LiF 2025

Two weeks till Applications close for 2025

Programming policy

The festival encourages innovation, risk taking and are inspired by those that do. For example in last years festival 5 out of the 13 shows were brand new pieces of work. The festival aims to create opportunity for those who create and teach improvised live performance at whatever stage of their career and across multiple art forms. In doing so we aim to educate, inspire and develop future audiences and performers of improvisation.

We aim to produce a varied programme which is representative of the broad spectrum of improvised performance and community. This means we programme short and long form and work from new / emerging artists / companies as well as those who are more established. We especially welcome applications from artists and companies who create work that is designed for children.

The programming for LiF 2025 will be split between application and project based work which is supported by the festival. The dates for the festival will be Thursday the 24th - Sunday the 27th of April 2025 and will hosted by our venue partners the Unity theatre plus the LJMU drama dept. This year we will be hosting an ensemble team in addition to running double headers for the first time.

All show and workshop leader submissions are anonymised and then reviewed by an independent panel of experienced practitioners with regional, national and international knowledge – recommendations are then made to the programming team from which we will endeavor to create an annual programme of work which is both new to our audiences and participants. We do not programme work (shows) that have been to the festival previously, unless the work has undertaken significant change since its previous visit.

Please click link to meet the panel team LiF team 2025

All applicants will be contacted within one month after submission deadline.

The current offer to artists / companies / workshop leaders:

A small guarantee which covers expenses or a Split* which ever is greater.
*Split = 100% of the box office based on a 70/30 split with host partner - minus VAT and Debit / Credit card / PRS charges.
All work is documented - film and photography. This is shared with all folk who are visiting the festival at no cost.

The current offer to ensemble team.

Create a brand new show called 'Taxi Tales - a night on the town' with Wing It Impro.
Credit and image on LiF and Unity website.
Copy of film and all images from the show.
Rehearse on Thursday the 24th 11am-5pm and Friday 11am-2pm.
Social event on Thursday the 24th from 6:30pm onwards.
40 minute show at the festival on Friday the 25th of April.

The festival does not:

Charge artists / companies / workshop leaders / ensemble team to apply.
Does not take any money from the box office.
Does not make profit to be distributed to shareholders.

The Unity theatre has two fully equipped (lighting + sound) spaces. Both are end on:

Unity one - 150 seats - stage space is 15m x 15m
Unity two - 88 seats - stage space is 15m x 10m

Aims of the festival

To educate, inspire and develop future audiences, performers and teachers of improvisation,
To present and create opportunity for those who create or teach improvised live performance (multiple art forms)
To document and archive the festival for the future benefit of researchers and the wider improv community
To grow the festival in a sustainable and ethical manner

Application Forms

Application for shows - close on October the 16th, 2024.
Applications for workshop leaders - Open on October the 16th and close on November the 1st.
Applications for ensemble show - Open on November the 1st and close on December the 1st, 2024.

Click on the link to take you to application

Show application

Snap shot of LiF 2024

The Unity Theatre

The Unity Theatre is located on:
1 Hope Place, Liverpool, L1 9BG
Home - Unity Theatre (unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk)
0151 709 4988

Box Office Opening Hours
Unity is open to the public 2 hours before show start time

You are able to contact our box office at the following times:

Via Phone: Mon – Fri, 10am – 5pm
In Venue: 2 hours before show start time

You can book tickets for our shows 24/7 using our website.

www.unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk/

The Unity Theatre is a 15 minute walk from Lime street station (Mainline) and a ten minute walk from Central station (Merseyrail).

There are numerous small hotels within the area all of which are 5 minutes from the venue. There are numerous bars, coffee shops, cafes and restaurants near to the Unity theatre.

There is on street pay & display parking around Hope Street.
There are car parks on:

– Renshaw Street (8 min walk)
– Hanover Street (15 min walk)
– Mount Pleasant (10 min walk)
– Duke Street (10 min walk)
– Lime Street Station (15 min walk)

Please note that between 8am & 6pm it is residents only parking on Hope Place.