The Art of the Unplanned

Improvisation is not the absence of structure. It is the art of responding and building with presence, openness, and trust. In this lecture, Jim Libby explores how improvisation becomes a tool for collaboration, drawing on experiences with his Vienna based theatre company, English Lovers, and work with corporations and performers across the world.

Through stories, theory, and practical examples, we’ll uncover how improvised creation turns control into curiosity, transforming collaboration into art. For artists of all mediums, these principles open new ways of working: embracing uncertainty, co-creating meaning, and finding structure through interaction.

By the end of this talk, participants will have experienced improvisation not as a mere stage technique, but as a living philosophy for artistic and human connection.

Jim Libby is a performer, director, and teacher with more than three decades of experience in improvised and scripted theatre, film, and television. A founding member of The English Lovers, he has helped to create many innovative productions and has taught performance and improvisation across Europe and beyond. His work explores the intersection of improvisation, storytelling, and human connection. Jim strives to inspire artists to embrace risk, curiosity, and collaboration as central elements of their creative practice.