The Department of Theatre and Dance would like to congratulate costume designer and UNM faculty member Sara Curran Ice on her acceptance to the 2026 International Organization of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians (OISTAT) India Research Trip.

Ice is an assistant professor of costume design at the UNM College of Fine Arts Theatre and Dance Department, with 16 years of background in educational environments, as well as 20 years of experience in the professional design field.

At UNM, she designs costumes for the yearly Faculty Dance Concerts and mentors student designers for a number of plays throughout the year. Ice is also an avid traveler and photographer, which helps her see the world and design with a broader and more vibrant lens.

She is one of eight participants chosen, four of whom are from the United States, to experience the textiles and practices of South India as they relate to the region's rich and dynamic performing arts industry.

OISTAT is a global network of theatre makers celebrating design and technology in live performance. Sister to the U.S. organization The United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT), OISTAT hosted its first India research trip in 2024, which took participants through Delhi, Jaipur, Patan, Ahmedabad and Varanasi.

The 2026 trip is focused on South India and spans Bengaluru and Mysuru (Karnataka), Chennai and Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu) and Thrissur (Kerala) - areas that are renowned for their silk and cotton handloom traditions and temple architecture. Ice, along with the other participants, will visit handloom artists in various villages and learn about the many textile creation and decoration methods in the regions.

Participants will directly interact with several institutions in South India, including the National School of Drama, The School of Drama in Thrissur and Kerala Kalamandalam, where they will conduct hands-on workshops for the students. The group has been invited to give a keynote address to students and staff at Karnataka State Dr. Gangubai Hangal Music and Performing Arts University, as well as to participate in a panel discussion about the work they do in their home countries. Participants will also be attending the International Festival of Theatre Schools in Thrissur.

OISTAT is also collaborating with Theatre Design & Technology (TD&T), a quarterly journal from USITT, for a special issue on the 2026 India research trip. For more information, or to read the journal when it is published, visit www.usitt.organd www.oistat.org.

To learn more about Ice and her career, visit www.saraicedesigns.com