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Spontaneous Arts Conference Munich

Munich, February 7-9, 2020
© Gasteig München GmbH / Johannes Seyerlein
© SPARC / Andreas Schebesta
© Gasteig München GmbH / Matthias Schönhofer
© SPARC / Andreas Schebesta
© SPARC / Andreas Schebesta
© SPARC / Tamara Ranner
© SPARC / Tamara Ranner
© SPARC / Andreas Schebesta
© SPARC / Tamara Ranner
© SPARC / Andreas Schebesta
© SPARC / Tamara Ranner
© SPARC / Andreas Schebesta
© SPARC / Tamara Ranner
© SPARC / Tamara Ranner
© SPARC / Tamara Ranner
© SPARC / Tamara Ranner
© SPARC / Tamara Ranner
© SPARC / Andreas Schebesta
© SPARC / Andreas Schebesta
 

About

SPARC* is the Spontaneous Arts Conference. At SPARC* 2020, professionals of various areas in business and performing arts came together in Munich's Gasteig to discuss, create and network. With panel discussions, bar camp and theatric performances. SPARC* 2020 was the first of its kind and was hosted by ImproMunich, the independent charitable organization for improvised arts in Munich.

Who is SPARC* for?
In short: Everybody who is interested in applying spontaneity and swift decision making in their professional context or daily life. This conference aims to connect people across various disciplines. Our target audience includes (but is not limited to) … click to read more:
  • Business professionals seeking to implement agility and flexibility in their daily workflow
  • Artists applying improvisation in their music or acting
  • Coaches who aim to share and learn from the experience of others
  • HR Managers looking for ways to foster teamwork and employee development
  • Teachers looking to embrace "teachable moments" arising in the classroom
  • Event planners, Designers, Scientists, Therapists etc.
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What is included in the Conference Ticket?
The conference ticket includes a total of 16 hours of Barcamps / Open Forums, Panels, Talks and Networking. Drinks (coffee, water, juice) as well as a Brezn/Pretzel snacks bar are also included in the price. Show tickets are NOT included in the price, and we kindly ask you to purchase them separately at the Ticket Sales platform.
Which language will be spoken at SPARC*?
We are bringing together people from all over the world and therefore encourage participants to speak English most of the time. However, some panels and talks will be offered in German, and the barcamp / open forum formats will allow participants to agree on a language at their own discretion.
Who organizes and funds SPARC*?
SPARC* is organized by the non-profit organization Improtheaterfestival München e.V., the creators behind Munich's annual improv theater festival Improvember. This project is supported by the Bezirksausschuss Au-Haidhausen, Bezirk Oberbayern and the Kulturreferat München.
How can I contact SPARC*?
You can reach out to us via or by visiting our social media channel. Our mailing address is Improtheaterfestival München e.V. c/o Improvember München, Pickelstr. 6, 80637 München.

Shows

The evening program offered a variety of theatric performances around the theme of improvisation and spontaneity on stage.

Each night featured three subsequent performances within the same location.

Fri 07.02. | Gasteig Blackbox

LifeStories+
(German)
Your life played live before your eyes! After conducting authentic and sensitive conversations with the audience, Impro Goes Loose will perform a show which may possibly illuminate the conversations from a new or even abstract perspective … click to read more. The actors will already be in the foyer in advance to capture moments to later be used in the show.

Impro goes Loose has been performing in Munich since 2014. Hide

Mein Nabel die Welt
(German)
In his improvised show, Roland Trescher embarks on a solo journey – a discovery for characters and moments that are not only based on his personal experiences, but the connection we all have with each other … click to read more. He juggles content, perspectives and forms on stage, creating many magical moments. Roland will touch, seduce and amuse us with his view of the world. The art of improvisation, performed as a lonely tightrope walk.

Roland Trescher (Isar148) is a jack of all trades. For him, improtheater is not just an art form but also a method. In addition to his show, Roland will give a Keynote lecture at SPARC* with exciting inputs.Hide

Alternative Facts Musical
(English)
Bake This invites you to discover what really happened: You give us a recent event – political, scientific or gossipy; grandiose or just plain weird – and we'll present you with a musical about THE TRUE story behind the event … click to read more. We'll explore the story together as it's recalled, compiling the “facts” and specifics from what was read in newspapers, heard in school, or experienced first hand. Join us for heartfelt ballads, raucous crowd scenes, and magical duets as we unveil an alternative world. Baked news at its best! It's the best fake news you'll ever see on stage.

Bake This is Munich's International English Improv Comedy Troupe. They’ve been together since 2011 and perform regularly. Bake This uses audience suggestions to inspire scenes, stories, and songs on the spot! Big emotions, big laughs! Hide

Sat 08.02. | Gasteig Blackbox

Digital Transparency
(English)
We’re all looking for it. Then we find it. But we always leave traces. Whether on the net or in everyday life. Our holy grail. The smartphone. But what if we were to give this control over to someone else? In this show the actors on stage will offer up their smartphones and thus reveal their innermost lives … click to read more . Their work equipment, everything they do, they say, they believe, and they are. Whether apps, news histories, images, voice messages or highly sensitive info. What we usually would only voluntarily upload to global corporations, we will now put into the hands of a stranger. Perhaps even an audience member will be bold enough to contribute their phone as well? Idea & Direction: Tobias Zettelmeier. Hide

NO EXIT
(English)
Inspired by Jean-Paul Sartre’s homonymous play, ‘No Exit’ takes place in a single location, in real time, with all improvisers on stage at all times. In this show presented by the Belgian ImproBubbles, there are no edits and nowhere to escape … click to read more. Expect comedy, tragedy, tensions and revelations as the characters on stage explore the relationship to their situation and to each other.

ImproBubble was established in 2017 to bring the art of improvisation, in all its forms, to Brussels and beyond. To date, ImproBubble consists of: a school of improvisation, a training ground for experienced improvisers to take masterclasses with world reknown improvisers, a corporate training branch to bring applied improvisation to companies all over Europe and a professional improv troupe who performs weekly at L'Improviste (Belgium's only theatre dedicated solely to improvisation).Hide

Bea(s)ts
(German)
A beatboxer. A pianist. An ensemble of actors. A million sounds and characters. You’re in for an improvised spectacle full of rapid changes and unconditional commitment presented by Bühnenpolka. Out of dialogue, noises, sounds and short encounters, stories will be created … click to read more. This unique evening will leave you feeling as if you’ve attended a hip hop concert with the thrill of a horror movie. Let the pumping beats lift you out of your seat, because you won’t be able to sit still!

Bühnenpolka is a worldwide touring ensemble from Munich. From Bavarian superhero Captain Bavaria, to decoys candid camera TV, to company events.Hide

Program

SPARC* is organized as a Barcamp conference. This open approach allows participants to set their own agenda and topics throughout the meeting.

In addition to the Barcamp, we offered a selection of talks, discussions and activities, some of which are explained below.

Project Eve Panel
Project Eve - A Panel Discussion hosted by Lena Breuer: How does our (stage) language influence stereotypes in improvised theatre and other realms of life? Scientists and actors will discuss gender issues on and off stage … click to read more.

In 2020, nearly one hundred years after securing the right to vote in most European countries, ‘Eves‘ everywhere are still fighting for equality in economics, community, politics and the arts. There have been changes, but gender stereotypes in social structures remain on stage, off stage and in the language that we use. At the moment, gender-neutral pronouns are only linguistically an option in certain languages - but how can language in general be changed to serve a more equal agenda?

Panel guests: Evelyn Osman (Improviser /Munich Feminst Project / USA & Germany) , Kelly Agathos (Improviser & Trainer / ImproBubble / Belgium), Karin Krug (Improviser / Fastfood Theater / Germany), Benjamin Hartwig (Science Communicator & Improviser / Neuroblitz / Improbubble / Germany & Belgium) and Kathrin Peltz (Sociologist & Cultural scientist / Hochschule Landshut / Germany)Hide

The Provocative Approach
The provocative approach, originally developed by Frank Farrelly, is a communication tool for coaches, in which humor and laughter are understood as important elements of problem recognition and solution. Dr. Charlotte Cordes and Dr. E. Noni Höfner have further developed their strategies towards Provocative System Work (ProSA) ® and Provocative Coaching (ProCo) ®. Together with Florian Schwartz, the approach has been supplemented by musical and scenic elements from improv theater … click to read more.

Provocative Coaching sessions enable clients to look at their problems from alternative perspectives, through respectful and humorous confrontation, in order to reveal new solutions. This short workshop will not only explain and demonstrate the provocative concept, but will also include application exercises within the group. More Info: www.provokativ.comHide

Minilarp
Minilarp is an immersive experience and portrayal technique which combines “Live Action Roleplay” and improvisation. This includes traditional elements of role play such as ambience, storytelling and character specifications while promoting inspirational ability and the freedom of action through improvisation … click to read more . Props and even spectators are deliberately scaled down as Minilarp focuses on the experience of the participants. In addition to the entertainment value, possible applications include educational and training purposes in seminars, e.g. to demonstrate and deal with difficult topics, benefiting participants with a better understanding due to their active experience (e.g. racism). MiniLarp is the right tool for your event whenever a full, deep immersion is desired. Hide

Impropreneurship
How can you use improv theatre tools in order to become a better entrepreneur? Göksen Meine und Florian Sußner, Management Consultants as well as improv players, have the answers for you. You can find more information in their soon to be released book at www.impropreneurship.de
Impro meets digitalisation
How can we meet the megatrend in business and improv theatre?
Digitalisation has long since become a major megatrend in all areas of life. It is gradually changing our private and professional lives. Artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, digital data streams, smarthomes, the paperless office, etc. Previously envisioned scenarios of the future have become reality and can be blessing and curse at the same time. How can we meet this megatrend with improv theatre? … click to read more   Together we want to gather ideas, concepts, and thoughts in an Open Space Café with a concluding discussion. How can a business theatre accompany customers in the field of digitisation in the future? How can the attitude of improv theatre be transferred to new work processes and corporate change? And what new forms of play or formats from the fusion of improv theatre and digital change can be developed for the stage? Hide

Speakers

At SPARC*, every participant can be a speaker and actively engage with other conference attendants in the course of our barcamp. Here are some of our currently confirmed speakers and guests:

Stefan Kollmeier

BarCamp Host

Pic by Marcel Felde

Jodi Pfleghar

Actor, Trainer

Tobias Zettelmeier

Actor, Trainer

Pic by Philip Herzhoff

Lena Breuer

Journalist, Actor

Roland Trescher

Actor, Trainer

Christopher Sie

Scientist, Actor

Pic by Al Taylor

Kelly Agathos

Actor

Pic by Nathalie Hill

Laura Berkemeyer

Psychology Student, Actor

Dorothee Bertsch

Actor

Göksen Meine

Coach

Christl Sittenauer

Actor

Pic by Isenhoff Kreativbüro

Alexandra Paatsch

Coach

Andreas Schmidhofer

Vocal Artist

Franziska Hein

Trainer, Coach

Sebastiaan Brouwer

Coach

Heike Lacher

Actor

Tamara Ranner

E-Learning Expert, Trainer, Actor

Pic by Christoph Dieterle

Michael Mirwaldt

Improv enthusiast, IT Specialist

Julia Pfaff

Consultant, Trainer

Pic by Andrea Schombara

Charlotte Cordes

Trainer, Coach, Actor

Pic by Sebastian Schulz

Isolde Fischer

Coach, Consultant, Actor

Eva Barnewitz

Therapist, Trainer

Karin Ertl

Actor, Trainer, Project Manager

Pic by Sebastian Schulz

Markus Sedelmaier

Clown, Actor

Pic by Isenhoff Kreativbüro

Esther Gilvray

Actor

Julia Hisserich

Actor, Trainer

Adrian Klein

Actor, Musician

Pic by Isenhoff Kreativbüro

Bernhard Bley

Special Education Teacher, Actor

Emma Holmes

Musician, Actor

Andreas Flesch

Manager

Dorothea Anzinger

Business Coach, Actor

Mario Müller

Author, Trainer, Director

Nadine Meidert

Scientist, Manager

Christian Riegel

Life Coach

Kathrin Perone

Actress, Trainer

Jim Libby

Actor, Director, Author, Musician

Venue

The conference and all shows took place at Gasteig, Munich's famous cultural hub centrally located in the city. The relevant Gasteig rooms were Black Box, Kleiner Konzertsaal (Small Concert hall) and Room 0.131 (see Venue Plan below). More detailed maps can be found at the Gasteig Venue Flyer.

How to get to SPARC* 2020
Coming by Public Transport

  • With the S-Bahn Lines S1–S8: Stop »Rosenheimer Platz«. Please follow signs which read »Gasteig« to correct exit
  • With the Tram Line 17: Stop »Am Gasteig«
  • With the Tram Lines 15/25: Stop »Rosenheimer Platz«

More info at Munich's public transport page.

Coming by Car
Address: Rosenheimer Straße 5, 81667 München

If you come by car, there are 270 parking spots available in the Gasteig Parking garage. Enter the parking garage from Rosenheimer Straße. Parking costs and further information at the Gasteig website.

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