Methodology

The project’s implementation methodology preferred as the most desirable choice by consortium partners is the ‘ladder approach,’ intended as the outcome of an in-the-making, open-ended artistic creation process. By virtue of its piloting nature, the envisaged methodological approach consists of four progressive stages that can be summed up as follows:

Exchange

Chance for personal development and mutual learning during:

  • The improv theatre laboratories with the hosting communities.
  • The transnational creation residencies among artists;

Co-Create

Constant interweaving of different levels of work:

  • Horizontal: co-development of an innovative and replicable shared methodology by professional artists for European inland areas;
  • Vertical: employ of a variety of co-creational techniques to help host communities find and express their own creativity and talents.

Transfer

Result of the ‘horizontal’ and ‘vertical’ creative work as a mean to refine applied improv practices, integrate and transfer acquired knowledge

  • Labs adaption for the production of new work streams involving local communities;
  • Post-residency internal training for teams alignment and knowledge exchange.

Disseminate

Learnings dissemination through a collective video and a published report

  • project documentation through the participatory video featuring artists, audience, and community members’ feedbacks
  • good practice collection on field observations, evaluation data, and place-based activities in the form of a report to influence new approaches of improvisation across the EU.

The methodology adopted by ImproLANDS revolves around three transversal principles:

Place-based approach

A regional development strategy that makes best use of a place’s  endogenous socio-economic and cultural resources. Employing a place-based approach means targeting specific territorial circumstances and engaging local people in the development and implementation of initiatives. Ultimately, knowing the territory through the community’s active participation helps the artists grasp how the residents perceive their environment and how their lives are concretely impacted by it;

Community-centred approach

Strong focus on communities, their peculiarities and strengths, which explains why ImproLANDS places great significance on achieving social inclusion. By listening to and prioritising local inhabitants’ identities, life, and history, all theatrical events will be the product of a collaboration among them, professional artists, and audiences. 

Participatory approach

On-the-ground participation at various levels among professional artists, locals, and audiences. Communities are encouraged to take up new roles and boost their leadership and personal skills like self-confidence, communication, creativity, and self-esteem, thus acting both as spectators and actor roles, breaking traditional schemes. By the same token, participants gain basic video-making skills, which enable them to critically reflect on and better frame the change they want to see in the world.