Improv Fest Ireland - a brief history

Founded by Neil Curran, the inaugural Improv Fest Ireland was staged in 2013 in the Teacher’s Club Theatre in Dublin and was Ireland’s first festival dedicated solely to the art of improvisation. Since then the festival has grown in size and spectacle, featuring artists and instructors from all over the world.

The festival’s goal is simple; to raise awareness and grow the profile of improvised theatre and comedy in Ireland showcasing both local and international talent. In recent years, the festival has worked toward making improv more accessible by providing opportunities for those stepping in the world of improv and improvisers who desire to become improv teachers.

While the festival has grown over the years in size and stage, the Teacher’s Club theatre remains our home. An iconic historic venue in the heart of Dublin City.

Improv Fest Ireland is a self-funded festival, and is reliant on ticket sales and the dedication of the team and volunteers behind it. Despite this, the festival is one of the few improv festivals that offers payment shares to performers.

Improv Fest Ireland is the only dedicated improv festival in Europe to be awarded the EFFE label, Europe’s quality stamp for remarkable arts festivals showing their engagement in the field of the arts, community involvement and international openness, awarded by the European Festivals Association.