The five European theater groups have one thing in common: amongst other theater forms they are all experts when it comes to improvisational theater. Being part of the improv scene for years, they wanted to collaborate in a long term project, aiming to develop improvisation as a tool that goes beyond entertainment. The partners believe that improvisation can be used as a method to improve international communication and collaboration in many fields.

The project was very challenging in so far as all theater groups are not only dealing with its artistic aspects but were also responsible for the administrative work to be shared and collectively done in five countries. This way, the project's administration in itself functioned as insight to international collaboration for the five theaters.

“Should I stay or should I go?” intended to prove that improvisational art is not per se made for the moment and vanishes right after the performance. Improvisation can be kept on certain media forms and provide sustainability for the following generations. It is possible to repeat improvisation in films or documentaries and thus have teaching material to find access to own ways of collective storytelling.

THE PROJECT AIMS FOR DIFFERENT GOALS:

1. Establish collective storytelling as new form of international collaboration and cultural exchange on a bigger scale.
2. Increase the value of improvisation as a method of collective storytelling, and increase its visibility and recognition in the artistic sector.
3. Contribute to the intercultural dialogue and European integration through international collective work and also through the collaboration with different local communities.
4. Stimulate the development of new sustainable methods of international collaboration in the arts to support international connections and enable intercultural encounters between different artists, audiences and local communities.
5. Build connections between artists and new target audiences.

THESE GOALS ARE TO BE ACHIEVED BY:

1. Working across different platforms and media: Do research, host theater events and workshops, shoot films, compile a workbook and produce documentaries.
2. international cooperation happening on certain levels:
    - between theater artists and managers themselves
    - between theater artists and filmmakers
    - between local organizations and international partners
3. Support young prospective artists and reach multipliers by organizing workshops for young artistic talents
4. international cooperation with experts from different professional fields leading to a book on collective storytelling as a compilation of different articles by these experts