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Magic. Mischief. Mayhem.

The sixteenth New Zealand Improv Festival will place from 26 September – 4 October 2025, in beautiful Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington), based at the BATS Theatre with a few events offsite.

Featuring a dizzying variety of shows, workshops, mixers, conference sessions and social events, NZIF showcases the best of improv from Aotearoa, Australasia and beyond.

Pitches to present at the 2025 Festival are now closed. Watch this space for details of our programme!

Want to take part in the 2025 Festival? Sign up to our participant mailing list.

Want to find out about shows in the 2025 Festival? Sign up to our audience mailer.

Proudly Supported

New Zealand Improv Festival is grateful to have been supported by Wellington City Council, NZ Community Trust, Little Manila, Insight to Action Consulting, John Ilott Charitable Trust and the Performing Arts Foundation of Wellington in delivering this incredible event in recent years.

Want to get behind us? There’s room for you too!

 
 
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The Latest

 
 
 
Featured
Artistic Director Applications Open Now
Artistic Director Applications Open Now

The New Zealand Improvisation Trust board seeks applications for the role of Artistic Director for the NZ Improv Festival, 2026-2028.

NZIT welcomes Tara McEntee to the board
NZIT welcomes Tara McEntee to the board

The NZ Improvisation Trust is thrilled to announce the appointment of Tara McEntee as its newest board member and secretary.

Join the NZ Improvisation Trust – Secretary (Board Member) Position
Join the NZ Improvisation Trust – Secretary (Board Member) Position

Are you passionate about the arts, highly organised, and ready to make a difference? The NZ Improvisation Trust is seeking expressions of interest for a new trustee to join our board as Secretary.

NZIF 2025: Pitches Open!
NZIF 2025: Pitches Open!

We’re looking for proposals of shows, workshops and talks to be part of the 2025 NZ Improv Festival: Here, Together, Now.

New Leadership for the New Zealand Improv Trust
New Leadership for the New Zealand Improv Trust

The New Zealand Improv Trust is thrilled to announce Jennifer O’Sullivan as its new Chair, succeeding Tai Samaeli.

NZIF 2024: Hui and workshops for Māori and Pasifika improv practitioners
NZIF 2024: Hui and workshops for Māori and Pasifika improv practitioners
NZIF 2024: Programme Announcement
NZIF 2024: Programme Announcement

We're so flipping excited to reveal the programme for the 2024 New Zealand Improv Festival!

NZIF 2024: Pitches open!
NZIF 2024: Pitches open!

Do you want to present something as part of the 2024 New Zealand Improv Festival? Good news! Pitches are open! We’re looking for pitches of shows, workshops and talks (or something else entirely!) to be part of the Festival. The full details of what we’re after are below.

NZIF 2023: Wrap-Up
NZIF 2023: Wrap-Up

Well, the dust has finally settled on the 2023 New Zealand Improv Festival.

Our first Festival back was one of our biggest to date. 188 people took part as teachers, directors, performers, speakers, and workshop attendees.

Vale Cal Wilson
Vale Cal Wilson

Along with the Aotearoa improv community, we are mourning the passing of comedy icon Cal Wilson. As well as being an iconic standup comedian, presenter and national treasure on both sides of the Tasman, Cal was instrumental in the early days of improv in Aotearoa.