions and learn from professional artists through workshops, tours and chats.

Course registration opens February 23 at 10 a.m.
If you are not a student at Wilfrid Laurier University, please find more information about how to register here.

Please direct any questions to Kathy Gauci (Academic Advisory, Faculty of Music - Wilfrid Laurier University) at musicadvising@wlu.ca.

University of Windsor's School of Dramatic Arts

After a successful pilot partnership with the School of Dramatic Arts at the University of Windsor in 2024, we continue to host up to 10 students for week-long independent study placements throughout the 2025-26 school year.

Participating students are in the Concurrent Education, Applied Theatre and BFA Acting programs and their placements are tailored to their own desired learning outcomes with structured support from faculty supervisor Dr. Michelle MacArthur.

The Stratford Festival was a founding member of the Arts Education Network of Ontario (formerly PAONE), a home for professionals who are committed to meaningful arts education within their organizations and communities.

As a member-driven service organization, they provide networking and professional development opportunities. They advocate for the value of arts education and strive to elevate the broader standards in arts education practice.

We are proud members of the Council of Ontario Drama and Dance Educators (CODE). CODE believes that specific Drama & Dance knowledge, skills and values are critical for learning at all levels of education in Ontario and that in order for this to happen, it is essential for Drama & Dance teachers to develop partnerships with the educational and artistic communities and with the public.

We value our relationships with the Board and teacher members throughout the province and have benefitted greatly from our participation in and support of professional development events and resources created by CODE.

We are grateful to be longstanding members of the Shakespeare Theatre Association (STA) which provides a forum for the artistic, managerial and educational leadership for theatres primarily involved with the production of the works of William Shakespeare. Alongside other members throughout the world, we discuss issues and share methods of work, resources and information through regular virtual communication, meetings and an annual, in-person conference.