Code of Conduct

This code of conduct is meant for students, teachers, volunteers and other personnel at Improv Utrecht during courses, workshops, shows and other gatherings in name of Improv Utrecht.

Improv Utrecht aims to make improv theatre open and accessible to everyone.

Improv Utrecht provides a fun, friendly, encouraging, trusting, safe and supportive environment where people can enjoy learning, performing and watching improv.

We aim to provide a welcoming environment to people of all ages, genders, ethnic backgrounds, physical abilities, cultural views, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, religions and nationalities.

To achieve this we ask our students and teachers to follow the guidelines below.

This helps us to create a spontaneous and supportive environment for improv.

• Support each other, on stage and off stage.
• Work together as a team.
• Listen to your scene partner.
• Collaborate with your scene partner, unless it is unsafe or demeaning to do so.
• Respect physical boundaries and don’t do anything physically dangerous to yourself or your scene partner.
• Respect sexual boundaries, on and off stage.
• Improvise from a place of fun, love, kindness and respect for your fellow improvisers and audience.
• Safety, trust and support is always more important than the temporary existence of an improv scene. So if in doubt, stop the scene, and you won’t be made to feel bad for doing so.
• Difficult subject matter in scenes is to be treated with full emotional intelligence, and your teacher is there to help you with this.
• Help us to create an environment free from harassment, on and off stage.
• Please no drug use or excessive drinking before classes.

We ask our students, teachers and performers to respect this at all times.

It also helps us to run a fun workshop if you can turn up on time and not use mobile phones in workshops.

If you are concerned about anything

What is inappropriate conduct?
You can think of the following things: sexual intimidation; Aggression and violence; Bullying; Intimidation; Discrimination. These acts can be done verbal, non-verbal, online or physical.

If you have a concern or complaint, or are worried about the behavior of a fellow improviser, teacher, director or audience member, please talk to your teacher or contact the organization. If your concerns are urgent and need to be dealt with immediately, please do so. In that case you can involve any one that you want to support you (e.g. a location manager, other teacher, security).

The suggested order of contacting people:

• the person that you have a problem with
• your teacher
• Marieke van Laar 06-44720580, info@theatersportworkshops.nl Head of Improv Utrecht
• Kobus Smit, Improv Utrecht’s professional confidant and trust counselor www.sawubona-friends.com
  Your concerns will be listened to and follow up actions agreed and carried out where appropriate. All concerns will be addressed in the strictest confidence between, and will not be communicated to anyone else in Improv Utrecht without your permission.

This document is open to feedback

Please  e-mail info@theatersportworkshops with any feedback. The text is based on the code of conduct of improv school Hoopla, to whom we are very grateful for their inspiration.

Talking to us helps us to continue to provide a safe and supportive space.