Discomfort Dispatch is a transnational Do-It-Together (DIT) series of events dedicated to experimental improvised music. It was initiated by a collective in 2016 and has since evolved to embrace a decentralized structure that fosters spontaneous events without specific hierarchies, guiding principles, or territorial constraints. The format of these events is designed to foster fresh collaborations between diverse artists, promoting diversity, hybridization, and artistic experimentation.

As of 2023, 43 small festivals have been organized in 16 different towns across 3 countries, involving approximately 350 improvisers from around the world. Individuals are encouraged to contribute to and independently organize their own editions at any time and in any location.

The format of Discomfort Dispatch exhibits a few fundamental characteristics. It entails assembling unrelated individual musicians who are invited to engage in 20-minute duos with fellow artists they may not be acquainted with. Rehearsals are discouraged, and verbal planning is deemed inappropriate. The essence of Discomfort Dispatch predominantly revolves around musicians and is open to artists from various disciplines who explore the boundaries and potential of improvisation. Every guest is invited based on their capacity to interact with others; the promotion of personal projects, bands, or pre-existing compositions is not the primary focus of Discomfort Dispatch. Its core purpose is to stimulate and endorse a set of behaviors and practices, irrespective of financial gains and commercial success.

The name "Discomfort Dispatch" metaphorically embodies the discomfort experienced by both artists and audiences. In the realm of sound, it represents a liminal space where two performers are called upon to communicate and collaborate with one another, articulating their message to the audience without predetermined constraints related to language, musical genre, or culture.

Art by Costanza Calzavara