Inquiry

When is it time to improvise, and how do we know? How are consensus-building and consent mobilized in performance? How do we build strong relationships and networks that serve as the preconditions for improvisation? While “flexibility,” “creativity, and “responsiveness” are traits that often underwrite austerity measures, we remain attentive to how spontaneity can support social and political goals. When effectively integrated as a tool within institutions, collectives, and performance practices, improvisation buoys our ability to build social networks, share resources, and link struggles. Seen both as a methodology for artistic practice, and an ethic for working together, the willingness to improvise creates opportunities for attentiveness to ever-changing sociopolitical conditions.