Apply to Perform at RHIIF 24
Information for Individuals

Applications to perform are now closed. Thank you to all who applied.

If you have any questions regarding your application don’t hesitate to contact us at robinhoodimprov@gmail.com.

Hi there!

Thanks for your interest in performing at the Robin Hood International Improv Festival (RHIIF) 2024. We are again going to have a number of festival ensembles for individual performers to apply for. If successful, you will be assigned to an ensemble who will have a day’s free coaching session on Wednesday 4th September, before performing a show as a team over the course of the weekend.

Before you fill in an application, we recommend you read this page in full which sets out our goals for the festival. This should give you a good understanding of what we’re looking for in successful applications. We aim to curate a festival line-up which balances the values and vibe of the festival, with the interests and desires of the local improv community - which was the wonderful, welcoming, beating heart of last year’s festival.

We anticipate that the number of applications will far outweigh the number of opportunities we can offer. We’ve tried to make the process as simple as possible for everyone applying while giving us all of the information we need to design the most diverse and exciting line-up possible.

Note: there will not be a further formal application process, though we may want to have further conversations with shortlisted applicants.

Our Mission Statement

“To showcase the best of the world’s improv to Nottingham, and the best of Nottingham’s improv to the world.”

The local improv community - in Nottingham and The Midlands - is at the heart of what we do. We want to RHIIF to both serve as inspiration for the local community, and showcase the incredible improv talent creating work in this area of the UK. We aim to provide all who attend the best possible experience while having a lasting impact on the local improv scene that is felt beyond the five days of the festival.

This Year’s Ensemble Coaches

The expert improvisers you will be getting to work with for a day for free will be announced at the beginning of the application window.

The Robin Hood Travelling Bursary

In the spirit of Robin Hood, this year we have a bursary pot of £1000 which we will use to help a teams or individuals who would not normally be able to afford to attend the festival get here.

To apply, there will be a simple question of ‘Are you applying for the travelling bursary?’ and if so ‘what sum of money will make the difference between coming and not coming (up to £1000)?’ and ‘How will you use this money?’.

We are able to offer the bursary this year thanks to an incredibly generous donation from a local improviser who wishes to remain anonymous - thank you!

A note on voluntary donations

In previous years we have charged for applications in order to help with the general running costs of the festival. This year to make the festival more accessible, we are waiving fees for applications and instead asking for a £10 voluntary donation from those who can. This donation is to cover the time of the team who painstakingly read every question, watch every video, and give each and every application the time it deserves to be considered fully.

The information of whether or not an application was submitted with a donation will be removed before the scheduling process begins. This means whether or not you donate will have no impact on your chances of a successful application. RHIIF is a volunteer ran organisation, and every donation goes towards making this festival the best it can be.

What Are We Looking For?

A Balance of Local and Travelling Improvisers
We love the sense of community that is brought about by throwing improvisers from all over the world together with local performers and will be aiming for a similar balance in 2024.
Different Viewpoints
We want to curate a line-up with a wealth of ideas to inspire and challenge us in different directions. We believe that the more influences we can give voice to, the better!
We particularly encourage expressions of interest from teachers who are generally underrepresented in improv festival line-ups.
Correctly Filled-in, On Time Responses
As mentioned above, we anticipate more expressions of interest than the opportunities we have available to offer. As such, submitting a response late or half filled in is likely to hurt your chances. If you have any questions about the application form please reach out as we’re happy to help with anything you want to ask.

A note on voluntary donations

The Questions we will Ask you

As we’ve said before, we anticipate the number of applications to be greater than the number of opportunities. Therefore, our application form is designed to be brief to ensure we’re not taking too much of anyone’s time while providing us the information we need!

Name / Contact Info
Pronouns
Do you have any accessibility needs?
Where are you based? (City and Country) *
Are you available for a day’s free coaching on Wednesday 4th September?*
Does you intend to stay the full long-weekend? *
Each year we aim to create a community across the 5 days. Staying and being part of the whole thing really makes a difference, so we will likely favour folks who can stay for the whole festival.
A 150 word max performer bio
What are your three favourite things about improv?
A brief overview of your experience together - major gigs, etc.
Photo Link
A link to at least one high quality picture of you (can be headshot or an action shot) that can be used in festival promotions. Be sure to use a link which doesn't have an expiry date - we suggest Google Drive.

What You will Get

Should you be successful in your application you will be offered:

One full day of free coaching
You’ll be thrown into an ensemble of around 8 performers from all over the world. Your team will be assigned a world-class improv teacher and you’ll get a day’s free coaching on Wednesday 4th September.
The opportunity to perform a 25-min set with your ensemble at the festival.
Woooooooo!
Free de-prioritised access to every show
Performers get de-prioritised access to every show. For every show paying ticket holders are given access to the show, after which remaining seats can be filled by performers at the festival for free.
Free entrance to a number of festival events
Across the festival we will have a number of events for performers and community members. In previous years this has included improv jams, a tour with Nottingham’s official Robin Hood, a show-tune kareoke night, and our final night festival party.