Available Resources
AVAILABLE RESOURCES FOR IMPROVISING FUTURES RESEARCH TEAM MEMBERS:
Improvising Futures believes in fostering reciprocal relationships and mutual support. We are excited to share our wealth of resources with you and to showcase the incredible work you are doing. Here’s what IICSI-central offers to our incredible community:
Journal: CSI/ÉCI
Critical Studies in Improvisation / Études critiques en improvisation is IICSI’s open-access, peer-reviewed, electronic, academic journal on improvisation, community, and social practice housed at the University of Guelph. The editorial and advisory boards are made up of leading international scholars spanning diverse disciplines.
While improvisational music has historically been analyzed within specific musical disciplines, what distinguishes the research profiled in CSI/ÉCI is its emphasis on improvisation as a site for the analysis of social practice. We contend that improvisation demands shared responsibility for participation in community, an ability to negotiate differences, and a willingness to accept the challenges of risk and contingency. Yet improvisation is a contested term. Its cultural significance is in dispute both in the academy and in the broader public understanding. CSI/ÉCI seeks to reveal the complex structures of improvisational practices and to develop an enriched understanding of the social, political, and cultural functions those practices play.
We are particularly interested in historically and contextually specific articles that interrogate improvisation as a social and musical practice, and that assess how innovative performance practices play a role in developing new, socially responsive forms of community building across national, cultural, and artistic boundaries.
Since CSI-ÉCI launched in September 2004, we’ve published 26 issues (including 2021’s double issue on Improvisation, Musical Communities, and the COVID-19 Pandemic), that feature 97 peer-reviewed articles, 43 Notes and Opinions pieces, 23 interviews, and 67 media reviews.
If you are interested in participating with the journal as we move towards the publication of several new issues in the coming months, please get in touch with Sam Boer, Managing Editor, at [email protected].
NEWSLETTER: ImprovNotes
ImprovNotes is the monthly newsletter of the International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation (IICSI), bringing readers the latest news and updates from the world of improvisation. Each edition features a diverse array of content, including artist profiles and quotes, calls for papers, and features on IICSI projects, among other news related to improvisation research and performance. Distributed on the third Thursday of each month, ImprovNotes reaches over 1,000 improv enthusiasts. ImprovNotes is currently edited by Chris Worden, and assembled by Jordan Zalis.
Do you have news or events that you would like to share with our audience? We would love to include them in our upcoming editions! Please send your submissions to Jordan Zalis at: [email protected]. To explore past editions, follow this link to view the ImprovNotes archive.
LISTSERV:
IICSI’s Listserv is a dedicated platform for sharing information about upcoming events, book launches, concerts, and other improvisation-related activities directly with our community. With a subscriber base of over 200 engaged members, it offers a focused channel for sharing timely updates and exciting news.
While our newsletter reaches a broader audience, the timing of its release can sometimes limit the immediacy of news sharing. The Listserv, however, provides a perfect avenue for connecting with a passionate community eager to stay informed about the latest happenings.
If you are not yet subscribed to our Listserv and would like to join, please send a request to Jordan Zalis at: [email protected]. You are also welcome to share any news or events you would like to distribute through our Listserv!
Note: We can also help amplify your events and research activities through our Facebook, Instagram, and X accounts!
IMPROVLAB:
Speaking of events—IICSI offers one of the world’s most incredible venues for hosting improvised artistic activities and research!
ImprovLab is a cutting-edge research and performance facility located in the newly renovated performing arts wing of the MacKinnon Building, at the heart of the University of Guelph campus. This versatile, publicly accessible venue is designed for innovative research on the social impacts of improvisatory artistic practices; boundary-pushing performances across all artistic disciplines; and impactful community workshops. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, ImprovLab supports the presentation, broadcast, archiving, and analysis of improvised performance and audience reception studies; a world in which researchers and artists can explore, create, and collaborate freely, and share new creative works with campus, local, and global communities.
Built on the strengths of the renowned, interdisciplinary research programs in Critical Studies in Improvisation, and enabled by core funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and the University of Guelph, this world-class facility is designed to cultivate collaboration and interdisciplinary research while fostering the next generation of performances and audiences.
ImprovLab is defined by its adaptability, offering a range of configurations from a controlled black-box setup to an open, airy space that visually connects with the outdoor courtyard. With its extensive array of movable sound, lighting, and staging equipment, ImprovLab caters to all the requirements of a high-quality live performance venue, while also encouraging limitless experimentation. The space is optimized for acoustic excellence and features a state-of-the-art technical infrastructure, enabling artists and presenters to showcase their work with fewer restrictions than those typically encountered in conventional theatre or performance venues.
Adjacent to the main theatre space, ImprovLab also includes a multipurpose green room, enhancing its versatility.
If you are interested in booking ImprovLab, please complete the form available through this link. For detailed information on pricing and use policies, please follow this link.
But Wait . . . There’s More!
Individuals and partners named on the Improvising Futures grant are eligible to apply for a limited amount of funding to support travel, research dissemination, and hotspot partnership development for emergent activities. We are currently working on reforming these policies, which will be made public in the coming months.
In the meantime, please get in touch with IICSI’s Project Manager, Julia Busatto, at [email protected] for more details.
Please follow the links below to find our:
