Devoted & Disgruntled: How is the world transforming improvisation? How can impro transform the world?

NOTE: If you would like to attend the other parts of the Global Improvisation Initiative Symposium 2021 (i.e. workshops, panels and performances), you will need to register separately.

The 3rd Global Improvisation Initiative (GII) Symposium offering is an international gathering of all those interested in Improv and all its manifestations and applications. On 3rd, 4th and 6th June, there are events with a pre-set agenda – but the Devoted & Disgruntled (D&D) days for 24 hours starting on 5th and ending 6th June are yours to do the work you want to do, in the way you want to do it; with all your passion, questions, experience and awareness of what needs doing.

Everyone registering for the D&D event will be asked for a donation amount of your choosing - we hope that between everyone who comes, we can cover the costs of the event together. Whether you're paying for it out of your own pocket, or using your organisation's training budget, you choose what you think is a reasonable price.

Invitation

An invitation from Lee Simpson, Founder and Co-Artistic Director of Improbable:

Love impro? Passionate about improv? Have a special place in your heart for the art of improvisation? This is the online event for you. Come and be part of a global conversation about making it up as you go along.

Improbable’s Devoted and Disgruntled events have been running for 16 years, in which time tens of thousands of people have gathered to discuss, work, plot and plan ways to celebrate and share what is great about theatre and the performing arts and take action on the things that urgently need to change. This event is focussed on the world of improvisation and whatever it is about that world that makes your heart sing or your blood boil.

The format is Open Space so no speeches, no panel of experts, no pre-set agenda (feel familiar? This is basically an improvised conference). The agenda is created at the event and anyone can post a session about anything. Then you go only to the discussions and groups that you want to. You participate as much or as little as you want, you come and go as you please.

Improvisation, along with the vast majority of the world, is facing an uncertain future and a daunting set of challenges. Some of these have arrived like a bolt from the blue but some are undeniably self-inflicted and real action to address them is long overdue. The best way for us to begin the work of meeting those challenges is to come together as a community, with our passions, our conflicts, our different philosophies and a shared joy in not having the faintest idea what happens next.

Whether you're improvisation is performance or applied, therapy or conflict resolution, actor or audience, whatever your relationship to this practice your voice is needed in this vital conversation.

This will be a continuous 24 hour online event. One turn of the world. Improvisers from everywhere on earth joined up as never before. A precious chance to learn and connect to what improvisation means to people somewhere else, people different to you. A global improvisation.

Timings

Start: 4pm (BST) | End: 5pm (BST)

The D&D Open Space event will happen across 24 hours to accommodate participants from around the world, but you can come and go whenever you choose. We'll be holding three separate Opening Circles for different time zones - you can find the timings (adjusted to your own time zone) on the GII Symposium schedule: https://gii2021cdc.sched.com/. During the Opening Circles, we will explain how the tech works and how to navigate the Qiqochat platform. Participants will also have the opportunity to call sessions on things they would like to work on, but sessions can also be called outside of the Opening Circles.

How to login

Once you've registered for the D&D event, you will receive the login instructions in your booking confirmation email - there will be different login instructions from those you will receive for the Symposium sessions. We will be running our event using a platform called Qiqochat, so you will not receive a direct Zoom link. The event will be password-protected and the password will be provided to you in your booking confirmation email.

Access information

If you have any access needs, please make sure to include details in the booking form or get in touch with us in advance by emailing [email protected].

We can provide either BSL interpreters or live captioners for Deaf participants - please indicate your preference in the booking form by 31 May.

In addition, this event is a relaxed environment - so feel free to log off, turn off your video or mute yourself whenever you want; children are also very welcome.