Hey NZ Improv Community, it’s your old pal Tara here, from the NZIT (Improv Aotearoa) Board. I’m stoked that at NZIF 2026, we’re announcing an initiative close to my heart – the New Zealand Improv Awards!
This all started when I got rarked up (as I often do) about the lack of representation of improv in any sort of theatre awards, at both national and regional levels. This community produces some of the highest volume of shows, with often the least resources; and we’re wily about it too! We plug gaps in programming at the last minute, we respond to community needs, our models have built in flexibility and adaptability, we produce really high quality good art, and we’re great to work with! And yet! Overlooked, like the ugly duckling of the theatre world. So, I reckon it’s time we take on one of my favourite pass times; doing-it-yourself.
As a part of building this initiative, I reached out to leaders and troupes across the country, focusing on getting feedback from regional players as well as folk in the larger centres about what they thought improv awards should look like. Feedback was overall super positive; everyone is keen beans for this, but there are some caveats – the right way to do this isn’t agreed or clear.
Some thoughts were:
How do we judge at a national level when people aren’t travelling the country to see shows?
How can we judge what is a subjective art form?
Who are the people we trust to make those judgements?
And what would be the benefit or the point?
So from these thoughts, and some percolating with the Board, we have created the PILOT programme for the New Zealand Improv Awards. Pilot meaning THIS CAN CHANGE! It’s a first cut based on what we think might fit our unique needs.
There are five awards up for grabs annually. They are:
Excellence In Improvised Performance
Excellence in Community Engagement
Excellence in Technical Craft
Excellence in Innovation
Distinguished Improviser of the Year.
These awards were generated from the feedback I received from the community – people want to recognise excellence, without making a judgement of ‘best’. People want to acknowledge the craft of improv, as well as the performance of it. People want to recognise that our community is at the heart of what we do. And people want to recognise that our artform is one that is constantly changing, adapting, surprising and delighting.
So how does it work?
In brief, there are two ways to be nominated – self nominations, or community nominations (aka anyone can nominate anything/anyone). Nomination is through a simple Google form, with the link open and accessible on the Improv Aotearoa website for 11 months of the year (with the nomination year running from 1st of June).
When the form closes (1st of May 2027) the nominations will be judged by a panel of community members with national representation, including the NZIF artistic director, Improv Aotearoa board members, and others nominated by the community. And I know what you’re thinking – how will you manage conflicts of interest?! Honest answer: dunno yet. This is a small community, people know each other, love each other, work together, and have relationships outside of the improv world. It’s not gonna be easy. However, we will be transparent about conflicts, about the judging panel make up, and about judging criteria (see the nomination forms and awards page for more info). While this is one of the biggest hurdles, I want progress over perfection.
When judging is done and winners are announced, alongside prizes (including stage time at NZIF, free workshops, and other goodies TBC) the winners will get a BIG SHINY BADGE. And they can put that BIG SHINY BADGE on everything. On their show posters, on their CVs, on their troupe website, on their funding applications, on their fridge. What I hope will come from these awards is a raised profile of the awesome stuff we do, a sense of worthiness and achievement, and stronger connections across the country.
So, what do I need from you?
Nominate! The forms are LIVE! They’re here! The criteria for nomination are here!
Put your hand up! Do you want to be on the judging panel? Do you want to nominate someone to be on the judging panel (do it here!)? Do you want to donate a prize!? Email me at tara@improvfest.nz!
And finally: make cool art! Keep doing the do! Make your prov, so we can recognise and celebrate this silly, beautiful, creative thing we do.
Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou,
Tara
