At Nord Anglia International School Manila, performing arts is more than a subject – it’s a journey that transforms students from the inside out.
For Head of Creative Arts, Arvid Lorimer-Olsson, Nord Anglia Education's Performing Arts Festival is a defining moment. “Even if they’re not very confident in their art form, they grow just by being there. With short deadlines, new people, and the need to work together – they learn fast.”
Whether students are scripting a play, stepping into a new role, or simply learning to navigate a new country without their parents, growth is inevitable. “Their character grows exponentially when they’re out of their comfort zone,” said Arvid. “They come back different – more confident, more connected.”
Year 8 student Alexander knows this transformation firsthand. “At the start of the year, I wasn’t very confident. But I became part of the script team, I wrote my own script, and I got to do a lot of things,” he said. “Now, drama gives me creative freedom. I can really just be free.”
It’s that sense of freedom, combined with responsibility, that makes this event so impactful. “Students become responsible for managing their own time, getting to know people, practicing… things they’d usually lean on someone else to do,” Arvid added.
And behind every student’s success is a community cheering them on. “I love that our school feels like one big family,” said Arvid. “When students come back from trips like this, they’re tighter. And that connection lasts.”
