Some of the finest young performers from across Sydney Catholic Schools lit up the stage at the 2026 Eisteddfod Showcase, celebrating the creativity, dedication and artistry of students from across the system. 

Held at Sydney’s Seymour Centre, the Showcase brought together 12 standout performances from this year’s Eisteddfod, representing the brightest student talent across dance, drama, instrumental and vocal categories.    

Hosted for the second time by New Zealand-Australian actor and singer Jay Laga’aia, the night was the culmination of the biggest Eisteddfod in its six-year history, with more than 11,500 students from 129 schools participating in 2026. 

Some of the competition’s most memorable performances were invited to return to the stage in front of family, friends, teachers and fellow students. The event provided a fitting finale to a competition that continues to inspire confidence, foster artistic excellence and create lasting memories.   

“This is our first time in the Eisteddfod,” he said.  

“We formed a band after all choosing music as an elective and now we’re here. Hearing the reaction from the crowd was amazing.” 

 “This is our second year at the Showcase,” said Bethany College Hurstville student Alessia, who performed David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’ as part of a Vocal Ensemble.  

“I really love the sense of community, it’s so fun to be part of.”  

Marist Catholic College Penshurst student Lauren, who took to the stage as part of a Jazz Dance Ensemble, said it was special to be able to perform in a professional venue like the Seymour Centre.  

“It’s incredible to be honest. It’s so great to dance alongside my classmates, to come together and connect with others.”  

This year’s winning school was St Charles Catholic Primary School Ryde, having received the most points throughout the competition. It was the third time for St Charles following wins in 2022 and 2023.  

St Mary’s Cathedral College finished as first runner up, while St Vincent’s College Ashfield finished as second runner up.  

The evening …

It’s one of the most anticipated events in the school calendar and this year, it’s shaping up to be the boldest, brightest and biggest one yet. 

Over the next two months, more than 10,000 students from 131 schools will take to the stage for 25 days of competition in the performing arts extravaganza that is the Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS) Eisteddfod. 

Now in its fifth year, the 2025 Eisteddfod will take place at five different host schools, with performances across Drama, Dance, Instrumental and Vocal categories. 

This year will also see the introduction of a new section, Oratory, giving students the opportunity to showcase their abilities in poetry recital and public speaking. 

Since it began in 2021, the Eisteddfod has had a vision of ensuring that every student in every classroom has an opportunity to perform on stage and receive feedback from industry professionals and adjudicators. 

Many students will be on a stage for the very first time, alongside others who are seasoned performers at the top of their game. 

It’s an inspiring example of the importance of inclusion, the value of community and the transformative power of the Arts. 

Iris McGill, Education Officer for Creative and Performing Arts at SCS, said it’s been amazing to see how the Eisteddfod has grown in such a short time.

“It was always part of the five-year plan to grow with each season but it has exceeded every deliverable and expectation. It’s become a huge event that schools count down to,” she said. 

“We didn’t think it would be as big as it is but it continues to evolve and we have more and more schools who are eager to take part.” 

This year SCS is proud to …

The Eisteddfod is back for its third year in 2023 and it’s bigger and better than ever. 

Students from 114 schools will lace up their dancing shoes and warm up their vocal chords for the Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS) Eisteddfod.  

Born from a need for schools to have the opportunity to perform, the SCS Eisteddfod offers Vocal, Instrumental, Dance, and Drama categories with numerous sections in each. 

With two extra venues added to accommodate for the 1238 entries received, SCS Education Officer for Creative and Performing Arts, Iris McGill, marvels at the magnitude of this year’s six week event.

“The growth shows the need in our post-pandemic world for people to get back out there. They want to start performing and they need these opportunities,” she said.

The introduction of Newcomer, Developing, and Advanced levels for each category allows performers to be grouped via like-ability and is sure to make for an entertaining showcase. 

The SCS Arts team have also partnered with the Sport team as well as the former CEO of Sydney Eisteddfod, Piroozi Desai, in order to bring in exemplary, experienced adjudicators from outside the system. 

Iris, along with SCS Event and Production Coordinator for the Arts Team, Andrea Corish, are excited to announce the inauguration of some big ticket items for 2023. 

“Generally we try to accommodate what’s happening in schools but we also try to push boundaries, so we have a new Drama section that we are thrilled about, which is Slam Poetry,” says Iris. 

For the ensembles who are a jack of all trades, a Show Choir category is running for the first time this year for experienced choirs to present not only song, but also movement and other characteristics. 

Andrea highlights that “it’s for …