V4 Improv Connect 2.0: Stories Without Borders
Improv Labs (Creative Labs for Co-Creation and Training)
Improv Labs are the heart of V4 Improv Connect 2.0. These are intensive 2–3 day sessions hosted in each partner country, bringing together trainers and performers from Slovakia, Czechia, Hungary, and Poland to rehearse, research, and co-create new work.
Each Lab functions as a hands-on “creative laboratory” where we:
- develop and test a new multilingual, language-barrier-free, story-first show format
- share methods and approaches across countries through practical knowledge exchange
- strengthen artistic skills through focused rehearsal and guided experimentation
- include a Train-the-Trainer element, so learning spreads back into each local scene
- invite external experts (e.g., physical theatre, movement, musical improv, long-form, non-verbal performance, acting) when relevant, to accelerate growth and raise the overall level of practice
By rotating the Lab hosting across all V4 countries, every partner has an equal opportunity to lead, contribute, and build local access to high-quality training.
Outreach (Access, Inclusion, and New Audiences)
Outreach is built into the project so the benefits go beyond the core group of artists. In each partner city, we will work with local schools, universities, and community organisations to make improv more accessible—especially for people who are often left out of cultural events.
Outreach activities include:
- Free tickets for students and community groups (20% of all show tickets are reserved for outreach)
- Introductory improv workshops for high schools, universities, and acting schools
- Tailored workshops and invitations for marginalized or vulnerable groups—such as refugees and migrants, Roma communities, LGBTQ+ communities, senior citizens/retirees, and other minorities—in cooperation with local NGOs
These outreach actions bring new audiences into theatre spaces, support cultural participation, and highlight improv’s value as a tool for creativity, confidence, communication, and social connection.
Together, the Labs and Outreach ensure that V4 Improv Connect 2.0 is not only about producing performances, but also about building skills, growing audiences, and creating long-term cultural impact across the region.
PRACTICAL INFO
- Implementation period: 2 March 2026 – 31 May 2027
- Where it happens: Slovakia, Czechia, Hungary, and Poland (rotating partner cities)
- Improv Labs (invitation-only):
Participation in the Labs is by invitation only. Each project partner is responsible for selecting their participants. Selected participants are experienced performers and community leaders from their theatre, with a clear “train-the-trainer” role: they bring the learning back to their local scenes and help share and disseminate the methods within their theatre and community. - Outreach tickets (free):
A dedicated portion of tickets is reserved for outreach and provided free of charge. Outreach tickets are distributed in cooperation with selected local NGOs to make sure we reach the intended groups in a meaningful way. - Who outreach is for:
Marginalized or vulnerable communities (depending on local context), coordinated through NGO partners. - Updates:
Confirmed dates, cities, and venues will be published here as the schedule is finalized. - Contact:
For outreach cooperation or general project inquiries: hello@isac-eu.org
Outreach & Partnerships
Are you an NGO, school, university, local municipality, or student group working with marginalized or underrepresented communities—and interested in bringing your participants to a show or hosting a free introductory improv workshop?
We welcome outreach partners who would like to:
- receive free invitations/tickets to our performances, and/or
- host an introductory improv workshop that helps participants build practical life skills such as confidence, communication, teamwork, creativity, and resilience.
If this sounds relevant for your community, please get in touch at: hello@isac-eu.org (please include your organisation name, city, and the group you work with).
The project is co-financed by the Governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from the International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.
